Nigel Duncan on fishing: "Anyone caught doing this will be banned"

West Lothian Angling Association's popular fly tying nights have been switched from a Monday to a Thursday and they currently remain free. The venue is Howden Park Centre at Livingston.

Fraser Thomson, vice-chairman of West Lothian Angling Association (WLAA), confirmed that the switch from a Monday to a Thursday was because there are a number of holidays which include a Monday and Thursday was considered the best alternative.

The association recently moved the evenings from Mid Calder Community Centre because of popular demand and enthusiasts are now coming from a distance to attend the sessions which are from 6.30pm to 9pm on the second Thursday of the month starting May 11. From October, the group plans to host the events once every 14 days. Thomson said that the group decided that the Mid Calder Community Centre had served the group well but they needed room to expand.

He added: “We believe we can get around 100 people in the Howden Park Centre and everybody is more than welcome, whether you make your own flies or you want to learn this is the place to be. Don't be scared to come." The group have equipment and materials and Thomson said: “Everything is here for you, loads of advice, loads of guys talking fishing, so anything you want to know about fishing or fly tying, this is the place to be. We discuss everything here, not just fishing, we discuss life and it is good for your mental health and good for your physical health."

Geoff Lowe, chairman of Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club, fishing at Orchill. Picture by Nigel Duncan

He said that fly tying is as difficult as you want to make it and he added: "We have got guys here who you would regard as being professionals, we have guys tying for the first time, but it does not matter what your standard is, this is a good place to be."

Jason Rennie, chairman of WLAA, said the organisation was really pleased with the way the tying night have progressed and he confirmed that the nights attract people from Falkirk, Dunfermline, Edinburgh and the surrounding area. He added: “There is no cost for the fly tying nights at the moment.”

Leader line

Locally, Pottishaw has been fishing well with Paul Dancer netting 34 on his last visit with buzzers and diawl bach accounting for the majority. Ewan Taylor had 16.

John Ferguson watches G P Goh tying at Howden Park Centre at the last meeting in April. Picture Nigel Duncan

Fraser Thomson, who owns Pottishaw, said: “I'm dismayed by the amount of leader line being dropped by anglers. Anyone caught doing this will be banned. This is not acceptable."

Gilmerton Miners' Angling Club visited last weekend and Thomson said: "They all bagged up. March was shocking for fishing but April has been absolutely brilliant here, phenomenal in fact."

Meanwhile, the fish have arrived at Kailzie near Peebles for the re-opening this weekend and fishing has also been good locally. At Allandale Tarn near West Calder, FFlies have been working their magic, according to owner Iona Allan, while apps, buzzer and diawl bach have also worked well.

Bowden Springs, Linlithgow has seen with anglers catching double-figure numbers. David King tied on a mixed bag of flies to land 17 trout including one of 8.2lb. Hugh Barr had 13 with a biggest of 8lb also on a selection of flies.

Fraser Thomson, vice chairman of West Lothian Angling Association, at Pottishaw Fishery near Whitburn. Picture by Nigel Duncan

Linlithgow Loch report that anglers using floating and midge tip lines, along with those on intermediate and fast glass, were successful with fish taking buzzers, black and green,lures, cats, damsels and Muskins. The lake is crystal clear. Aberdour Angling Club enjoyed good sport with over 52lbs of fish kept and 13 other trout returned.

At Millheall near Polmont secretary Bill Sutherland said different lines, methods and flies all had their moments this week. Lots of fish came to the net. C Banks returned ten, with T Banks and W Banks hooked 15 fish each, A Burns returned 17 fish on snakes, B Gair and D Meir each had 12 on olive and apps bloodworms while P Shaw had ten on CDC dry flies.

Loganlea boss Karen Jack said her fish have been switching on and off depending on the weather but anglers are catching on diawl bach, FAB, cormorant but she added: "The weather is going in the right direction."

Across the hill at Clubbiedean, Steven Johnston confirmed that buzzer and egg patterns have been working and a double-figure fish was landed in the last few days.

