Fishing: Rosebery Reservoir stocked with rainbow trout ahead of season opening

Sea angling skipper Derek Anderson will start charters from Eyemouth on Friday, April 9.

The water level, which caused a delay in opening last season, is good and rainbow trout will be stocked ahead of opening day.

Dave Picken, the fishery manager, said: "We are sorry for the delay in opening, but we have been waiting for the Covid-19 restrictions to ease and the water temperature to rise.

"Only a month ago, the reservoir was fully frozen for the first time in ten years."

Dougie with two fine fish at 9lb 9oz and 6lb 6oz at Bangour.

The prices and bag limit are the same last last year and all permits must be bought before anglers start fishing.

Day tickets cover from 8am to dusk and an adult ticket including killing three fish is £23 and an adult and child, with a five fish limit, is £30. A seniors ticket allowing three fish is £15.

Evening and boat fishing will start in May and you are advised to book well in advance as numbers will be restricted.

"With Covid-19 restrictions still in place, please follow Government guidelines with regards to travel and social distance," said Picken.

No bait or flies are available for sale and track and trace will be in operation.

Millbank House and Gardens are out of bounds and there is restricted parking. There is no parking at Millbank, on the dam or the Yorkston Road.

Elsewhere, Andy Mair is the toast of Drumtassie after landing a 16lb 2oz trout on the Kingfisher pond using a yellow dancer.

Nearby, Pottishaw is fishing well. Owner Fraser Thomson said: "There are lots of fish on the surface taking buzzers. Suspended buzzer, CDC’s and black hoppers should take plenty of fish in the next few weeks."

Also in West Lothian, Alex Britton and Gerry King won the pairs competition at Bangour on Sunday, with 42 fish caught between the six anglers. The biggest fish of 10lb 1oz was landed by Colin.

Owner Jason Smith said: "It's that time of year where there are fish in the whole column. Deep slow twitch retrieve with buzzers and bloodworms works well as do yellow dancers with a random retrieve. CDC is working on dry flies."

It has been a quiet week on Linlithgow Loch but, despite the cold wind, some good fly hatches have been noted and locals predict that it should not be long before the fish switch on to buzzers. Black and green lures and cormorants are favoured patterns.

Craig Cowan, fishing the bank, has been among the best rods, returning 13 fish, including two around 5lbs in one session and returning eight on a fast glass line and a green pea in another.

Regular angler Ken Wood kept two and returned 12 on cormorants and midge tip while Alex McGregor and partner kept a limit bag of eight for 20lbs and returned four on cat's whisker patterns.

Helpers Jim Russel and Gavin Dunn returned 12 fish tempted by dancers on a midge tip line and bosses continue to stock weekly.

A spokesman said: "The loch holds a good head of fish and when clubs finally manage to travel they should do all right at Linlithgow."

Good fishing to be had in the Lothians as Menzies brothers prove with impressive...

Harlaw in the Pentland Hills is now open for the season (members/season tickets from 6am, day permits 7am) and Malleny Angling remind purchasers that permits are only available online and one week prior to a visit. Many bag limits and double-figure catches were reported on opening day with black and green lures, buzzers, egg and cat's whisker patterns toping the list,

The Water of Leith is also open and permits are available online from City of Edinburgh Council. They are free.

Over to Midlothian and Rosslynlee where Scot McGarry has continued to plunder the reservoir. The 39-year-old security systems engineer secured 47 to the net. Previously this season he has tempted 33 and 23 in single sessions.

The fishery continues to produce good numbers despite the weather, according to owner Nicola Perfect. Buzzers (particularly black) plus bloodworm and dancer patterns have proved the best.

Bowden Springs has also recorded catches. Owner Jim Gargaro reports that Mr Howe landed a rainbow of over 10lb, tempted at 4ft on an egg pattern. Regular angler Dylan Johnston was not far behind with an 8lb fish and Vincenzo Manning landed seven and Paul Dancer six.

The bait pond is also doing well and Mr and Mrs Derby landed six fish for around 19lbs using Powerbait.

Harperrigg just off the Lang Whang four miles south of Mid Calder is open and day tickets for this brown trout fishery are available online or at [email protected] or over the phone (Monday to Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-3) on 07851 011085 or in person at Festival stores in Kirknewton. Memberships are available for the 2021 season.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club chairman Geoff Lowe said he has received clarification from sportscotland about Scottish Government guidance in relation to competitive fishing.

He said: "As of April 26, provided the situation allows, travel will be allowed within mainland Scotland. This is because all of the mainland should be moving to Level 3 at that date.

"Therefore, travel would be permitted at this point within and between Level 3 areas. We may, therefore, may be able to start our matches from May 1. Subsequent matches, provided guidelines allow, would be May 15 and 29, June 12 and 26, July 10 and 24, August 7 and 21 and September 4 and 18. All matches, incidentally, will be on Alex's Pond at Orchill near Auchterarder on Saturdays and seven matches from the 11 dates will count for the league title.

Sea angling now and skipper Derek Anderson confirmed that he is starting charters from Eyemouth on Friday, April 9.

Elsewhere, over 40 anglers have so far entered the 2021 species hunt organised by the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers (SFSA) and which runs until the end of December.

There is still time to enter and the cost is £5 for those who are members of the SFSA and 100 per cent of the money goes to charity. Ring Dalkeith-based Mike Kyle on 07933 003985 for details.

Finally, campaigners are calling on the Scottish Government to stop what they call "the chronic destruction of our seabed" by reinstating a coastal limit on bottom-trawl and dredge fishing.

It is claimed that Scottish coastal seas have been driven into decline by bottom towed fishing gear which has had free access to over 95 per cent of inshore waters since the 1980s.

This has, it is claimed, been to the detriment of habitats, biodiversity, fisheries, and communities. Vital nurseries and shelter for many species "has been destroyed".

A spokesman said: "Many regional fisheries, including herring, cod and haddock, have disappeared and the majority of inshore fishermen are worryingly reliant on shellfish such as scallops and langoustines to make a living.

"Scientists have voiced serious concern about this situation which leaves fishermen vulnerable to market vagaries and changes in stock health and composition. We are now, literally, scraping the bottom."

Campaigners are asking concerned anglers to sign a petition.