Scottish Canal Championships: New date for angling competition on Forth and Clyde Canal

The postponed Scottish Canal Championships have been re-arranged for Sunday, August 29 on the Forth and Clyde Canal at The Stables, Kirkintilloch.

Dean Thompson proudly holding a 12lb 2oz cod, the best landed for 12 years on an Aquamarine Charters boat out of Eyemouth. Picture: Aquamarine Charters

Provided there is sufficient interest, the match will be combined with the Angling Trust & Canal River Trust UK (AT & CRT) Canal Pairs qualifier.

Anglers wishing to enter the Canal Pairs Championships must be aged 18 and over on the day of the match.

Full details are on the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling (SFCA) Facebook page and, to ensure that enough pegs are cleared, anglers are asked to book in by Sunday, August 15.

Gus Brindle, chairman of the SCFA, needs a minimum of ten pairs to enter for the qualifier to go ahead. The entry fee is £20 per head, but SFCA members will have £5 of their annual membership refunded.

The Fife-based boss reminded anglers that there is no entry fee for the Scottish Canal Championships but all participants must be members of the SFCA.

There will be an optional £10 pools payment per competitor, payable on the day.

The draw will be at 9am in the car park at JB Angling Centre, 37 Eastside, Kirkintilloch Glasgow, G66 1QA and fishing is from 11.30 to 16.30. Results will be confirmed at 17.30 in the lay-by opposite The Stables Pub.

Brindle said: "At present, it is planned to peg both sides of the bridge. Pegs will be cleared and renumbered over the next week or two.

"Assistance with this would be greatly appreciated so volunteers are more than welcome. More details will be sent out shortly."

The final of the 2021 AT & CRT UK Canal Pairs Championships is on Saturday, October 16 on the Shropshire Union Canal at Soudley and to take part in the final you must be a member of the Angling Trust.

Meanwhile, Bruce Lawrie was the clear winner in a 17-strong field as he netted 34lb 12oz in the seventh round of the 11-match summer series run by Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club's on Alex Pond at Orchill near Auchterarder.

Ian Sloss was second on 16lb 1oz and Chris Sloss third on 14lb 13oz on an overcast day with sunny intervals and no wind.

In the Knockout Cup the semi-finalists are Geoff Lowe v Ian Sloss and Chris Sloss v Bruce Lawrie and the date for the matches is confirmed as August 7.

Sea angling now and Lothians-based David Cooper and Thomas Slow are among the names entered for the next SFSA match on August 7 at Monreith. This is a members only event. Registration is from 1pm to 1.30pm with fishing from 2.30pm to 7.30pm.

The peg draw will be made the night before and there is a £15 entry fee.

And Aquamarine Charters skipper Derek Anderson said that at the time of going to press he has spaces available for his daily trips out of Eyemouth from Monday to Friday next week. Ring 07860 804316 and the best bait currently is squid.

Dean Thompson wrote his name in the company record books by landing a 12lb 2oz cod, the best for 12 years on a company boat. The overall record on an Aquamarine boat is a 15lb ling.

Allandale Tarn has been closed for the past two weeks and owner Iona Allan has confirmed that they will not now re-open until Wednesday, August 4 at 9am.

She said: "We've ended up doing extra work around the fishery and the water needs a few days to settle so we won't be opening this weekend.

"However, we will definitely be open for fishing on Wednesday August 4.

“The fish are freely feeding, the surface water temperature is going down steadily and the place is looking good. We've even made a few extra parking spaces."

Bookings are now being taken on 01506 873073.

Glencorse host their second heat of the season in the Scierra Pairs on Sunday, one of Britain's leading fly events, and it is fully booked. Bill Taylor, the fishery owner, reminded anglers of the parking restrictions at the water and asked that participants arrive by 8am.

There is an eight fish limit with time bonuses and fishing is from 9am to 4pm and the final is at Rutland Water on Sunday, September 19.

Taylor is now taking provisional bookings for next season and he said priority will be given to club or group bookings at the weekend.

He stressed: "We cannot confirm bookings for 2022 at the moment as we are currently in talks with our landlords, Scottish Water. There is a possibility that our status could change and we have to give up Glencorse Reservoir. Hopefully, this will not be the case." Booking inquiries should be by email to [email protected].

Elsewhere, Robert Birrell (damsel pattern) and Simon Jones (butcher pattern) both netted trout of around 8lbs at Bowden Springs near Linlithgow this week while Tweeddale Millennium near Gifford have started a new promotion called Tenner Tuesday.

Basically, it is £10 to fish for eight hours on a catch and release basis on a Tuesday in any of the three ponds at the venue.

John Jackson, the owner, said he was dipping his toe in the water with the promotion to see how it goes.

Meanwhile, the final of the fishery's popular competition is on Sunday and two local men are among the qualifiers, Darren Crawford from Wallyford and Alex Ramsay from Penicuik.

The bottom pond is closed to other anglers on the day but the two other ponds are open and the three ponds were due to be re-stocked this week.