I had hoped this year to catch a trout on Lough Arrow in County Sligo and Finian Dodd was good enough to let me take a boat out in July. The kids, Leo and Pippa, were with me. The trout kept to themselves and there were no rises to the big murrough and green peter sedges we were hoping might tempt them to the surface. The kids were sufficiently provided with wagon wheels and cup cakes to avert a mutiny, particularly when the heavens opened and it pissed rain on the three of us.
I had been hoping to catch and photograph an elusive Arrow trout with a view to painting it later. Thankfully, Finny saved the day by providing me with a few good photos of Arrow trout, one of which I painted. Finny is a great bloke and I don´t imagine anyone knows more about the Lough and its trout than he does. He and his wife Mary have revived me on a few occasions with hot tea and biscuits after the trout have ignored me and my flies. I sent the trout painting to Finny as a gift and hope it gets to him okay. I am a little worried. It has been nearly three weeks since I sent it and no word about its arrival!
Lough Arrow trout display some of the great range of colours and patterns which characterise brown trout in general. Finny recognises a number of local variants from different parts of the Lough. I catch too few of the damn things to know!
Here is the painting of an Arrow trout based on one of Finny´s pictures. I hope the original finally gets to him!
fishydreams 