Warmer weather for the second Thrunton heat of the Big One fishing competition

Over the weekend, the warmer weather saw good hatches of midge and other insects flying around.

What a contrast from two weeks ago for the second heat of the Big One competition at Thrunton.

This week was really mild, sunny and there was a gentle breeze. Two weeks ago, it was bitterly cold with driving rain and near gale force winds.

The second Thrunton heat had 19 anglers, who had a rod average of more than eight trout each.

Jed Armstrong won the heat with 18 fish. Other qualifiers were Carl Nixon, Andrew Campbell, Davy Kay, Peter Davison and Josh Shuttleworth.

Dry flies and buzzer patterns were the successful patterns.

Leisure anglers had a good week at Thrunton too, returning bags of up to 25 trout.

Chatton hold their final heat of the Big One this Sunday using Ross and Dunnydeer Lakes. Chatton Lake will be open to the public as normal.

This week dry flies have been the patterns of choice at Chatton, with Shipman’s Top Hats, CDCs and Daddies attracting the fish.

Sweethope Loughs are fishing well too. Two guys I talked to had over 30 fish between them on their first drift. The best bag from the little lough was 23 trout. Cormorants, Ally McCoist and dries tempting the trout.

I had a few hours on the Coquet and had seven brown trout on small weighted nymphs and wet flies. The water is still cold and no trout were rising.