Anglers turn out for disabled team

It was fundraiser time at Millhall Fishery near Polmont and a near full compliment turned out for the competition.

Mark McAvoy of Kilmarnock won the Millhall Fundraiser with nine fish taken on a Damsel

Conditions were good for the time of year with only a slight wind – which was manageable.

After drawing a starting point the anglers made for their platforms. Eventual winner Mark McAvoy of Kilmarnock got the show on the road early landing his first fish of nine with a Damsel. Mark landed the rainbow after two minutes using a fast glass line that earned him a bottle of whisky.

I drew a peg up in the shallows and started with a floating line with a blob on the dropper and green headed Damsel on the point. In no time at all I was getting plucks, draws and tugs for six minutes before one would stick. It took the Damsel on the point although I thought it was the blob the way it was hitting the fly. Not a big fish at 2lb but numbers mattered in the catch-and-release match.

A few minutes later I struck again on the Damsel and things were looking up ... or so I thought. As I bent over to net it the fish slipped the hook leaving me cursing. It took another three casts to catch my second fish and time was running out as I had to move. It was not until I was down on the dam wall before I got my third on a Scruffy damsel. Just before lunch I managed to get my fourth and last fish which made it a respectable effort. I went out after eating and fished another two pegs before retiring as the cold came down and only a handful of fish were caught. However, it was the disabled team that benefited on the day and although an exact figure was not forthcoming it was money raised in a good cause.