Scotland ladies gearing up for world challenge
Four members of Scotland's ladies shore angling team are competing in the two-day Memorial Match in Fife this weekend and their eventual aim is to take part in the World Championships.
The next installment of the world event is scheduled for South Africa and Joanne Barlaw is jetting up from Brighton to join Glenrothes-based Buffy McAvoy, Morag Robinson and Gill Coutts.
They will cast a line on Kirkcaldy Beach on Day One of the popular two-day Memorial and around 60 anglers are expected. Day 2 is on Leven Beach on Sunday.
Registration for Saturday is from 7.30am to 8.30am at the East End Car Park at Kirkcaldy Promenade and on Sunday from 8am to 9am at the same venue. This is a measure and return event with a minimum of 15cm.
Bait restrictions are lugworm and mackerel and entry is £40 to include both days. There are prizes for first, second and third plus zone and a heaviest flat fish award and points earned here count towards the Penn Sea League.
Fishing on Saturday is from 9.30am to 1.30pm due to the size of the tide and the re-timing is to allow anglers to leave the beach safely. On Sunday it is from 10am to 2pm.
The presentation of prizes will be held at the East Dock Bar, Methil KY8 3EQ and contact David Dobbie on 07940 111729 or Alan Combe on 07872 899791 for details.
Kevin Lewis, Scottish Ladies team manager, said the world event is the pinnacle and South Africa a great place in which to fish.
A fund-raising raffle will be held in aid of the ladies team during the weekend.
Meanwhile, Gus Brindle, who fishes in the Edinburgh Winter Shore League, came second in the Civil Service Shore Championships sea fishing event on North Beach, Great Yarmouth. With 35 minutes remaining he was on 75 fish for 1,963cm and was fast running out of mackerel and blow lugworm bait. Ray Edmons from the Northern Region was on about 1,950cm.
Brindle, the defending champion, said: “In those last 35 minutes I only had bait for three casts and managed a double of whiting following by a triple shot, finishing with a double to end with 82 fish for 2,150cm.
“This was sadly only enough for second in section and second overall as Ray had a triple shot on his last cast to pip me by 15cm and take the individual title with 2,165cm.”
The Northern Region also lifted the team title with 184 fish, just egding out Scottish Region who were defending the title they won at Elliott Beach in Arbroath 12 months ago. Scottish Region finished with 169 fish for third place. The other team members were Dave McKervail and Peter Smalls.
Dunfermline-based Brindle, chairman of the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling, revealed that this looks like being the last match as the Civil Service have taken the decision not to support the event going forward.
Elsewhere, Gordon Lyall produced a memorable return of 23 fish out of a total of 240 recorded between 27 anglers in Match 2 of the Edinburgh Winter Shore League.
Whiting made up the majority of the catch during the three-hour match fished at Seafield in calm, clear conditions, with dab, flounder, rockling and codling also featuring.
Lyall, an Edinburgh Angling Centre employee, and a man who once tempted over 50 fish in a similar event, now moves to fourth position in the table led currently by Chris Cooper on 13 points with Scotland international, Ian Campbell, the organiser of the event, tied at the top.
Another Scotland international, David Cooper, who is a previous winner, is third with 11 points along with Lyall and Stevie Souter, who won Match 1.
Chris Cooper also had the longest fish on the night, a 31cm whiting.
Over to fly fishing now and good news for devotees of Millhall near Polmont. Bosses have decided to remain open throughout November on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and also at weekends, and the fishery continues to produce.
Nigel Burns had 28 while M Hynd and R Cooper returned 18 rainbows, A Doyle had 17, A Goulding 16 and R Whitelaw and C Henderson 12 each.
Lake of Menteith say their winter prices – amounting to a 12.5 per cent discount – are now in operation and bosses confirm that they are investing for the future with six more Coulam Defender boats being bought.
Nearer to the city, Drumtassie near Blackridge report that John Aird landed 23 fish and also dropped “a few”. Egg patterns worked well for him.
Allandale Tarn near West Calder report that the chilly weather has prompted large brown trout up to 7lb have been landed along with Tiger trout into double-figures and rainbows ranging up to an estimated 17lb.
Iona Allan, the owner, said that floating lines are still working but getting down a wee bit further using a midge tip has proved profitable. Brown smokers and brown sedge are still favourites, but pinks are catching more since the recent frost.
Olive diawl bach or similar nymph patterns are also tempting fish and the fishery is now onto winter hours. Gates open for 8am and fishing is from 9am to 4.30pm.
Meanwhile, a reminder from Fishing Around the Forth that catch returns are now due. The deadline is November 21 and you are requested to make a return if you fished anywhere in the Forth catchment area this season.
You should return a form even if you caught zero fish and a spokesman said: “It is a condition of your permit and essential for fisheries to report accurately.”
If you fished more than one fishery then you should submit a return for each one and, if you bought a permit online, then use the link in the e-permit or visit www.fishforth.org/catch-returns.
If you bought a paper permit then follow the instructions on the permit or use the online form.
The spokesman added: “You need your permit number or booking reference found at the top of your permit.”