A Fad day is guaranteed at Isle of Bute fishery

MIXING business with pleasure was my motive for visiting Loch Fad on the Isle of Bute.

With bright sunshine and a slight easterly wind I took a boat up for a drift past the cages in deep water. From past experiences black and green and orange lures always pulled a fish or two.

Starting out with a Cortland Blue intermediate line and single black and green lure on a long leader fished slowly and I was in on my third cast. Drifting close to the cages, I thought I might tempt one of the big ones that lie underneath. This felt like a good fish but not a double and soon was bullied into the net. Long and silver it was in fine shape and crossed the scales at just under 5lb.

As I already had a long way to go, and the thought of gutting it at the end of my trip, it was to be returned to fight another day. For over an hour I never had another touch and decided to try pastures new. The broken fence up the right hand bank was a banker but unfortunately the bank anglers had already moved in.

So it was either the dam wall or the top end of the loch and a long motor to get there.

Dam wall it was and a change to the Damsel brought on another two rainbows at 3 and 4lb. Turning at the end of the drift, dark clouds started to loom overhead and a wind was starting to pick up, so I decided to call it a day. Tying up at the pier it was none to soon as the heavens opened and torrential rain battered the water.

A good day with great scenery and some memorable sport and it won't be long till my return.

FISHERY NEWS

BEECRAIGS LOCH, Linlithgow (Park Centre on 01506 844516): May on Beecraigs produced some excellent baskets for the anglers with many limit bags recorded. By far the best line was a fast glass or intermediate fished about 18" to 2ft down. Best flies/lures have been Dancers, Cats Whiskers, black & green Fritz & Ace of Spades and, of course, the Booby. The Cormorant fished on the "hang" accounted for some excellent fish too. Bishopbriggs trio Messrs Brodie, McKaskey & Cuthbert came in with 18 Rainbows for 44lb all taken on the Yellow Dancer, Greg Lockhart & A. McKechnie from Dunblane had an excellent day's sport and returned to the lodge with 12 for 35lb 4oz. Peter had a good fish of 7lb 10oz on a Mrs Simpson. Ron Fox and Ian Pauley, Linlithgow, fished orange lures to great effect and came in with 12 for 36lb 6oz. Ian had a good Rainbow of 8lb. Beecraigs regulars Bob Rintoul and Alec MacDonald have had a field day during May and took many fish including quite a few in the 7lb–9lb class and several 30lb+ bags. On the club scene the B.P. Angling Club weighed in 70 fish for 168lb with A. Sandford having the best basket with six for 16lb 9oz all on the Cormorant. Walker Timber A.C. from Bo'ness came in with 66 fish for 163lb 6oz. Local club Linlithgow A.C. had 20 Rainbows for 53lb 11oz. Harry Miller had six for 20lb 12oz, with the best fish a beauty of 8lb 12oz on the Damsel. Darvel A.C. from Ayrshire had a good day on the loch and members weighed in 55 fish for 136lb 4oz. A Malcolm had the best basket with six for 18lb 12oz. Falkirk Municipal A.C. brought to the scales 44 fish for 111lb 12oz, Rab Green took honours on the day with six for 15lb 12oz. Fish of the month goes to local angler Bob Rintoul of Bathgate with a fine triploid Rainbow of 9lb 10oz, taken on a Pink Fritz. Bob wins for himself a Scierra fly rod to the value of 100 courtesy of our sponsors for May "Westmill Fishfarm" of Blairgowrie. Patterns to try are Sedge Pupae. Mini Muddlers Snatcher, Wickhams, Invicta & Soldier Palmer. There are still a few permits available for June.

