Eliburn closes temporarily as anglers make up for lost time

Eliburn Reservoir will close on Monday for three days to allow a weed boat in to do vital work on the popular coarse angling water.

Jason Biggin, secretary of non-profit-making West Lothian Coarse Anglers (WLCA), said that the three-acre water was also closed recently to allow carp to spawn.

The group manage, stock and maintain the facility and, alongside weed reduction, work parties are also being organised to carry out replanting, snag removals, swim repair and litter picking.

Furthermore, the redevelopment of an inlet is under way. Additional rocks will be added and a silt trap pool is being deepened.

Biggin stressed that non-members are always welcome at the water which has depths up to 13ft and is open all year for day ticket anglers (current start time 8am).

Recently, it has enjoyed a number of new enquires and they have translated into day ticket sales.

Good catch returns include one from head bailiff Gordon Barclay. He landed eight tench and one bream while float fishing in a four-hour session at the water which is near Livingston Community Football Club, not Livingston FC, the Scottish Premiership outfit.

And a 12-year-old produced a personal best carp of 16lbs caught on pop up over chopped boilies.

Meanwhile, over to game fishing and Cramond Angling Club have reopened with a bang with one member landing two magnificent fresh run sea trout of around 5lbs and 2lbs taken on the upper stretches despite low water and sunny weather.

Many anglers have been out on the river taking full advantage of the eased lockdown restrictions and secretary Joe Arndt reports a welcome spike in new membership applications.

Conditions, he said, are set to improve with thanks to the forecast of some much-needed rain.

At Glencorse, owner Bill Taylor has confirmed that their heat of the Scierra Pairs, one of Britain’s leading fly fishing competitions, will take place on Sunday, July 19.

He strongly advised those entered to contact the organiser, Phil Dixon, to confirm their participation. The Glencorse heat has been full for some time, but other heats scheduled are at Black Loch on June 28 and Lake of Menteith on September 11.

Meanwhile, action at 100-acre Glencorse, situated just above Flotterstone, has been stunning with two well-known Scottish anglers landing 60 fish to the boat on one session.

Another angler landed more than 30 on his own in midweek using a white lure and hothead damsel patterns on the point but Taylor said a variety of patterns were producing sensational catch returns. They include Cormorant patterns plus diawl bach, nymphs and coloured lures.

Other anglers have been successful with a team of buzzers and unsolicited comments on social media include: “Glencorse was electric.”

All this despite the water level being down two metres.

Elsewhere, Aquamarine Charters will run two trips in midweek. Skipper Derek Anderson said they will be on Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am to 3pm.

The Eyemouth-based company report good sport since the re-start of their operation at the end of last month following the relaxation of lock down and their two boats are also out this weekend.

Skipper Derek Anderson used lock down to repaint and anti-foul as well has having engines on the two boats serviced and he is delighted with the returns so far.

One Borders-based angler had 17 keepers on his last trip and another had 15, mostly cod with coley (a member of the cod family) hooked on feathers.

The best mark last weekend was four miles off Spittal at The Hirst but Derek said that no mackerel are showing yet.

The boats will be out again on Tuesday and Wednesday next week with 9am starts. Booking is essential and the trip lasts six hours.

Social distancing marks are clear on the boats and no tea or coffee is served and hand sanitisers are provided throughout.

The on-board toilets are cleaned after use but no anglers are allowed in the wheelhouse because of the pandemic.