Angling: Scotland’s Ladies to hold fundraiser | strong catches at Bowden Springs

Fishing is on a catch and release basis and the ladies are raising money to compete in several major international events this summer. The cost is £30.

A hot lunch is provided with a rod for first place. The runner-up receives a fly line and bottle and the third a fly line.

Organiser Liz Mclellan said: “Forty places are available of which 30 are filled and Drumtassie has been fishing really well with fish up to 20lb plus being caught.”

Staying with reservoirs, Alan Holbrook, secretary of Malleny Angling Club who look after Harlaw and Threipmuir Reservoirs, said that the start of the season had seen up to 40 anglers on the bank.

Several specimen fish of over 10lbs have been landed since opening day, with black and green lures proving most productive.

At Bowden Springs near Linlithgow, owner Jim Gargaro reports that catches have been good with fish of over 7lbs landed.

The best patterns have been black and green tadpole on a sink tip or slow intermediate line and 11-year-old Adam Cuthill caught a well-conditioned 5lb 4oz rainbow on a green cats whisker.

And anglers have also been into hard-fishing fish at Morton Fishings with buzzer, diawl bach and lures attracting attention.

Meanwhile, action seems to be picking up on the Water of Leith, with several anglers reporting good catches including John Dingwall. His success has generally been with self-tied Droz nymphs.

Lee Windram, the chief fishing officer, has also enjoyed good sport with three to the net on one trip, one to a iron blue dunn and two on a small white dry cast out and left to stay on a ripple into the calm.

Moving to The Clyde, a popular place for East of Scotland fishermen, Tom McGregor, secretary of the United Clyde Angling Protective Association, said that the their stretch of the river is starting to come to life.

He added: “Anglers have been catching on pheasant tail, gold-head hare lug and greenwell nymphs.

“Wet flies and spiders like march brown and greenwell glory are also proving to be successful.”

Elsewhere, the next local heat for the Scierra Pairs, one of Britain’s leading fly fishing competitions with around £5,000 in prize money, is on Raith Lake, Kirkcaldy, on Saturday April 20 and 21.

Then it is Morton Fishings on Saturday, May 4, Harelaw Trout Fishery near Glasgow on Sunday May 5, this is a new venue.

At sea, Derek Anderson of Aquamarine Charters of Eyemouth, who regular has clients from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, hopes for better weather this weekend. Last weekend his two Catamaran craft stayed in port.