Friday 01/04/2022 – Friday 08/04/2022

That bitterly cold wind remained with us this week. The buzzers hatches, though still magnificent in calmer weather slowed slightly in the cold wind! The number of anglers reduced this week, as at times the wind was so cold and strong it felt like it could have cut through you, there were days that only hardened anglers ventured out. There was a mixed bag of results this week, where some had their best ever days fishing and a lot of magnificent returns were recorded, others struggled. Anglers willing to move, to persevere until they found what was right, were the anglers rewarded with the larger returns. Keep changing your flies, keep changing your depth and keep moving until you find the fish and you could have some of the best sport you have experienced!

What was consistent this week was the feedback on the condition and fight from our fish. So, to answer the two most common questions this week, why are our fish in such good condition, and why are they so strong? It all begins with the right supplier, they provide us with grade A fish, if there were any fish in bad quality, we would send them back, they would never enter our water, however since I took over the manager’s position, I haven’t had to do this, the quality has always been fin perfect, a testament to our supplier! We test our water quality regularly and over the last 2 years have significantly improved the water clarity. Our water is not stagnant, our fishery is fed from the Skipperton burn, there is a constant flow of water in and out of our Lochan and strong under currents, particularly significant after heavy rainfall, meaning that the fish we buy in strong, continue to grow in strength! Our burn fed water, reed beds and natural and beautiful surroundings provide ample insect and fry life for our fish to gorge on meaning that there is plentiful amounts of natural food for our fish to remain healthy and grow in size. We ensure our water isn’t over fished, we close for 2 days a week giving the fish a rest, and we never fully book the fishery apart from competition days or group bookings, we always keep podiums free to ensure anglers aren’t fishing shoulder to shoulder. We keep up to date records of the fish in and out of the water, if there is a poor turnover, we put measures in place. We quality observe, if there are fish in poor condition they are treated or dispatched of, but they do not go to waste. And, most importantly, we are strict on the fishery rules, these aren’t there to make the fishing harder or less fun but to preserve the quality we are known for! At Burnhouse you pay for quality, and a dedicated team to ensure that quality remains!

FISH OF THE WEEK –  The top spot goes to JOHN BUTLER with rainbow weighing 11.9lb! Well Done,  John!

FLIES OF THE WEEK – The top 3 flies were BUZZERS, APPS and BEETLES.

Other successful flies were klinkhammers, hares ears, diawl bachs, loch ordie, black pennell, nymphs, yellow owls, cdcs, adams, bibio sedgehogs, hoppers, double humpies, cormorants, bloodworms, shipmans, emergers, damsels, floating fry, fry imitation lures, fabs, blobs, stalking bugs, white nomad, green & black lures, shimmies, eggs, rabbits, yellow dancers, dogs bollocks, mop flies and nano bugs.

