Apologies as this might be a week later than normal but for all sorts of reasons it’s been pretty full on over the past few weeks.

The fishing has been exceptional, with not only good numbers being landed but the size and quality has been outstanding and members and holiday guests alike have been passing very positive comments on the quality of the fish.

Top tactics have included sink tip lines using a two fly cast of FAB or blob on the top dropper and a lure such as a humungous, hot head damsel or cormorant on the point, fished using a varied retrieve.

Others have had intermittent success with a range of dries, the best of which have been a small cut down natural daddy, black foam beetle and a variety of CDC patterns. Buzzers and diawl-bachs are also now starting to show some success and as the temperatures start to rise and the hatches become more frequent, this can only get better.

All areas of the loch are holding plenty of fish and as always, those that move about are having the best of the action. Water quality and temperature is just about perfect and there is no problem with weed at this time of the year.

We held our annual members bank competition last weekend and with a really good turn-out of 13 rods (should have been 14 but unfortunately one had to retire the day before with a bad back) and a decent weather forecast for the day, conditions were just about perfect.

To say that it was an interesting day is probably somewhat of an understatement with the number of fish lost outnumbering the number of fish landed. In total 61 fish were landed with a further 79 reported as being hooked, played and lost. So 140 fish hooked is not a bad days fishing for 13 rods by anyone’s standards, although those that did loose fish might say that they could have perhaps done better. Points were awarded per fish and for each of the sessions that they were caught in thus rewarding consistency throughout the day,

There were prizes for the top three places and once again we have to thank Mike Wilson of Fishers of Penicuik for supplementing the prize fund this year. Mike’s support is greatly appreciated. The winner will also get their name on the honours board.

So here are the results for the top three places:

1^st place – James Gardiner

2^nd place – Neil Keillor

3rd place – Darryl Keillor

Our congratulations go to everyone that took part this year and of course to the winner James Gardiner. A good day was had by all and the bacon rolls and venison burgers at lunch time did a lot to keep everyone going.

The other big event for us last week was the filming  for two days of an episode of Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes. Robson and his uncle Matheson, both of whom are members here, spent a couple of days doing various things in the area which also included some time here at the loch. That’s about as much as we’ll say about what went on so as not to spoil the episode which we believe will be aired some time in the new year. As and when we get more details we will of course let you know. It was a fascinating insight for us into the making of a program such as this and the amount of work that goes in to the whole process. We hope that the editing etc. goes to plan and that the episode is a cracker.

Anglers Reports:

Both the reports below were sent in by Gordon Boulding, thank you to Gordon for taking the time to get these together much appreciated!

Sat 20th April

C.L.F.F. Bank competition . It started as a cold and breezy day but got better as the day went on, I was drawn on peg 4 which was the floating platform which was sheltered from the cold wind and there was fish moving in front of me. Anxious to get fishing, I heard the whistle blow and mounted the platform and before I had my line on the water an angler on the boat jetty was playing a fish this must have been his first cast of the day. I set up with a pennel on the point and a buzzer on the dropper, and within 5 minutes I had a lovely brown which took the pennel, and within a short time, I had another two fish which both of them were taken on the pennel . Then as I was playing my fourth fish, Gareth blew the whistle this was another beautiful rainbow, which took the buzzer, so with this fish not counting towards my score, I left the platform with a total of three fish. I then fished pegs 6 and 8 without even a touch. We broke for lunch and had some lovely bacon butties and venison burgers. Then went to fish pegs 10 and 12 where I managed to drop off a couple of fish, but every time I looked up Karl, who was two pegs up from me was playing fish but as I found out later he only had 1 fish to the net and dropping at least 9 – god knows how he was feeling? So next was peg one approx. a hundred yards or so down the West bank, this is where it livened up for me as there was a lot of fishing moving in front of me. I put a black flat daddy on and if you got the fly in the wind lane you had a response to the fly, so after dropping fish off and missing loads of takes I was rewarded with a hard fighting brown which only just went into the net.

Then with about five minutes left in the penultimate session I went for an unintentional  swim, so at this point I would like to thank Karl and his dad (Bill ) for coming to the rescue and that was the end of my fishing for the day. I know everybody who was fishing would like to thank Carmel for providing a lovely lunch and Gareth for using the work boat to ferry us old fogeys from the pegs at the reeds to the pegs on the West bank and vice versa . And last congratulations to Mr James Gardiner for winning the competition and the two runners up, Neil and Darryl.

Wed 24^th April

I arrived at the loch only to find that the conditions did not look hopeful as there was a strong and very cold wind blowing right down the loch . I decided that there may be a bit shelter right up by the reeds. I was right as it was not too bad and after about 10 minutes I landed a hard fighting fully finned Rainbow this was followed by another Rainbow which took the flat daddy, I fished for another couple of hours with no luck but noticed the boat anglers were catching . I decided to retire to the lodge for a cup of coffee, and as I was enjoying my cuppa I noticed the wind was dropping and the sun was breaking through.

It was a very pleasant afternoon and fish starting to show, so I decided to have a few casts off the boat jetty and had 3 fish to the net in a very short time – all on a cormorant, then had another 2 fish to a Damsel nymph. It was then I called it a day and was grateful that I was still dry.

Gordon Boulding

Club News:

Over the next two weeks these are the club days:

Friday 3^rd May – Codgers AA and Midlothian AA

Thursday 9^th May – Edinburgh Waltons

Let’s hope for continued good weather and good catching to match.

Other News:

The swallows and House Martins are back. This year the first House Martin was spotted by us was on the 12^th April and the first Swallows on the 26^th April. As always, it’s a sure sign that spring has well and truly arrived and that the insect life is about to erupt.