Burnhouse Lochan Fishery – Weekly Report: 16.04.21 – 23.04.21                              

What a scorcher it has been this week! Lovely for sunbathing, but not a great for fishing unless the anglers tactics were right.

In the scorching sunshine, the fish will retreat to the depths meaning better returns when fishing intermediate, fast sinking lines or weighted flies. They will also seek shelter from the sun in shaded areas such as the very platforms you stand on or in the weed beds, so hang those flies and use those weed beds to your advantage!

When the sun starts to fade and the water temperature drops the evening rises can be spectacular but can prove difficult when the water is flat calm, the trick is to neatly present your flies and keep your casting to a minimal, nothing will spook the fish more than your line thrashing the water.

FISH OF THE WEEK – This week’s top spot goes to DAVID LAVAN with a 12.2lb bow. Well done, David!

FLIES OF THE WEEK – This week’s top 3 flies were BUZZERS, EGGS, and DAMSELS.

Other successful flies were –  Okay dokey, bloodworm, cats whiskers, ghost, cutthroat rabbit, daiwl bachs, millennium bugs, fabs, yellow dancers, PTN, invicta, greenwells spider, orange & black dancer, orange fritz, orange & white lure, yellow owl, black dancer, clink hammers, eggstacy worms, hares ears, cormorants, shammies, black poodle, polar  bear, orange daddy, hoppers, apps, pin fry imitation, claret bumble, emergers, pink mini lure, shipmans, beetles, cutthroat cat, shimmy worm, Griffiths gnat, sedge, sparkler and a black rabbit.