CATCH REPORT

  • COLIN SHARPE – Safely returned 12 fish using various flies including klinkhammers, blobs, buzzers, fabs and beetles on floating and intermediate lines.
  • CALLUM SHARPE – Had a red-letter day, he safely returned 32 fish including a tiger using buzzers and fabs on a floating line.
  • GORDON MCVICAR – The fish like to tease Gordon, he said that our fish have developed a middle finger just for him! He did however manage 1 to the net using a buzzer on a floating line.
  • TRACY ALLAN – Safely returned 4 fish using buzzers and beetles on a floating line.
  • SCOTT DOC – Has had a big fish in all of his last 4 visits to Burnhouse, he safely returned 9 fish including a rainbow weighing just over 10lb using buzzers and beetles on a floating line.
  • LAWRENCE MCDONALD – Safely returned 4 fish including a rainbow weighing 11.5lb using a hares ear and diawl bachs on a floating line.
  • JOHNNY PORTEOUS – Safely returned 10 fish using buzzers and beetles on a floating line.
  • ALAN DOWNIE – Safely returned 2 fish using a Loch Ordie and buzzers on a floating line.
  • DOANLD FORBES – Safely returned 12 fish using buzzers and beetles on a floating line. Everyone is now taking lessons and advice from Donald, week after week he amazes the anglers, the advice is paying off, and buzzers and beetles Donald style are now taking over the catch report!
  • TONY STEEN – Safely returned 6 fish using a floating fry, red nymph, and buzzers on a floating line.
  • ALAN WALKER – Safely returned 11 fish using a stalking bug and dries on a floating line.
  • ROSS COCHRANE – Safely returned 2 fish using a fly imitation and a stalking bug on a floating line, before calling it quits after an hour due to the freezing cold wind!
  • SCOTT MITCHELL – Had that great a day his arm was still hurting a week later! He safely returned 22 fish using apps, buzzers, and yellow owls on a floating line. If Scot had caught all of the fish he had offers from he could have had over 60 fish! They were chasing, pulling, nipping, and rising for his flies all day! He remarked on how incredibly hard fighting the fish were, he even had a rainbow around 3lb take him into his backing line.
  • GEOFF APPLETON – Safely returned 5 fish using a white nomad and buzzers on a floating line.
  • TONY DEEB – The fish were rising all around Tony no matter where he went on the water but after chucking his entire fly collection at them, he only managed 1 to the net using a bloodworm on a floating line.
  • JIM ANDERSON –Safely returned 3 fish including a brown using a black pennell on a floating line.
  • ALAN MEEK – Safely returned 4 fish using a black pennell, cdc and diawl bachs on a floating line.
  • CHRIS OLD – Safely returned 2 fish using a black cormorant on a floating line.
  • PETER KING – Safely returned 2 fish using a green & black lure on a floating line.
  • KIERAN LATTO – Safely returned 6 fish using buzzers, apps, shimmies and fabs on various lines.
  • RICHARD GRAY – Safely returned 5 fish using buzzers, an olive apps and eggs on various lines.
  • CHRIS MULHOLLAND – “Had a hard day!” He safely returned 15 fish using eggs, fabs, buzzers and dries on various lines.
  • JAMES MCLAUGHLAN – Safely returned 6 fish using apps on a floating line.
  • ROBERT GARDFINIER – Safely returned 1 fish using a black rabbit on a floating line.
  • DONALD FORBES – Safely returned 12 fish using buzzers on a floating line.
  • CHRIS ALLAN – Safely returned 5 fish using a red apps on a floating line.
  • TRACY ALLAN – Safely returned 5 fish using apps, beetles, and buzzers on a floating line.
  • EDDIE HUNT – Safely returned 1 fish using a dancer on a floating line.
  • ALAN SMITH – Safely returned 9 fish in his 2-hour session using a bibio sedgehog and hoppers on a floating line.
  • WULLY CARR – Safely returned 2 fish using cormorants and adams on a floating line.
  • IAN DON – Safely returned 9 fish using klinkhammers and buzzers on a floating line.
  • ALLAN DOWNIE – Safely returned 5 fish using a double humpy and buzzers on a floating line.
  • JIM MCINTYRE – Safely returned 5 fish using a shipmans on a floating line.
  • WULLIE MOUNTFORD – Safely returned 5 fish using a yellow owl on a floating line and stalking bugs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • ROSS MORRISON – Safely returned 3 fish using a damsel and eggs.
  • DEREK GRAHAM – Safely returned 5 fish using a floating fry on a floating line.
  • TONY STEEN – Safely returned 2 fish using a yellow shimmy fished static under a sight indicator and a nymph on a floating line.
  • DOM HIGGINS – Safely returned 3 fish using a yellow dancer and eggs.
  • JOHN BUTLER – Safely returned 4 fish including a rainbow weighing 11.9lb using a yellow dancer and dogs bollocks on a floating line.
  • GREG HOWE – Safely returned 1 fish using a eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • DARREN SMITH – Safely returned 1 fish using a floating fry on a floating line.
  • PAUL PRICE – Safely returned 15 fish using a floating fry on a floating line.
  • TOBY ROUGHTON – Safely returned 2 fish using a yellow dancer and a black apps on a floating line.
  • BRIAN MCCLUCKY – Safely returned 5 fish using yellow owls on a floating line.
  • BRYCE DYSART – Safely returned 4 fish using a damsel and eggs.
  • G FERGUSON – Safely returned 2 fish using a yellow dancer and nano bug on a floating line.
  • PAUL ROWE – Safely returned 1 fish using beetles on a floating line.
  • BILLY HOEHLE – Safely returned 1 fish using an emerger on a floating line.
  • REG DAVIDSON – Safely returned 2 fish using a yellow fab on a floating line.
  • CHRIS LUCAS – Safely returned 2 fish using fabs on a floating line.
  • STUART CAMERON – Safely returned 2 fish using a black and green fritz on a floating line.
  • PHIL MCDONALD – Weighed in 5 fish for 17.76lb using damsels and a yellow dancer on a floating line.
  • RUSSELL BRENNAN – Safely returned 4 fish using emergers and buzzers on a floating line.
  • FRANK BRADLEY – Safely returned 1 fish using a white apps on a floating line.
  • JONNO MCDONALD – Safely returned 8 fish using buzzers, beetles, a klinkhammer, and a double humpy on a floating line.

Thank you to all of our anglers this week, we look forward to welcoming you back! Tight lines for the week ahead!

