Fishing report by Jim Boyd

JIM BOYD – angling journalist/photographer

Issued by Jim Boyd on behalf of the following fisheries on Monday 13 July 2015. The report is for the week ending Sunday, 12 July 2015.

1. FRANDY (Gleneagles) The best flies last week included Muddlers, Kate McLaren, Sedgehogs, CDC Hoppers and the Bibio Hopper whilst all areas continue to produce good baskets. On the individual front Brian Thorn, Glen Devon and Alastair MacMillan from Comrie took 12 fish weighing 28lbs 8oz, John Pirie & John Dunbar, Tillicoultry, 8 weighing 19lbs 8oz and Sandy & Connor Coburn from Dunfermline caught and released 14 fish. The angling clubs were out in force with Helensburgh AC keeping 52 for 121lbs, Gartmore AC, 28 fish for 58lbs, St. Johns AC 48 for 95lbs and released10 whilst Heriots took 8 for 15lbs 8oz and released a further 19. Per Ex. Servicemen’s AC kept 18 weighing 39lbs 2oz, The Invicta AC had 8 for 18lbs 8oz and Fishing Inc. had a brace for 4lbs.

2. FORBES OF KINGENNIE (Broughty Ferry) It has been another week of less than perfect summer weather but it makes for very good trout fishing conditions. With the start of the summer holidays we have been really busy on the Woodside pool with lots of people and family’s new to the sport coming try their hand at catching a trout. This has limited space at times and people are really starting to take advantage of the bait fishing option we are running over the summer on the Bankside pool. Over the weekend 16 anglers bait fished the pool landing a total of 35 fish for a weight of 86lb with the best taken by Mr Ritchie with a 4lb 2oz rainbow taken on Powerbait, although there was a bigger fish reported lost. Powerbait has been the best bait for all the any method fishing, on Bankside fishing about 3 foot down has been best but on the Woodside it has paid to go down much further around 6 to 7 feet deep. On the Woodside over the weekend there were 48 anglers land a total of 89 fish for a total of 139 lb. On the Bankside the fly fishing has been very good recently with all the extra rain and the extra fish being stocked to help with the turnover of fish from the bait fishing. Mr Birse has been continuing to take fish on the floating fry including 20 in a few hours with the best around 5 lb. Mr Gordon did well on a yellow lure landing 10 fish in 3 hours. The Boathouse has stayed a bit brown but has been very steady this week with really good fish being landed. Mr Miller had a rainbow of 8lb 4oz and a blue of 8lb 9oz as well as returning over 20 on a mix of lures during his stay in the lodges. Mr Gray was down for a fish in his birthday and got rewarded with a big rainbow of 9lb 13oz taken on Black Lure. Mr Jackson did well on catch and release taking 12 fish on a White Lure and Diawl Bachs. The Burnside has steady but you need to get the method right, when the conditions suit and they are on the surface small dries of most descriptions are working but as always the presentation is key. Olive Buzzers seem to be the best nymph for now, Mr Kirk took advantage of that with a return of 9 fish. Mr Fisher had the best fish of the week with a fish of around 9lb on a Black Buzzer and Mr Costello had another fish of around 8lb also on a Black Buzzer.

3. MARKLE (East Lothian) Andy Troy from Edinburgh caught the biggest fish last week at 9lbs on a Shipman’s Buzzer and the Goth FF from Stirling had a good outing catching 20 fish for 54lbs – best 6lbs 12oz. Stewart McLaughlin from Penicuik had 5 on Buzzers, Graham Keir, Musselburgh, 7 on a CDC Shuttlecock, Drew Fairgreaves, Prestonpans, 10 on Bloodworm and Tommy Dickson from Dunbar had 6 on a CDC Shuttlecock.

