Local fishermen alert us to the amount of rubbish being strewn around the countryside

No respect: The picturesque Harlaw Resevoir in the Pentlands which has been littered with rubbish

ANGRY fishermen have contacted the Evening News to express their disgust at litter being left at popular angling locations in the Lothians.

Frustrated Mark Connor raised the issue about “the amount of crap” being left at busy Granton East Breakwater and Jim McComb, chairman of non-profit-making Malleny Angling Ltd, said the situation at Harlaw Reservoir has been “disgusting”.

Human excrement plus sanitary products are regularly spotted by bailiffs and fishermen at Harlaw near Balerno along with broken bottles and cheap tents discarded after use. Signs prohibiting wild camping are displayed on the entrance gate at Harlaw.

Fires have been found in the morning after burning overnight within yards of trees and notices asking the public not to light them.

McComb also appealed to anglers not to leave discarded nylon fishing line on the bank.

One woman recently tripped on a line and needed treatment, and McComb said: “It’s disgusting with toilet paper just thrown away and all sorts of rubbish left lying around.

“We’ve even seen two cheap tents just left on site and, apart from anglers, what about families with young children and dogs who could come upon the material left which includes human excrement, tampons and broken bottles.”

McComb revealed that his bailiffs used to pick up litter as a service to the Pentland Hills Ranger Service but not now and he said: “It is too dangerous for them to do that with Covid-19 around. We would urge people to take their litter home, and that includes discarded fly lines.”

He lives near Granton and he added: “I was out walking with my daughter and noted two ladies picking up two bags of litter from around Royal Forth Yacht Club. Litter is now a real problem.”

On the fishing side, Harlaw has suffered variable weather but most anglers are still enjoying excellent fishing with a number of trout in the 5lb bracket being reported.

Food items including Mayfly nymph, buzzers, caddis larva and stickleback have been recovered from the fish and small black and green lures, Viva, damselfly nymph or yellow dancer all tied on standard size 10 hooks are suggested by director Robert Ross.

Fish are being tempted to dry flies with the most successful being Mayfly, sedge, CDC and small muddler and anglers fishing the blob have also been scoring.

Robert said the best time for fishing is early morning up to noon and from 7 pm till dusk.

Meanwhile, Clubbiedean owner Steven Johnston had his hut broken into on Monday night and nine rods, a Bison outboard motor and a box of 5lbs Fulling Mill fishing line stolen.

Six of the fishery rods were Shakespeare Firebird brands and the three members rods were also taken, a Shakespeare Agility with Snowbee reel, Cortland rod and a Grays rod with Airflow reel.

Steve said the last break-in was around ten years ago and he is having a steel plate installed on the door.

Fishing has been difficult because of the weather but trout are being hooked, mainly to green and black lures, hot head damsel and Ally McCoist patterns.

Over the Pentlands to Loganlea near Flotterstone, owner Karen Jack has received many compliments from anglers who have benefited from fishing muddler, diawl bach and cormorant patterns on an intermediate line with the dam wall area proving the best location.

Nearby at Glencorse, owner Bill Taylor admitted that fishing has been more of a challenge due to the constantly changing air pressure.

Some anglers have done well using D5 lines with damsels, blobs and diawl bach, but others have struggled.

Tam Cherry and Davy Lowder were not among them as they landed eight fish for just under 35lbs as did Alan Jackson and Jackie Watt who also had eight fish for 35lbs.

Please note that you need to book at Glencorse which does not have a walk-up policy.

It has also been busy at Rosslynlee near Rosewell.

In West Lothian, the bait pond at Bowden Springs continues to excel and Jason Heeps and his wife from Bo’ness caught seven fIsh for 17lbs 9oz with a best of 4lbs 6oz.

And the Alexander family from Edinburgh arrived with three generations and had a great day with 14 trout for 39lbs with a best of 4lbs.

Nearby at Pottishaw near Whitburn, owner Fraser Thomson reports that the water has been fishing well with decend sedge and buzzer hatches in the evening.

The best fish this week have been a 7lb Tiger trout and 9lb brown trout.

Across in Fife, John Callison admitted that it had been hard going at Stenhouse near Burntisland as the water was warm in midweek at 18.9C and gin clear.

Best patterns have been olive F fly, hedgehogs and cormorant.