WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER 2022 – SUNDAY 22nd JANUARY 2023 – BF3

It has been an exhausting and frustrating winter. We are on what feels like a never-ending rollercoaster with weather from one extreme to the next. The sub-zero temperatures though creating a landscape that was breathtakingly beautiful, brought a fishery closure of nearly three weeks. The thaw was greatly welcomed but with it came weeks of storms and flooding. The settled weather that followed had us breathing a sigh of relief, but that too was short lived as the freezing temperatures returned and lochan once again became frozen.

When running a business, any time closed can bring worries. At Burnhouse we face our challenges and turn those negatives into positives. There was no point in dwelling over things that were out with our control. Instead we have focussed our time and energy on how we could improve the fishery in the long run. We have utilised the time to carry out maintenance, upgrades, and repairs. We have put plans in place for the year ahead and even did a few courses.

The time also proved beneficial for the fish, they had time to rest and heal which in turn has benefitted the anglers. The fish were fighting harder than ever, some memorable days were had, and prime specimens caught.

The fishery is once again thawing nicely which will allow us to reopen this week. We hope that this time we get a good period of settled weather, but it is winter, and this is Scotland. All we can do is make the most of it while it lasts and not fret if the weather should turn on us again, because, Burnhouse will continue to improve, no matter the weather!

FISH OF THE WEEK

WEEK ENDING 24TH DECEMBER – DECLAN WINTERS 10lb 10oz rainbow.

WEEK ENDING 2nd JANUARY – MICHAEL BAXTER 16lb rainbow.

WEEK ENDING 8th JANUARY– CAMERON CLARK 15lb 2oz rainbow.

WEEK ENDING 15th JANUARY – BRIAN MCCLUCKIE 12lb 1oz rainbow.

WEEK ENDING 22nd JANUARY – We were only partially open for 1 day; no fish were weighed but I can say that TRACY ALLAN lost what would have been fish of the week and definitely a contender for the entire competition (sorry Tracy!). Tracy struck into the fish, and it instantly caught my attention, the rod was solid and buckled over, there was no doubting that this was a big fish. Then the surface exploded, and the rainbow took a run across the surface and into the shallows, allowing me to see the monster she was playing. I knew there was no way that this fish could be landed alone, I shouted to Scott to grab one of the bigger nets and run to Tracy’s aid but as soon as the words left my mouth the fish snapped her line. She soon recovered her sight indicator with the fly still attached and went on to catch more fish using the pink shimmy.

A massive well done to our fish of the week winners, your all-day c&r tickets and scrumptious pies await you, after the thaw. Commiserations to Tracy.

TOP 3 FLIES – The top 3 flies were BUZZERS, APPS, and DIAWL BACHS.

Other successful flies were green fritz, pink lures, black & green lures, Ally McCoist, pheasant tailed nymphs, yellow & orange lure, eggs, tadpoles, eggstacy worms, bibio, damsels, klinkhammers, cormorants, sedge, skunks, snakes, fabs, hoppers, crunchers, mop flies, mini dancer, squirmies, blobs, yellow dancer, hares ears, blood worms, stalking bugs, bunny leech, humongous, shimmies, emergers, poly buzzers, daddies, nymphs, okey dokey, rabbits, Rutland sparkler, cat bugs, cutthroat cat, emergers, beetles, pin fry imitations, copper johns, suspended buzzers, cats whiskers, zonkers, nomads and incredible cats.

TOP COLOURS –  Pink, red, olive, and black.

HOTSPOTS –  The bridge shallows and cabin side bay.

BEST LINE –  Fast Glass.

