Glencorse to re-open next week to the relief of owner

Bill Taylor, owner of Glencorse Reservoir

Bill Taylor has been in the angling industry for nearly 33 years but he has never faced a season like this one.

The owner of popular Glencorse Reservoir above Flotterstone in The Pentland Hills has been given permission to open on Saturday, June 6.

And Scottish Water have allowed Taylor to have two people in a boat.

The decision is a massive relief to the well-known fishery boss who opened for the season on Saturday, March 21 and had one other day of fishing before lockdown was confirmed by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, in his telecast to the nation on Monday March 23.

Taylor had stocked the nearly 100-acre water, built between 1820 and 1824 to provide water for mills at Glencorse, Milton Bridge and Auchendinny, and to ensure a drinking water supply for Edinburgh, only days before opening.

And the lucky anglers who went out on Taylor’s 11 boats that weekend hauled in more than 100 fish.

He said: “When we confirmed closure on March 23 I thought it was only going to be for a few weeks, but now we are into our tenth and it has been a long haul.

“I have only been out over the front door four times since then and on three of those occasions I sat in the car.”

He has been sprucing up his garden during lockdown and says he has learned a lot about the hobby but he is anxious to get back to doing what has been his life for more than two decades.

Taylor said: “I’m passionate about fishing and this season was shaping up to be special as the diary was nearly full back in October. The first weekend was sensational and I lost count of the fish hooked.

“Since then we’ve been in lockdown and this is, without doubt, my worst season. I did have one other bad one caused by pollution in another reservoir I used to own, Tweeddale Millenium, but let’s hope we can all get back fishing again.”

Social distancing measures are in place at Glencorse which is closed on a Monday but open from 9am to 4.30pm every other day. Booking is essential as the reservoir does not open if there are less than three boats booked.

The fishery does not take walk-in customers but anglers come from all over Scotland and Northern England to seek out the hard-fighting brown, rainbow, tiger and blue trout.

Anglers are reminded to bring their own nets plus food and drinks.

Meanwhile, Scottish international sea angler Mike Kyle confirmed that it will be a different year for members of the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers (SFSA) due to Covid-19.

There will be no club matches and no open matches but Dalkeith-based Mike still wants people to enjoy the sport and that is why the SFSA are running a shore species hunt.

It is open to all individual members of SFSA and to anglers who have joined an affiliated club like Bass Rock Shore Angling League based in East Lothian.

The entry fee is £5 and all entry money will be donated to Erskine Veterans Care Home.

The Lothians-based fisherman said: “The competition runs from the end of lockdown to December 31 this year and to enter anglers should contact me on 07933 003985.

“I will send them a card by return email for the individual to print and the rules are simple.

“Only fish shore caught in Scottish sea waters count and all pictures should be be submitted on the appropriate Facebook page or sent to WhatsApp group.

“The submission must contain the name of the angler, species of fish and and the hunt card.”

The angler who collects most species receives a SFSA polo shirt and a £25 frozen bait voucher, and photographs may be used in the 2021 SFSA Calendar.

Kyle added: “People should remember social distancing and staying safe buty this is a fun event and its’ about being back out enjoying our sport.”