Angling: Local knowledge at Drumtassie Trout Fishery is key / 22lb pike at Pottishaw / Saturday Summer League match results

The south-west wind was whipping up a handy ripple to help conceal the 12ft fluorocarbon leader and within three casts John’s rod had a pleasing bend as he hooked into a sizeable specimen.

Local knowledge is key and Shotts-based John knows every inch of the three ponds at Drumtassie near Blackridge in West Lothian.

He is also the go-to guy if you want a clue about what patterns to fish.

Drumtassie has been fishing well and catches recently have included Kevin Docherty with one of 15lb, another of 13lb and two of eight and seven pounds while Scottish internationalist Liz McLellan landed a 9lb 9oz trout. Eric Cook was also into fish and was smiles better having hooked a 19lb blue trout on the bait pond.

Vegitation around the two-year-old water is taking shape and there are future plans to enhance the visual appeal at the ponds which attract anglers from all over Central Scotland.

At nearby Pottishaw, Neil Irvine landed a 22lb pike on a buzzer but owner Fraser Thomson has now suspended fly fishing for pike as the water temperature is too high, to ensure the safe return of big fish.

Malleny Angling chief bailiff Jim McComb reports that there are plenty fish in Harlaw reservoir and regular stocking is taking place. He added: “The fish fairly bubble the surface when wind-blown terrestrials hit the water.”

Anglers are recording notable catches at Markle in East Lothian. Des Gray from Dalkeith tempted a 9lb trout on an orange blob and Jack Hay from Haddington landed an 11lb 8oz fish on a black buzzer.

Chris Barrett and his son hooked ten with the best at 8lb 9oz, mainly to buzzers, and Bruce Hunter from Edinburgh landed one of 9lb 2oz and returned a further four all to his home-made black lure.

John Dailly, also from Edinburgh, hooked one of 10lb and another of 8lb to a bloodworm. Morning and evening sessions are best at Markle and also at Bowden Springs near Linlithgow as the trout prefer the deep, cooler water during the day. Sink tip and intermediate lines were the best options with floating lines in the evening.

Best patterns were skinny buzzers, damsels and traditional fly patterns and John Todd from Livingston landed two rainbows and one blue for 9lb 4oz caught on a sedge pattern.

David Young from Edinburgh landed five fish for 16lb 4oz, the best being 5lb 5oz all caught on hothead damsel on a ghost tip head.

On the bait loch, morning fishing has been profitable with float fished worm, power bait and ledger doing well. Gail Adams caught two trout for 5lb on power bait.

Meanwhile, Tommy Laurison took the honours at the latest Saturday Summer League match organised by Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club at Orchil in Perthshire.

His bag weighed in at 17lb 8oz thanks to a fine net of carp. Second was Darrin Ferguson with 11lb 12oz made up of silvers with the odd small carp. Geoffrey Lowe was third with 7lb 10oz, two decent carp being enough here.

Geoff said: “Everybody did catch but results were disappointing, at least the weather was excellent.

“The fishing may not have been the best, but the banter and bankside chat was as good as ever.”

RESULTS: Tommy Lauriston 17lb 08oz, Darrin Ferguson 11lb 12oz, Roz Cassidy 6lb, Heather Lauriston 5lb 14oz, Bill Hamilton 3lb 02oz, Douglas Philips 2lb 02oz, Chris Bolton 08oz.

The next match is on Sunday, July 28.

At sea, Trevor Springford, skipper of Andara II out of Dunbar, reports that fishing has been good with some bigger cod starting to appear.

He added: “Mackerel are still scarce at Dunbar but fresh bait and sidewinders are doing the business.”

And skipper Derek Anderson also reports good fishing off Eyemouth on Sagittarius.