Six hours of free fishing offered to NHS workers in East Lothian

John ‘Jacko’ Jackson regularly listens to BBC Radio Scotland as he works around the site at Tweeddale Millennium Fishery near Gifford and he recently locked onto the words of one NHS worker.
The Tweeddale Millennium Fishery near Gifford in East Lothian looking flat calm.The Tweeddale Millennium Fishery near Gifford in East Lothian looking flat calm.
The Tweeddale Millennium Fishery near Gifford in East Lothian looking flat calm.

She said that she was working flat out and, on her occasional days off, there was nothing to do.

Jackson started thinking how he could help and that is why the West Lothian-born fishing boss is currently offering six hours free on a catch and release basis to any East Lothian-based NHS worker who wants to come and fish, weather permitting, of course. Bring identification.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jackson has never made an offer like this before and admitted that other key workers had asked if they were eligible. Not currently, is his reply.

John 'Jacko' Jackson is offering six hours of free fishing on a catch and release basis to any East Lothian-based NHS worker.John 'Jacko' Jackson is offering six hours of free fishing on a catch and release basis to any East Lothian-based NHS worker.
John 'Jacko' Jackson is offering six hours of free fishing on a catch and release basis to any East Lothian-based NHS worker.

Jackson said: "The NHS is our last line of defence in this dreadful pandemic. I heard the worker on radio say that she has nothing to do on her days off so I though I would offer something to the NHS staff. That includes doctors, nurses and all support staff.

"The offer applies only to NHS workers who live in East Lothian. There are NHS outlets here but I understand that a number of NHS staff who work in major NHS establishments in Edinburgh live in this area.

"Hopefully we will get some decent weather so they can use the offer."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Deep snow caused the facility to be closed in midweek and Jackson advised that all anglers should phone before travelling just in case the weather has closed in again.

It's Jackson's third year at the popular fishery having taken over from long-standing owner, Bill Taylor, and he said that catch returns had been really good before the recent closure.

However, it had been a tough start to 2021 as he has been forced to close on a number of days because of the cold snap.

Read More
All eyes on Cramond as salmon and sea trout fishing poised to re-open on the Riv...

Meanwhile, the heats of the Scierra Pairs are scheduled to start on Sunday, March 14 at Grafham Water in England and in Scotland at Lake of Menteith near Stirling on Sunday, April 25, Glencorse above Flotterstone in the Pentland Hills on Friday, May 28, Harlaw at Neilston, Glasgow, on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6, Black Loch near Limerigg in Central Scotland on Sunday, June 27. There is a second event at Glencorse on Sunday, August 1. Some heats are full and anglers are advised to get in touch now if they want to take part.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Elsewhere, some of you may have been watching a recent screening of Love It or List It on Channel 4 starring Phil Spencer and Kirstie Allsopp. Rosslynlee Trout Fishery near Penicuik was used as a location with participants seen having coffee overlooking the water.

On to coarse fishing, and Kelvin Bain has been rewarded for putting in hours on the freezing bank of the Union Canal near Edinburgh since New Year. He landed a 7lb pike and then days later a 9lb pike, both at the same location.

This represented a good start to the year but he stressed on social media that other anglers should be aware that he had suffered about 15 blank days before the big fish appeared.

And one of the Union Canal site administrators stressed: "If anyone is thinking of a fishing session (at the location where Kelvin tempted the pike) then please stick to the guidelines with social distancing or they are going to ban fishermen in this area."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Salmon and sea trout fishing starts in The Almond on Monday. Permits are available for the bottom stretch from www.fishalmond.co.uk - this covers eight miles from the estuary at Cramond to Newbridge administered by Cramond Angling Club - and from Fish Around the Forth (www.fishforth.org) for West Lothian Angling Association. Their eight-mile stretch is from near Newbridge to Kirkton in Livingston.

Reports from both organisations indicate that there is snow melt in the river and they warn anglers to be careful when wading.

The Fish Around the Forth web page has detailed information about the pandemic and fishing which is deemed a "non contact sport" by the Scottish Government and can act as your daily exercise.

However, restrictions, they say, are in place to minimise the spread of Covid-19 and they ask that everybody stays as close to home as possible.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The web page said: "The main restriction is travel and you should travel no further than you need to reach a safe, non-crowded place to exercise in a social distanced way.

"Anglers should not travel out with the local authority area they live in and, if the do, only for a maximum of five miles from the boundary."

And they stress: "If you make a booking for a fishery outwith your local authority area you may be asked to leave and return to your area."

They add that some fisheries are reducing permit numbers, suspending sales and restricting the use of huts and other facilities and they advise that anglers should check before travelling.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Finally, anglers looking for the Facebook portal of three local waters should note a change in their Facebook pages. Bowden Springs is now Bowden Springs, Linlithgow, and the new Water of Leith portal is Angling on the Water of Leith while Malleny Angling Ltd have launched a new portal at Malleny Angling.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our sports coverage with a digital sports subscription.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.