CATCHES OF THE WEEK

  • SCOTT MORTON – Weighed in 1 rainbow for 3.24lb caught using a tailed okay dokey fished static under a sight indicator. On return visits he safely returned 7 rainbows and 1 blue caught using buzzers on a floating line and a blue flash damsel on an intermediate line.
  • BILLY HOELLE – Safely returned 3 rainbows caught using a bloodworm and a cats whisker on a floating line.
  • JAY MILLER – Safely returned 3 rainbows caught using a ghost, cutthroat rabbit and a cats whisker on an intermediate line.
  • ANDY DAVIE – Safely returned a 6lb rainbow caught using a green daiwl bach on a floating line.
  • GLEN MCNEIL – Safely returned 9 rainbows caught using millennium bugs and buzzers on a floating line.
  • BRIAN SKINNER – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using a white egg fished static under a sight indicator.
  • ROBERT PATON – Safely returned 15 rainbows including a few at around 9lb caught using a pink fab and buzzers on a floating line and a yellow dancer on an intermediate line.
  • ROBERT WELSH – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using buzzers on a floating line.
  • STEVIE VANCE – Was delighted that the restrictions eased, allowing him to return to his favourite fishery! He safely returned 2 rainbows caught using pheasant tailed nymphs on a floating line.
  • MICHAEL MCKENNA – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using a pheasant tailed nymph on a floating line.
  • DEREK SAVAGE – Safely returned 1 rainbow.
  • LEWIS KIDD – Safely returned 6 rainbows caught using an invicta, buzzers and a greenwells spider all on a floating line. On return visits he safely returned 9 rainbows and 1 tiger using buzzers, damsels, cormorants and an orange daddy on a floating line, white eggs and pink eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • JOHN ROSS – Safely returned 3 rainbows including ones weighing 7.5lb & 5lb using buzzers on a floating line and an orange and black dancer on an intermediate line.
  • GERRY FITSIMINS – Safely returned 3 rainbows caught using an orange fritz and an orange & white lure on an intermediate line.
  • DAVID LAVAN – Safely returned 7 rainbows including 1 weighing 12.2lb using a yellow owl, daiwl bachs and buzzers on a floating line and eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • GORDON COLLEY – Safely returned 1 rainbow and 1 blue caught using a black dancer on an intermediate line and buzzers on a floating line.
  • RAB COCHRANE – Safely returned 2 rainbows caught using various eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • RICHARD TAYLOR – Safely returned 1 rainbow and 2 browns caught using a claret clink hammer on a floating line. On a return visit he safely returned 2 including 1 weighing 9lb caught using a shipmans and a black hopper on a floating line.
  • REYNOR KENNEDY – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using a green eggstacy worm fished static under a sight indicator.
  • GREGOR KENNEDY – Show his son how it’s done! He safely returned 3 rainbows and 2 blues caught using a hot head blue flash damsel on an intermediate line and hares ears on a floating line.
  • ROSS MORRISON – Safely returned 6 rainbows caught using an orange & black dancer, neon damsel and a 55 cormorant on an intermediate line.
  • ANDY RICHMOND – Made the challenging conditions of flat calms and strong sunshine look easy. He safely returned 10 rainbows and lost many more. When asked what he was using, he said anything 5ft down.
  • TAM BROGGAN – Weighed in 1 rainbow for 2.67lb caught using a black poodle on an intermediate line.
  • CHRIS HARRIS – Safely returned 1 rainbow.
  • JOHNATHAN PAUL – “Came all the way from fife and I didn’t mention him in the last report”, because it is this report, you are in lol. He safely returned 2 rainbows caught using a polar bear on an intermediate line and lost a blue.
  • AARON KIRKWOOD – Safely returned 5 rainbows caught using a rhubarb & custard cat on an intermediate line and a claret hopper on a floating line.
  • KIERAN ROBERTSON – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using a blue flash damsel on an intermediate line.
  • MARK MCGOVEN – Safely returned 3 rainbows caught using a red apps and a pin fry imitation.
  • MARK WILLIS – Weighed in 2 rainbows for 10.3lb and safely returned 3 caught using a cats whisker and damsels on an intermediate line.
  • JOHN MCCORMACK – Weighed in 2 rainbows for 5.71lb caught using a yellow dancer and a claret bumble on a floating line.
  • ALAN SMITH – Safely returned 8 rainbows and 1 brown caught using yellow owls, bibio emerger and cormorants on a floating line, damsels, and a pink mini lure on an intermediate line. On a return visit he safely returned 9 rainbows and 1 blue caught using hoppers and a shipmans on a floating line.
  • JIM ANDERSON – Safely returned 1 brown and 7 rainbows including ones weighing 9.5lb and 7lb using shipmans, beetles, buzzers and daiwl bachs on a floating line.
  • ALEX ROOK – Safely returned 1 blue, 1 tiger and 11 rainbows caught using damsels on an intermediate line. On a return visit he weighed in 4 rainbows for 15.68lb and safely returned 21 rainbows and blues using daiwl bachs, buzzers and damsels on various lines and eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • JOHN LOWE – Weighed in 2 fish for 10.16lb caught using a cutthroat cat on an intermediate line.
  • HUGH ANDREWS – Safely returned 2 rainbows caught using a yellow shammy fished static under a sight indicator.
  • ROBERT GRANGER – The blank was on for Rab but on his last cast he safely returned a 9.5lb rainbow! Well worth the wait!
  • GORDON MCVICAR – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using buzzers on a floating line.
  • JIM VANN – Weighed in 1 rainbow for 4lb caught using a sedge on a floating line.
  • MARTIN MAYWELL – Weighed in 1 rainbow for 4.41lb caught using a damsel on an intermediate line.
  • GORDON NORVIL – Safely returned a rainbow weighing approximately 7-8lb caught using a daiwl bach on a floating line.
  • REG DUNBAR – Safely returned a 4lb rainbow caught using a black dancer on an intermediate line.
  • DECLAN WINTERS – Safely returned 7 rainbows including 1 weighing approximately 9.5lb caught using buzzers and hoppers on a floating line and various eggs fished static under a sight indicator.
  • DEREK GRAHAM – Safely returned 1 rainbow caught using a clink hammer on a floating line.
  • TONY STEEN – Safely returned 5 rainbows caught using a sparkler on a floating line and a mojito shimmy worm fished static under a sight indicator.
  • JOHN CALLISON & DARREN BARCIK – From Newton Farm fishery wanted a lads day out with a change of scenery. After a great day full of banter in the scorching sun, John caught 3 using a black rabbit on an intermediate line and 1 on a black CDC on floating line. Darren caught 3 on a black CDC, 1 on a fab and 1 on a black rabbit. Darren also hooked into one of the Burnhouse “heartbreakers” but the tiger lived up to its reputation and didn’t make it to the net! Think that makes Darren the winner!

 

With the weather starting to heat up, here is a quick reminder of how to safely return fish whilst on a catch and release ticket.

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. Never 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.

 

Tight lines for the week ahead!