Friday 11/02/2022 – Friday 18/02/2022

You know its going to be bad when they give the storms names! What a truly horrible week! We have had snow, black ice, glorious sunshine, gale force winds, flooding, half of the water freezing, flat calms, and waves that resemble that of the North Sea! Sometimes all in one day! Understandably we had another quiet week, I was very surprised to see any anglers at all, so I thank all of you that braved that weather to join us, you all deserved a medal!

The fishing, a lot like the weather varied with some anglers producing excellent returns while others struggled. The hotspots this week were the cabin side bay, sluice corner and the field drains.

Thank you also to the anglers who joined us from Newhouse, Bangour and High Cleughearn Fishery to get their practice sessions for the next round of the Quaich. You can read how those anglers got on after the catch report.

FISH OF THE WEEK –  This weeks top spot goes to GREG HOWE with a rainbow weighing 11.5lb.  Well Done, Greg!

FLIES OF THE WEEK – This weeks top 3 flies were BUZZERS, APPS and EGGS.

Other successful flies were foam beetles, tailed okay dokey, zonkers, grub imitations, shimmies,  dogs bollocks, cats whiskers, bloodworms, yellow dancers, spiders, bibio, mini lures and various dry flies.

CATCH REPORT

• ROBERT RANDALLS – “Best place I have fished in a long time, every visit has a story!” Robert weighed in 1 fish for 3lb and safely returned 5 using buzzers on a floating line. He also lost a double figure fish that had the other anglers commenting on the size!
• ALISTAIR DENNIS – Weighed in 3 fish for 7.54lb using a yellow dancer and a green egg on a floating line.
• WULLY MOUNTFORD – Safely returned 5 rainbows caught using a black apps fished static under a sight indicator.
• JIM MCINTYRE – Safely returned 3 fish using a bibio on a floating line and a cheese egg fished static under a sight indicator.
• GILL FARRID – Who owns High Cleughearn fishery and Harelaw fishery lost a few fish and it looked like the blank was on, but he finally managed to get 1 to the net using a cat bug fished static under a sight indicator.
• KEVIN CRAIG – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using a red apps on a floating line.
• DECLAN WINTERS – BROKE THE FISHERY RECORD for most fish missed and lost! He safely returned 4 fish including a beautiful tiger and an 8.5lb rainbow which had him begging it to come in because his arm and hand were killing him! The fish were caught and lost on black apps, cormorants, and green shimmies on a slow intermediate line.
• REG DAVIDSON – Wasn’t having much luck until he put on a yellow fab, then he started hitting fish, though most got away one rainbow did make it to the net.
• EDDIE HUNT – Went home very happy after weighing in 4 rainbows for 12lb using a green blob on a floating line.
• GORDON SMITH – “Thoroughly enjoyed his day, another great day!” He safely returned 9 fish using various apps on a floating line.
• DARREN JOHNSTON – “ I need to get up here more often” He safely returned 2 rainbows caught using a green fab on a di3 line.
• DAVID GOSS – “Ive heard so much about the fishery and thought it was about time I came along!” He wasn’t disappointed, he safely returned 5 rainbows including 1 weighing approximately 8lb using a dogs bollocks and a green zonker on a floating line.
• DAVE BOLLAND – Safely returned 9 fish using various apps on a midge tip line.
• TONY MURRAY – Safely returned 3 fish using a cats whisker and eggs on a slow intermediate line.
• FRANK DALY – Safely returned 1 fish using diawl bachs on a 5ft sink tip line.
• JOHN BUTLER – Safely returned 7 fish using a bloodworm, fabs and eggs on floating and midge tip lines.
• DOM HIGGINS – Safely returned 8 fish using a yellow dancer and eggs on floating and midge tip lines.
• GEOFF APPLETON – Safely returned 5 fish using spiders and dries on a floating line.
• GREG HOWE – The big fish have teased Greg for months, one way or another they have always got away…. But not this time! He had an incredible day with 12 to the net including the fish of the week weighing 11.5lb using shimmies fished static under a sight indicator.
• DANNY MCDADE – Safely returned 2 fish caught using a red apps and yellow blob on a floating line.
• JAMES HARRISON – Safely returned 2 fish using buzzers and diawl bachs on an intermediate line. He will be back again in better weather to have another go!
• JIM WATSON – Weighed in 2 fish for 4.9lb and safely returned 3 including a rainbow weighing 9.14lb using buzzers and cormorants on a midge tip line.
• SANDY MABON – From fish xl fishery safely returned 1 rainbow using buzzers on a floating line.
• SCOTT WALKER – Safely returned 1 rainbow using a grub imitation fished static under a sight indicator.
• DAVID GOSS – Back for his 2^nd visit of the week “I have recommended the fishery to so many people!” He safely returned 5 rainbows using a yellow zonker on a floating line. He also caught a beautiful rainbow weighing nearly 6lb, however the fish could not be returned to the water through no fault of Davids, it had significant injuries from a previous angler using a barbed hook. David was as disappointed as I was to see such a beautiful fish not return to the water, but its injuries would not have healed.
• ALEC CAMPBELL – Weighed in 1 rainbow for 3lb and safely returned a beautiful wild brown weighing approximately 1lb using a tailed okay dokey on a floating line. He also took home the 6lb rainbow that David caught, a comfort to know that it will make the dinner plate and didn’t go entirely to waste.

