Jamie McLeary will defend the Winter League title at Rosslynlee Trout Fishery

Popular Winter League competition at Rosslynlee Fishery is now open to entrants

A new picnic table at Rosslynlee Fishery

Jamie McLeary will defend the Winter League title at Rosslynlee Trout Fishery and the angler from Woodburn, Dalkeith, is one of the early entrants for the popular ten-leg event which starts next month.

Brian Shackleton, who won the heaviest fish prize in the previous competition, is also in the field and, weather permitting, the event will go ahead from Sunday, October 25 to Sunday, February 28 on every second Sunday.

Overall, there are prizes for the heaviest fish and also first, second and third in total weight, and all catches will be counted.

The entry fee is £50 which must be paid before the start date and thereafter it is £30 per round which includes a kill ticket for the fishery and, Government restrictions permitting, lunch. The menu will include Rosslynlee favourites of soup, chilli, curry and also cakes.

A total of 30 slots are available and start and finish times will be confirmed soon. Interest has been high and fishery owner Nicola Perfect suggested anglers should enter as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Anglers keep the first four fish and they can continue to fish on a catch and release basis after that.

She added: “The event went really well last year with people helping each other out and bonding really well. The banter was great.

“The guys all appreciated the food and we vary the menu so if you fancy giving this series a go then phone to book a place.”

Meanwhile, Darrin Ferguson is within touching distance of claiming the Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club’s Summer League title.

He requires a second place on Matchday Seven next Saturday at Alex’s Pond at Orchill near Auchterarder to edge John Parella on weight overall despite a disappointing sixth leg last weekend.

Darrin failed to make the top three with John Parella bagging the top weight of mixed fish totalling 10lbs 14oz with Stewart Richie second on 7lbs 3oz and Tony Ball third an ounce behind.

He did, however, make the Final of the Knockout Cup with a victory over Nigel Duncan and there he will meet Bill Hamilton who edged out Heather Lauriston.

Bill and Darrin are also in the field for the Orchill Open at Auchterarder on Sunday, September 27 at Alex’s Pond and you can enter on the day. Entrants are asked to be at the fishery by 8am for the draw at 8.30am. See the Scottish Matches Facebook page for full details. It will be all-in at 10.30am and all-out by 4pm.

On to fly fishing, and Edinburgh-based Mike Connet and Jock Kettles from Bonnyrigg will not be travelling to the re-arranged final of the Scierra Pairs. It was originally scheduled for a venue in Wales but Government restrictions meant a switch of date and venue to Rutland on Sunday, October 4.

Jock is working that weekend so the pair who won two heats in Scotland, one at Glencorse in July and the other at Lake of Menteith earlier this month, won’t travel.

Scotland’s Ladies Fly Fishing team emerged with £869 from their fund-raiser at Drumtassie, a great result for the group.

Jimmy Fairley led at lunch with six fish but fishing then continued till 3.15pm. Jimmy added eight fish to his early total to end with 14 fish and second was Scott Anderson with ten fish with Ronnie Couper third on six fish.

Liz McLellan, one of the organisers, said: “The total raised was amazing and will greatly help to host the Ladies international next May at the Lake of Menteith.”

At Peebles, Jimmy Barrett, fishery manager at Kailzie, was a happy man this week after Innerleithen-based angler Ronnie Wilson landed an 8lb trout, among the best of the season so far.

The specimen came during a spell of great fishing at the picturesque pond in the shadow of the Moorfoot Hills and only yards from the River Tweed where a number of salmon fishermen were in evidence this week.

The winter cod fishing is fast approaching and Fishers of Penicuik tell us that they are busy stocking the shelves with hooks, clips and accessories to prepare rigs.

They have also taken delivery of the new Penn 2021 shore reel with the new Penn 525 mag2 multiplier reel generating loads of interest. The new Penn Rival Longcast Surf Pack is selling well.

Finally, Barry McEwan is the clear leader in the Bass Rock Shore Angling League’s Winter Series after the second leg. He landed a 3lb 14oz cod to win the Dunbar Rover and followed up with a 2lb 10oz specimen in the North Berwick Rover this week to sit on top of the table with a maximum of 20 points.

Dale McCallum and Cameron Cunningham, who also come from Port Seton, are joint second with eight points with the third leg on October 8 at a venue to be decided.

Peeler crab was the favoured bait this week with most catching fish however they were undersized and did not count and conditions were ideal with light wind and only a two-foot swell plus a decent temperature.