CARRON VALLEY (01324 823698): The fishing over the last few weeks has again continued to be first class with a mixture of large bags and large fish. The recent weather has seen a huge increase in surface activity and some of the rises seen here over the last few weeks have been nothing short of spectacular. In the evenings, fishing drys seems to be the answer and CDC's, loch Ordie and Snatchers have all done well throughout the day. A few mentions from the last week: Mr Stevens & Mr Macleod, Cumbernauld – 16 all returned. Richard Kenning, Mallaig – three for 6lb + 16 returned and D. Forbes and P. Batchelor took five for 16lb 2oz + 12 returned (biggest 8lb 8oz). J. Patrick Jnr & J. Patrick Snr, Kilsyth, ten for 18lb 4oz + 26 returned, G. Sloan & N. McNeil, Kilmarnock, ten for 18lb +19 returned. Largest fish of the week was Kenny Scott from Earlston A.C with a 9lb 2oz Rainbow. Day two of the World team selection seen 21 anglers take 280 fish. On this note I'd like to congratulate Calum Crosbie, Willie Leach, Jim Lister, Donald Forbes, Davy Chalmers and Simon Cocker on their performance over the four days and winning their places on the team. Not only a great bunch of guys but as good a team as you'll get.

MARKLE, East Lothian: It was another terrific week for fish over 10lbs coming off with Tam Scott from Lilliesleaf taking the best – a belter of 13lb taken on a CDC Shipman. Gary Ramsay from Haddington had a great brace weighing 20lb 9oz with the best tipping the scales at 10lb 7oz and John Russell from Prestonpans used a Montana to bag one at 10lb 8oz. Jackie Hay from Haddington took a fine n10lb 4oz specimen on a Buzzer, Bruce Hunter, Edinburgh, had one at 10lb 8oz on a Daddie and S. Rennie caught three for 13lb on a Pheasant Tail Nymph.

FRANDY, Gleneagles: Season ticket Holder Sam Davies kept two fish weighing 4lb and released a further 17, Mr Waugh, Valleyfield had four weighing 8lb 10oz. Mr Bridges also Valleyfield took five fish for 12lb 8oz and G. Thomson, Blackford kept two for 5lb 8oz. M. Corkish, Alva kept three weighing a total of 6lb, Mr Wood, Madderty caught four for 8lb 6oz and Robert Baird, Menstriehad a nice brace for 7lb and released a further three. On the club front Dundee A/C kept six fish for 13lb 1oz, Caledonian St Andrews A/C took six fish for 14lb weighing a total of 14lb, Bothwell & Blantyre A/C had 15 for 34lb 5oz and the Rainbow A/C caught 39 fish for a total of 95lb 8oz. Wiremill A/C took 31 fish for 76lb 7oz, Edinburgh Masonic A/C had 14 fish weighing a total of 33lb and Tullibody A/C managed 11 fish weighing a total of 29lb – heaviest fish a 5lb Rainbow. The top taking flies have been Black and Silver Buzzers, Ace of Spades, Red Diawl Bach and the best fishing area is on the south shore from the dam wall to Smithscleuch Burn at the top end of the fishery.

LOCH LEVEN, Kinross: Water clarity on the Loch was measured at 4.6 metres the other day and this much improved clarity will be a great help to both the short and long term well being of the Loch. Light penetration is important to all forms of aquatic life – weed growth, invertebrates and vertebrates, so a prolonged spell of good clarity is very good news for the Loch. Some good bags of fish, and some very good individual fish have been recorded, best fish was taken by a member of Bridge of Weir River, and weighed 5lb 5oz. This was an old fish which was probably going back in condition but never the less a good prize considering its age. Jeff Lawson and a pal fishing static buzzers in the Hole O'The Inch had a tremendous bag of ten fish weighing exactly 30lb. Fishing sub surface would appear to be the best method with pulled traditionals or static Buzzers. The best areas are Scart Island, Hole O'The Inch, Alice Bower, to Factor's Pier and, when conditions quieten down, Reed Bower and Thrapple Hole. The best patterns have been Black/Red Buzzers, Kate McLaren, Bibio, Invicta and small Dunkeld Sparklers.