FISHERY RULES

  • FLY FISHING ONLY
  • ALL ANGLERS MUST USE THE FISHERY NETS ONLY
  • NO LITTERING. ALL RUBBISH, CIGARETTE ENDS AND USED LINES MUST GO IN THE BINS PROVIDED.
  • BARBLESS HOOKS ONLY, NO DOUBLE OR TREBLE HOOKS, THIS RULE ALSO APPLIES TO ANGLERS ON KILL TICKETS.
  • NO FISHING FROM THE BRIDGE.
  • EVERY TICKET ENTITLES ANGLERS TO FISH ONLY 1 ROD AT A TIME.
  • NO BOOBIES, DOUBLE HOOK SNAKES OR SPIN FLIES.
  • A MAXIMUM OF 3 FLIES TO BE FISHED AT 1 TIME.
  • NO LURES FISHED STATIC UNDER A SIGHT INDICATOR.
  • NO SPLIT SHOTS OR WEIGHTS.
  • GROUND BAITING, THE USE OF BAITS AND SCENTED DIPS ARE STRICTLY FORBIDDEN.
  • ALL FISH OVER 8LB, TIGERS AND BROWNS MUST GO BACK, UNLESS IN POOR CONDITION. THE DECISION TO KILL THESE FISH MUST ONLY BE MADE BY THE BAILIFF.
  • BAG LIMITS ARE ACHIEVED FROM THE FIRST FISH CAUGHT, NO SELECTIVE KILLING. FISH MUST BE KILLED IMMEDIATELY AND SHOULD NEVER BE KEPT ALIVE IN KEEP NETS UNTIL THE END OF THE SESSION.
  • ALL RETURNS MUST BE RECORDED WITH THE BAILIFF BEFORE DEPATURE, EVEN IF IT’S A BLANK.
  • ALL ANGLERS ON KILL TICKETS MUST REPORT TO THE CABIN FOR WEIGH IN BEFORE GOING TO THEIR CARS.
  • ANGLERS MUST NOT AID OTHERS TO ACHIEVE THEIR BAG LIMITS.
  • CATCH AND RELEASE ANGLERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO KILL FISH, KILL TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED BEFORE FISHING.
  • WHEN FISHING CATCH AND RELEASE THE FISH MUST BE KEPT IN THE WATER AT ALL TIMES, NEVER ON THE PODIUMS OR BANKING AND STRICTLY NO HANDLING
  • IF ANGLERS FIND THEMSELVES ON A HOT SPOT, PLEASE MOVE ON ATLEAST 2 PODIUMS AFTER 5 FISH, WITH NO RETURN TO THAT PODIUM WITHIN 2 HOURS.
  • ANGLERS MUST NOT STAY ON THE ONE PODIUM FOR MORE THAN 2 HOURS, UNLESS THEY REQUIRE TO DO SO DUE TO MOBILITY.
  • ANGLERS MUST RESPECT OTHERS AROUND THEM; NO INSULTING OR ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR WILL BE TOLERATED.
  • NO PODIUM HOLDING, IF ANGLERS ARE LEAVING THEIR PODIUMS OTHER THAN FOR TOILET BREAKS, THEY MUST TAKE THEIR BELONGINGS WITH THEM.
  • ANGLERS WILL NOT PASS JUDGEMENT ON OTHER ANGLERS METHODS OF FISHING, UNLESS THEY ARE BREAKING THE RULES.
  • THE BAILIFF RESERVES THE RIGHT TO PERFORM BAG CHECKS

ANYONE FOUND TO BE IN BREACH OF THESE RULES WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE, NO REFUND WILL BE ISSUED AND NO RETURN VISITS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

SAFE CATCH AND RELEASE PROCEDURE

  • Only use single, barbless hooks. Strictly no multiple hook snakes, double or treble hooks. Not just for catch and release but for kill tickets too.
  • Due to the size and strength of our fish we ask that ALL anglers use a minimum of 8lb line, this is to reduce the number of fish being lost and over played.
  • Bring the fish to the net as quickly as possible. Over playing a fish causes stress and exhaustion and decreases the chance of survival.
  • Unhook the fish as quickly as possible, keep the fish in the water. It is strictly forbidden for anglers bring the fish onto the banking or podiums as this removes the protective slime, increasing the chances of infections and diseases.
  • If you have to handle the fish do so with wet hands, never with gloves on, this avoids removing the protective slime.
  • If the hook is too deep to be removed, cut the line as close to the hook as possible.
  • Avoid squeezing the fish as this can cause damage to internal organs.
  • Take time to recover the fish, be patient as this can take some time especially in warmer weather. Support it gently until the fish is strong enough to swim away from you.

If you are struggling to recover a fish please call the bailiff for assistance, the decision to kill any fish whilst on catch and release must only be made by the bailiff.