GETTING THEIR PRACTICE IN AHEAD OF THE NEXT ROUND OF THE INTER FISHERIES QUAICH COMPETITION

As promised, I wont give away your tactics.

• ANDY GIBB – HCF – safely returned 7 fish.
• RONNIE MCKEAN – HCF – safely returned 7 fish.
• JIM McKINLAY – HCF – safely returned 13 fish.
• CHRIS TAMBURINNI – HCF – safely returned 11 fish.
• CONNER MCCURK – HCF – safely returned 6 fish.
• RUSSELL DODD – BANGOUR – safely returned 6 fish.
• GERRY KING – BANGOUR – safely returned 3 fish.
• PAUL BEGBIE – BANGOUR – safely returned 3 fish.
• DONALD FORBES – BURNHOUSE – safely returned 9 fish.
• ALAN SMITH – BURNHOUSE – safely returned 12 fish.
• JONNO MCDONALD – BURNHOUSE – safely returned 5 fish.
• RONNIE WEIR – BANGOUR – safely returned a beautiful tiger.

A massive thank you to all of the anglers that braved this weeks crazy weather, we hope to see you all again soon! 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.
• 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 6LB, 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.
• 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.
• IF FISHING THE BRIDGE, THE FISH MUST BE LANDED ON THE BANKING TO THE SIDE.
• IF ANGLERS ARE FISHING THE BANKING TO THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE, THEY MUST NOT CAST ACROSS BOTH BRIDGE PODIUMS.
• 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.

COVID-19 precautions – please read

• We are operating a strict booking in only policy. This allows us to limit the number of anglers arriving, using our facilities, and fishing our water. Please phone 07949220511 or 07889603160 to book your space.
• If you feel unwell or show any symptoms of COVID-19 and cannot do a lateral flow test please cancel your booking, do not take any chances.
• We will be issuing tickets from the door of the lodge.
• Refreshments are still available; gloves and masks will be worn by staff and strict hygiene standards implemented during the handling.
• ALL anglers MUST use the hand sanitising station before approaching the door, this is located on the wall to the right of the door. The station will be cleaned after every use. Disposable gloves are also available for anyone who wishes that extra bit of protection.
• Card is the preferred payment option; however cash will still be accepted, we ask that our anglers bring the exact money to avoid change being given. All ticket prices can be found on our website or upon request on telephone enquiries.
• Masks must be worn in the cabin and no more than 2 anglers in at one time.
• Toilets will be cleaned on a regular basis, though we ask that anglers use the antibacterial wipes and toilet brushes available to clean up after their own use. There is hand sanitiser and hand wash in both toilets.
• Please adhere to all social distancing guidelines in place.

We would hate for anything to be traced back to our beloved sport, so let us work together to keep it as safe as possible for all participants.