Fishery News

MORTON FISHERY, Livingston: It has been another great week at the Morton fishery with some excellent catches going into the record books. Ian Dobbie from Falkirk had ten on catch-and-release including specimens of 13lb 8oz and 10lb; Bill Adair, Millhall, had one at 11lb on a Zonker; Mr McLean took four for 14lb 8oz and returned a further four on a Black & Green lure and Messrs Dodds and Moffat, fishing from a boat, used Bloodworm to share eight for 28lb 2oz, best 8lb. S Penny took a cracker of 13lb 8oz on a Yellow Dancer; A Mitchell, two for 12lb 8oz on a Yellow Dancer; B Hunter, four for 19lb 8oz, best 11lb 8oz on a Black Damsel; J Bryce, four for 13lb 4oz and A Herbert four for 24lb on an Olive Bunn, best fish being a 10lb 12oz specimen safely returned.

ORCHILL LOCH, Braco: It has been another week of very mixed weather with the worst coming last weekend. There has been a very wide variety of flies taking fish mainly in the top 3ft and, with the changeable weather, anglers are tested and just have to adjust to the conditions. Jock’s Bottle Day was fished a month earlier to beat the expected snow with 50 fish being caught for 112lb 4oz; Willie Goldie took the heaviest bag with five fish for 11lb and everyone went home with a bottle of alcohol of some kind. Iain and Tito Illidge from Dubai had six fish weighing 13lb on a PTN; Gordon Galletly, Stirling, five for 10lb 8oz on a Diawl Bach & Damsel; Sandy Mitchell, Polmont, four for 9lb 12oz on Buzzers; Hugh Bratchie, Lochgelly, five for 12lb 12oz on various Fritz patterns and Eddie McKeown, Kirkintilloch, three for 8lb on a Damsel. John Gavin from Perth had three for 9lb, best 6lb on a Black & Green Fritz; William Alexander, Menstrie, three for 8lb 8oz on a Purple & Yellow; Andy Templeman, Blair Atholl, three for 13lb 12oz on a Yellow Dancer and John Gilchrist, Stirling, three for 10lb on a Black Fritz.

SWANSWATER, Stirling: The good weather early in the week led to some excellent fishing, although the heavy rain and strong winds at the end of the week meant things were a lot more difficult. Although the water was very high and coloured, the level has dropped and is almost back to full clarity now. There is still a good mix of varieties coming out including several lovely Tigers. Favourite flies included the usual lures, with some nymphs and a few wets still catching. Best patterns were Cat’s Whisker, Dancer, Fritz variants, Blob, Damsel, PTN, Buzzer and Kate McLaren. George Novell, London, three for 12lb 8oz including a 5lb Rainbow and a Blue; Willie Keenan, Cowdenbeath, four for 12lb 12oz including a 4lb 12oz Blue and a Tiger; Stuart Nicholson, Knightswood, five for 15lb 12oz; Grant Barr, Wishaw, five for 15lb 4oz including two Blues, bigger one at 4lb 2oz and Archie Smith, Greenock, five for 14lb 12oz including two Blues and a Tiger. Eddie Scanlon, Glasgow, five for 14lb 8oz including two Blues; Bill Storie, Polmont, four for 13lb including a Tiger; Alec Knox, Glasgow, four for 12lb 8oz including a Blue; Paul Murphy, Cowdenbeath, three for 10lb 12oz.

LOCH VENACHAR, Trossachs: There is very little to report this week from what is fast becoming one of Scotland’s most prolific pike waters due to the absolutely horrendous weather that even managed to sink a boat in the harbour. The bank fishing hasn’t been helped either with the water level being a bit silly as well. The only two fish that were known to be caught were taken at a mark at the first car park – one at 10lb and the other at 2½lb both taken on mackerel dead bait. Dead bait packs are now for sale at the Boathouse.