Scotland aiming to have a golden week

Donaldson is part of a seven-strong squad determined to hold onto the gold medal they won over a year ago.

The angler won gold when he last represented the Tartan team and he strongly believes this squad can hold off the challenge of England, Wales and Ireland at Ellerdine Lakes near Telford.

The squad take part in unofficial practice on Sunday, official practice on Monday then again on Tuesday morning before pictures and other formalities with the event itself on Wednesday.

John Donaldson travelling south to represent Scotland in the Still Water Bank Home International

It is expected that the competition will take place over six hours, that’s a long time when you are concentrating fully, and anglers will fish a minimum of 30 minutes on each peg on two different lakes during the morning and afternoon sessions.

Scotland are going into the unknown as none of the squad have been able to make a trip south to test conditions. Wales, who are understood to include popular YouTube celebrity, Rhys Wadley, of Rhys Fishes fame, and his father, in their squad.

Matthew Pate, who also appears regularly on YouTube in fly tying videos, is their team manager but former World Games and European Casting Champion, Hywel Morgan, who holds 14 British casting records, failed to quality.

Donaldson, an IT specialist with the Scottish Government, said that this is very much a team effort and added: “We’ll try a number of different styles. Some of us will be better at pulling lures, some with buzzers and others will try the bung.

“We’ll discuss the best approach and will continue to experiment until competition day when we will have a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and possibly a Plan D. The fish will decide.”

He added: “Yes, it would have been good to have fished there before, but we were unable to find the time to make the journey, however, this is fishing and it is very much how things go on the day with various factors impacting on the event, including weather.”

The 56-year-old qualified in seventh spot for the team and was due to be the runner but family reasons meant another angler had to drop out and he will now fish alongside captain Ian Scott (Ayrshire), Kevin Andrews, the team manager, also from Ayrshire, Greg Hoggan (Stirling), Brian Kennedy (Glasgow) and Steven Cowan (Ayrshire).

The runner, the only man in the team who can relay information to the others, is Steven Craig who is from Aberdeenshire.

England finished last when the competition was held at New Haylie near Largs. It was supposed to be held at Ellerdine last Autumn but accommodation became unavailable.

Donaldson expects the hosts to be really determined as the event is on their soil, but he added: “All of the teams will have quality anglers, but I believe we have a very strong squad and, if we can find the right tactics, I am confident.”

Meanwhile, fisheries are re-opening after the winter shutdown. Millhall near Polmont unlocks their gates to the public on Saturday, March 1 and then remains open seven days.

All boats are booked for opening day but bank fishing spaces are available according to fishery official Gregor Fitzcharles.

The water hosted the Police Scotland annual winter competition last weekend and 28 anglers caught and returned 310 fish.

Fife-based Stephen Bett caught the first tagged fish of the season and he was the top rod on the day with 21.

Nearby, Linlithgow Loch also opens on March 1 and a full day (9am to dusk) with a five bag limit is £40 for one angler Monday to Thursday and £43 Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For catch and release a full day is £33 Monday to Thursday and £38 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A four hour permit with a two bag limit is £28 Monday to Sunday. A catch and release permit is £23.

There has been good fishing at sheltered Allandale Tarn recently with one angler braving the rain and 50mph gusts to land 18 trout.

Owner Iona Allan has been busy, not making flies, but bungs. She said: “I was phasing out stick indicators in favour of newer types, but I’ve had loads of folk looking for more of these lately so I have made up a decent batch in various sizes, styles and colours.”

Nearby, Mick Ogilvie had 29 to the net at Drumtassie near Blackridge with several other anglers on 19, 18 and 17 each.

Paul Dancer tied on a yellow dancer pattern at Bowden Springs near Linlithgow and hooked into 22 during one session while Graham Munro had seven, including two brown trout of 7lb and a rainbow of 8lb on FAB and buzzer patterns.

In East Lothian, Newlands Tweeddale confirm that as from March 1 they will be open from 9am to 5pm daily for six days. Closed Monday. Bob Cockburn from Duns had seven earlier this week on a mini Ally McCoist and eggstacy worm.

Further afield, Quint Glen, manager at the Lake of Menteith, confirmed that his season officially opens on Saturday, March 15.

On to coarse fishing, and Drumtassie confirm that from Monday, March 3, they will be open from 8am to 6pm Monday to Sunday.