4. ORCHILL LOCH (Braco) The fish have been taking just about anything from small dries to lures but are mostly sitting high in the water table. William Hay from Falkirk took 2 for 6lbs on Dries, Ron Thomson, Caputh, 2 for 6lbs 8oz on an Ally, N Marsden, Cambusbarron, 4 for 11lbs on a Banjo and Hugh Meuden from Queenzieburn used a Green Fritz to catch 3 for 9lbs 8oz. J Irvine from Kilsyth had 3 for 10lbs on a Yellow Owl, Ian Bowdler, Scone, 3 for 9lbs on a Damsel, Richard Jackson, Perth, 3 for 8lbs on Buzzers and Norman Thomson from Tillicoultry took 2 for 5lbs on a Kate McLaren. Hector Wilson from Bannockburn had 3 for 9lbs on a Hawthorn, Errol Feighan, Bonnybridge, 3 for 8lbs 8oz on a Pinkie, Jack Gibb, Clackmannan, 2 for 7lbs on a Black & Green Fritz and Alan Stirling from Auchterarder had a specimen weighing 4lbs on a Grey Wulff. W William from Sauchie bagged 3 for 10lbs on Dries and Peter McNiven, Auchterarder, used a Damsel to catch a brace weighing 6lbs 8oz.

5. SWANSWATER (Stirling) The very changeable weather, with bright sunshine one minute and heavy showers the next, again led to a wide variety of conditions. Water temperature is back down to 13oC and the clarity has returned to very good again after the torrential downpours of the previous weekend. For most of the week the fish were in the top 2 feet of the water and were periodically looking to chase small lures even near the surface. The rest of the time they were taking nymphs and wet flies fished more slowly. An occasional fish was caught on a dry fly on Swanswater with a lot more interest in dries on the small ponds. Favourite patterns included Dancer, Cat’s Whisker, Dancer, Diawl Bach, Montana, Bloodworm, Buzzer, Kate McLaren, Black Pennell, Klinkhammer and Hopper. A good number of 5lb to 7lb Blues and Rainbows figure in this week’s returns along with a few Browns and Tigers with the latter still being found in the burn area.
Frank Barr, Falkirk, in two visits, 9 for 28lb 12oz including 7lb 14oz Rainbow plus 4 caught and released, Jimmy Clougherty, Partick, 7lb 8oz Blue, Ronnie Cooper, Stirling, 3 for 17lb 4oz including 7lb 6oz Rainbow and a Blue, Tom Hill, Hamilton, 7lb 2oz Blue and Willie Martin, Stirling, 5 for 17lb 4oz including 7lb Blue. Tom Pate, Alloa, 2 for 10lb 4oz including 5lb 12oz Tiger and 4lb 8oz Brown, Craig Myles, Tullibody, 2 for 8lb 12oz including 5lb 8oz Rainbow, Peter Henderson, Cumbernauld, 2 for 7lb 8oz including 4lb 8oz Brown and Peter O’Brien, Camelon, 5 for 14lb 8oz. John Montague, Glasgow, 5 for 14lb 2oz including 3lb 2oz Rainbow, Danny Doherty, Denny, 5 for 13lb, John Mooney, Queenzieburn, 4 for 12lb, John Mathieson, Stirling, 2 Tigers for 7lb 2oz and Tam Rogerson, Alloa, 2 for 6lb 8oz. Douglas McKenzie, Tillicoultry, 2 for 6lb, Robert Park, Glasgow, 2 for 6lb, Willie Hutchison, 4lb 4oz Tiger and Kevin Gray, Camelon, caught and released 11.

6. WOODBURN (Milton of Campsie) The top taking flies last week included the Gold Head Damsel, Ally McCoist and the Ace of Spades. The fly loch has been fishing well with John Shaw from Kilsyth losing a big double figure rainbow at the net. William Wright from Kilsyth took 2 for 4lbs 8oz, Paul Miller, Stirling, 1 at 2lbs 8oz, Jim Lamb, Kirkintilloch, 2 for 4lbs 8oz and Jack Steel from Dumbarton had a 3lb specimen. John Shaw from Kilsyth took 3 weighing 9lbs, Mr Steel, Kirkintilloch, 1 at 2lbs 5oz, London AC had a good outing catching 17 for 52lbs and the Vale Angling Club took 13 for 41lbs.
On the bait pond Mr Murphy from Cumbernauld had 2 blues for 8lbs 2oz, Andrew Williams, 4 for 9lbs 5oz, Kane Owens, Glasgow, 1 at 2lbs 5oz, Mr Abraham, Milton of Campsie, 3 for 7lbs and John Haddock from Kirkintilloch 2 for 4lbs.

ENDS

by Jim Boyd