Nearby, Malleny Angling's head bailiff, Steven Oliver, had a great day on Harlaw Reservoir, catching 12 in an area known as Duffer's Bay, five on a gold head damsel, pulled fast in short, sharp bursts.G P Goh tempted 17 and Mark Delves 14 while another member netted 20 and a season ticket holder also had 12 caught mainly on black buzzer and diawl bach. Two day ticket anglers also had memorable days with one catching 13 and the other 12.

Into East Lothian and Tweeddale owner John Jackson confirmed that fishing has been good with buzzers tempting trout along with hoppers as the fish rise in the water. Finally, the Fario Boat League starts on May 10 (6pm) at the Lake of Menteith. New entrants are welcome.

Randomly allocated boat partners fish to Scottish club rules except it is all catch and release, timing of the first fish caught used in the event of a tie. Get in touch with the fishery if you want to fish. There is a £20 joining fee. Good prizes every night.

There has been great fishing on the Lake with buzzers and drys working well at Shear Point and in International Bay, the Butts and Todhole and Malling Shore. Small CDC shuttlecocks and black or green buzzers have seen success and there are plenty of fish willing to take a yellow dancer.

Elsewhere, the Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship, sponsored by Ridgeline UK, 7Plus7 Construction and R&E Hygiene, saw heat four at Frandy near Dollar and a chilly North-East breeze kept the temperature on the low side, according to Tom McTaggart of SANACC.

The top 13 went through to the semi-finals and the top rod with 15 trout for 30lb 8.9oz was Stephen Francis of Househillmuir FF. Michael Ward of Johnston FF was second with 12 trout for 24lb 3.6oz and Ronald Orr of Milngavie AC was third with 8 trout for 16lb 0.2oz.

Round 5 is at Lintrathen near Kirriemuir on Tuesday (May 9) and The Scottish National River Championship starts on Sunday (May 7). The Championship, which is the qualifier for the international river team, will be held over three heats at the River Tummel on May 7, May 21 and June 4 with the final on the same riv er at the end of July.A reminder that the third heat of the Kingdom Fly Championship is at Ballo Fishery near Leslie in Fife on May 13. The final is at Stenhouse on June 10.

On to coarse angling and sliver fish have been to the fore at Eliburn in Livingston and the popular day ticket water (permits £7 adult and £2 children) contains a full quota of coarse fish with carp up to 27lb and tench of up to 6lb along with bream, ide and silver fish.

Geoff Lowe, chairman of Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club, won the third leg of the summer series on a difficult, bitterly cold day at Orchill near Auchterarder with 12lb 14oz. He had four bites and landed three carp on his 13.5metre pole. The bait was worm. He wore six layers and two hats and he was still cold.

Heather Lauriston was second with 11lb 3oz and Roz Cassidy third with 9lb 11oz and Andy Paterson fourth with a 9lb 2oz carp, his only fish. Most fish caught were bream and silver fish and Simon Clynshaw (cor) leads the title race with Sandy McKay second and Andy Roberts third and Darrin Ferguson, the title holder, fourth. The next match is on May 13 also at Orchill.

Broom near Annan hosted a three-day festival this week with anglers from Warrington, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Results next week. The Pike Anglers Alliance of Scotland (PAAS) held the first match in the 2023 Diawa Prorex Lure League on the Lake of Menteith. The league takes place on a variety of waters between now and October. There is a junior section.

Entry to the league is only open to PAAS members and anybody interested in joining should email Sean Frew on [email protected]. Sea fishing now and Scottish international Chris Empson won the first round of the summer league organised by Bass Rock Shore Angling League. It was a pegged event on Seacliffe Beach and it was bitterly cold. Only four anglers weighed in.

Empson from Dunbar had eight fish for 166cm, Shaun Gardner (North Berwick) had two fish measuring 36cm for second and Alan Brown (West Barns), the club chairman, had one fish of 19cm for third with Neil Anderson from North Berwick fourth with one fish of 16cm.

Anderson hooked into a turbot of 2in during the contest and the next round is on May 10 at a venue to be confirmed. See the club's Facebook page for details.

Meanwhile, Derek Anderson, boss of Aquamarine Charters, said that fishing was good last weekend with coley and cod landed. Squid proved the best bait. Best to check the forecast this weekend, but there are spaces on boats out of Eyemouth on May 13 and 14. The six-hour cod trip costs £47 per person. Ring 07860 804316 for details.