Fraser on fishing: Women endure Lein times but emerge with credit

Published on Saturday 4 July 2009 11:20

SCOTLAND'S ladies put in a gallant performance in horrendous conditions to take the silver medal at the home internationals in Ireland.

The event is always keenly fought and, for the first time, Ireland won on their home water – Lough Lein in Killarney. It has a reputation for some cracking wild brown trout fishing and it certainly lived up to expectations.

The four nations practised for several days prior to the match and the Scots team were considered favourites based on their lead up to matchday.

The bright and windy conditions were not ideal for brown trout fishing but the fish were feeding in the top three feet of water.

Ireland, under new management, got their tactics spot on to win very comfortably from Scotland and Wales with the wooden spoon going to England.

It was forecast for winds to reach up to 32mph in the afternoon so a good start was essential for all the teams.

Some of the areas of the water which had performed well in practise did not fish well due to the squalls and wild water which had waves topping four feet. So it was full credit to all the ladies who persevered to make it such high-scoring match.

It was the first time the event was catch and release and the scoring was 100 points for each fish and a further point for each centimetre of the fish's length.

Scotland's top rod was Gail Annal with 17 fish which was only surpassed by Julie Gerry of Ireland with 18 and overall individual winner Debbie Morgan of Wales with 19 measurable trout.