TOTAL NUMBER OF FISH CAUGHT –  1049

NUMBER OF ANGLERS – 196

ROD AVERAGE – 5.35

THE TOP 20 RETURNS

  • JOHN DONALDSON – Had a phenomenal day, he safely returned 31 fish including a rainbow weighing 11lb 12oz, a brown estimated to be around 7lb and 2 tigers over 5lb using apps on a fast glass line.
  • BRIAN SKINNER – Safely returned 20 fish using shimmies and eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • ALAN SMITH – Could do no wrong with just a few hours on the water he safely returned 18 fish using apps and diawl bachs on a fast glass line.
  • CHRIS DAVIDSON – On his first ever visit to Burnhouse left saying “that was great fun!” he safely returned 18 fish including a rainbow estimated to be around 8lb using olive snakes and tequila fabs on fast glass and 3ft midge tip lines.
  • ALAN WALKER – Safely returned 17 fish using a pink mop fly and cheese egg fished static under a sight indicator.
  • MICHAEL BAXTER – Wasn’t even meant to be fishing, he popped up to try out his new line and ended up having a day he will never forget with 17 fish to the net including a rainbow weighing 16lb, 2 tigers and an 8lb brown using various flies on a sink tip line.
  • ANDY RICHMOND – Had another fantastic day at Burnhouse, he safely returned 17 fish using tadpoles and eggs on various lines.
  • ANDY RICHMOND – using practically everything he put on safely returned 16 fish including a rainbow weighing 11lb 12oz.
  • KENNY DOWNIE – Was catching fish all day right from his very first cast, he safely returned 16 fish using a Donny Mac charity rabbit and a pink egg on various lines.
  • DECLAN WINTERS – It had been a while since Declan was able to fish due to his work in the Navy, so he was looking forward to getting back to Burnhouse. He wasn’t disappointed, he safely returned 16 fish including a rainbow weighing 10lb 10oz using apps and shimmies on various lines.
  • ALAN SMITH – Safely returned 15 fish using sedges on a floating line.
  • JIM DOWNIE – Could have had easily double the fish he landed, he safely returned 15 fish using diawl bachs and a pink egg on various lines.
  • COLIN SHARPE – Safely returned 13 fish using white worms and fabs on various lines.
  • LAWRENCE THOMSON – “Thoroughly enjoyed” his first visit to Burnhouse, he weighed in 5 fish for 14.6lb and safely returned 8 using buzzers and nymphs on various lines.
  • CRAIG BINNIE – Safely returned 12 fish using a zonker, eggs, shimmies and squirmies on various lines while his son CAMERON BINNIE safely returned 4 including his new p.b brown weighing 6.5lb using the same flies.
  • ALAN SMITH – Practically moved in here during the festive holidays, I’m surprised we didn’t find him sleeping in the BBQ hut! He safely returned 12 fish using a daddy on a floating line.
  • DEREK HUGHES – Safely returned 11 fish using an okey dokey and diawl bachs on a floating line.
  • BRIAN SKINNER – Safely returned 11 fish using shimmies, eggstacy worms, apps, and buzzers on various lines.
  • DAVID KYLE – Weighed in 1 fish for 3.8lb and safely returned 10 using buzzers, apps and emergers on fast glass and floating lines.
  • DARREN BARCIK – Safely returned 10 fish including a 10lb rainbow using diawl bachs, cormorants and eggs on various lines.

BIG FISH

  • MICHAEL BAXTER – 16lb rainbow, 8lb brown and 2 tigers.
  • CAMERON CLARK – 15lb 2oz rainbow and an 8lb brown.
  • COLIN CAMPBELL – 13lb 2oz brown.
  • BRIAN MCCLUCKIE – 12lb 1oz rainbow.
  • JOHN DONALDSON – 11lb 12oz rainbow, 7lb brown and 2 tigers.
  • ANDY RICHMOND – 11lb 12oz rainbow.
  • HUGH WILLIAMS – 11lb 12oz rainbow.
  • JOHNY WHITLAM – 10lb 100z brown.
  • DECLAN WINTERS – 10lb 10oz rainbow.
  • RUSSELL BRENNAN – 10lb 7oz rainbow.
  • SCOTT POZZI – 10lb 1oz rainbow.
  • SCOTT LAIRD – 10lb blue.
  • DARREN BARCIK – 10lb rainbow.
  • STEVIE OROURKE – Double figure rainbow and a tiger.
  • NORRY MCNEIL – 9lb 4oz brown.
  • TOBY LOMAS – 8lb 6oz rainbow.
  • RUSSELL BRENNAN – 8lb tiger.
  • CHRIS DAVIDSON – 8lb rainbow.
  • JORDAN HENDERSON – 7lb 1oz rainbow.
  • GRAHAM STEWART – 7lb rainbow.
  • CAMERON BINNIE – 6lb 5oz brown.
  • MICHAEL BAXTER – 6lb 5oz tiger.
  • SCOTT ANDERSON – 8lb rainbow and a tiger.
  • SCOTT MURPHY – 6lb 2oz tiger.
  • HUGH RANKIN – 6lb tiger.
  • GARY MCGUINELY – 6lb tiger.
  • JOHN KERR – 6lb tiger, one of 2 tigers he caught that day.
  • RUSSELL BRENNAN – 5lb 11oz tiger.
  • STEVIE BROWN – 5lb 10oz tiger.

THE WINTER BIG FISH COMPETITION LEADERBOARD

(Competition ends March 2023)

  • 1st – MICHAEL BAXTER – 16lb rainbow. BF3
  • 2nd – CAMERON CLARK – 15lb 2oz rainbow. BF3
  • 3rd – DAVID MENZIES – 14lb 2oz rainbow. BF2

A massive THANK YOU to all of the anglers that have joined us over the last few weeks, without your support and custom there would be no Burnhouse. We look forward to welcoming you back.

FISHERY RULES

  • FLY FISHING ONLY.
  • BARBLESS HOOKS ONLY, NO DOUBLE OR TREBLE HOOKS, THIS RULE ALSO APPLIES TO ANGLERS ON KILL TICKETS.
  • ALL ANGLERS MUST USE THE FISHERY NETS ONLY.
  • NO LITTERING. ALL RUBBISH, CIGARETTE ENDS AND USED LINES MUST GO IN THE BINS PROVIDED.
  • 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 THE 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.
  • 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 over played or snapping anglers line.
  • 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. Fish cannot breathe out of the water, any time spent out of the water drastically reduces the survival rate!
  • 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 or unhook 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.