Scottish youth fly fishing team need your help at Allandale Tarn

Fundraiser is one of six planned with competition places available

Andrew Skirving of Loanhead at Kailzie Trout Fishery near Peebles this week

Brian Quinn is driving an initiative to help raise much-needed cash for Scotland's youth fly fishing team, but he needs your help.

The gardener is backing a series of six fundraisers with the first one at Allandale Tarn near West Calder on Sunday, September 6.

Anglers will vie for prizes on the day including fly lines but the overall winner of the series will net £500, runner-up £200 and third-placed £100.

Places are still available for Sunday with registration at 8am with fishing from 9am and anglers will rotate every 30 minutes around the sheltered lake to five places in the morning session and another five in the afternoon. Entry is £25.

Brian said: "The young anglers will not fish until next year because of Covid-19, but they need cash to pay for travel and other essentials.

"I'm passionate about fishing and bringing new young talent into the sport and I am doing my bit just to help out and to get them some much-needed funds.

"Ideally, we want anglers fishing in two of the six heats, but I would be pleased if they fished in one just to help out the lads."

Some venues, he said, are filling fast and others, including the Tarn, would benefit from a late surge and Brian explained that part of the entry fee goes to the fishery and part to the fund.

The Glasgow-based fishing enthusiast expects two of the team to be at Allandale on Sunday and the other venues scheduled are Lochter Fishery near Old Meldrum in Aberdeenshire on Sunday, September 13, Raemoir Trout Fishery near Banchory, also in Aberdeenshire, on Sunday, September 20, Newhaylie Trout Fishery at Largs on Sunday, October 11, Forbes of Kingennie near Broughty Ferry on Sunday, October 18 and High Cleughearn at East Kilbride on Sunday, October 25.

Across The Pentlands, Bill Taylor at Glencorse Reservoir is now taking bookings for next season and he has boats available on September 8, 9, 10 and 13 September. Tel: [phone] or message [email protected] to book.

Elsewhere, the Scottish Ladies fly fishing team have confirmed their next fundraiser is at Drumtassie on September 20 from 9am to 3.30pm.

The cost is £30 per angler and there is a raffle on the day. Lunch is included.

Fishers of Penicuik are now stocking permits for newly re-opened Rosebery Resrvoir near Temple in Midlothian and shop owner Mike and Jimmy Barrett at Kailzie Fishery at Peebles both report that the new Superflo mini tip, weight-forward lines, specifically designed to fish the washing line method at multitudes of depths, and marketed by Airflo are selling well, particularly as there is a 20 per cent discount.

Jimmy confirmed that his bait pond is fishing supremely well and the burn-fed fly pond is responding to the recent heavy rain.

Bowden Springs near Linlithgow is also fishing well with Ross Cochrane (black rabbit) and James Mollon (blue damsel) both netted 7lb-plus trout in their bags of five and six respectively while Craig Walker landed eight fishing a white apache lure.

On to coarse fishing and The Del's Fresh Produce annual Scottish Canal Championships last weekend was won by Scott McGhee with Gus Brindle, chairman of the Scottish Federation for Coarse Anglers, second in the 22-angler field on the Forth and Clyde Canal at Glasgow Bridge.

Generally it was a hard day for anglers in the five-hour match with bright sunshine and clear water and lots of towpath traffic.

End pegs, as expected, dominated with Scott from Bellshill making the most of A12 where he won the practice sweep on the previous weekend.

His net of 1.535kg collected the £300 top prize with some big perch temped on chopped worm along some bread punch and hemp roach making up his net.

Gus came a close second catching mainly roach on maggot 1.325kg and his haul would have been better if pike had not pestered the Fife-based angler. Ian Sloss from Glasgow came third with roach and perch for 900g.

Three members of Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club competed and they are expected to be in the field as the club continues its Summer Series at Orchill near Auchterarder today (SAT).

The busy club are also holding heats of their Knockout Cup and the Pairs event on the same day.

Finally, Bass Rock Shore Angling League bosses have confirmed that their Winter League evening matches start on Wednesday (September 9).

The venue will be posted on Sunday night on their Facebook page and chairman Craig Ogilvie said: "I am hoping to see all members there along with some more new faces."