SCOTLAND TROUTMASTERS REPORTS FOR WEEK-ENDING MARCH 17TH, 2017

Forbes of Kingennie, Tayside
For the first time this year it’s really feeling like spring with the daffodils coming out and some nice wee hatches of buzzers bringing fish up to the surface. The settled weather has given the water a chance to clear and clarity is getting better in all the ponds, with Boathouse being very clear again. The Boathouse has been steady with anglers all week and returns have been good. A real mix of patterns and methods have taken fish from dries to big lures. On Saturday the Wilson party had an outstanding day returning 44 fish to their three rods. Most of the fish were taken on a bung with a Watzit. Mr Mills kept his three fish for 7lb 9oz and put a couple back. Mr Westland put back eight on Buzzers and a FAB with one fish estimated at 11lb. The Burnside has been a bit hit or miss with some anglers doing very well and some finding it hard. Lures have been the go to method but Buzzers have outfished them most of the time. Mr Birse had 20 fish pulling a white and yellow lure. Mr Jones had 19 returned on Buzzers. Mr Costello had six on Buzzers. Mr Thompson returned eight on Bloodworms. Mr Cheetam kept five for 12lb and put back six on Green Pheasant Tails.
The Bankside has seen the least pressure and fished well to those that have found the fish. Mr Hogg had eight fishing the bung. Mr Barlow had nine one day and eight the next fishing Buzzers. Mr Osler had five fish on a Green Watzit. The Woodside has been getting busier and produced some good returns. Spinners have been great for finding fish and getting fast action but the float is still working. Mr Taylor and Balfour had six fish for 11lb on spinners. Mr Hamilton had four for 7lb on the fly. Mr Torrance had four for 8lb 12oz.

Glen of Rothes Trout Fishery, Grampian
Good fishing for the week with plenty of fish about and at different depths according to the temperature on the day. Some days were like a summer day and fish were often feeding on top and just below the surface. Lime-coloured flies did well, as did the Ace of Spades. Sunday’s Troutmasters fish-off was won by Neill Smith, second Gary Gormley and third Laura Gallagher. Neill Smith had a good fish of 7lb 10oz which helped him on his way to the win. Willie McRobbie had a good fish of 8lb 10oz, 86-year-old Jim Eddie needed a hand to land a fish which was estimated at between 12-15lb and returned, Slater Scott had 20 fish, Scott Burness had 10 fish, Mark Feurst had 14, Derek Richie had 10 and Chris Johnston had 26 fish. The Junior Troutmasters fish-off winner was Luke McKinnon from last year’s Kids Academy. He now qualifies for the junior final at Thrunton fishery. This year’s Kids Academy is now full and will start on April 23.
 
Millbuies Trout Fishery, Grampian
Millbuies will be open as from Saturday March 18 for the new season and bookings can be made at the Glen of Rothes trout fishery only. Bookings cannot be accepted anywhere else as the book is held at the fishery.

Swanswater Fishery, Stirlingshire
Another good week’s fishing. The first half of the week saw fish around three to four feet down, mainly around the dam area. The second half of the week, with the water temperatures rising to 6 degrees the fish would normally be expected to move to the slightly warmer water nearer the channel, but instead they appeared to follow the wind and were around two feet down presumably feeding on some early hatches. Most successful flies this week continued to be various lures, especially Dancers, Cats and Cormorants. Wet flies should be more prolific soon with the arrival of the brown trout season.
Danny Doherty, from Denny, caught five fish for 12lb 12oz; John Montague, Glasgow, five for 11lb 8oz; Steven Mullin and son Liam, Pitlochry, shared five for 10lb 8oz from the Meadow Pond; Willie Martin, Stirling, four for 12lb including a 4lb 12oz rainbow; Martin Stewart, Glasgow, four for 10lb 8oz including a blue, plus two browns returned; Barry Hamilton, Muirhead, four for 10lb 8oz, plus four caught and released; Nigel Muckle, Mid Calder, four for 9lb 8oz, plus five caught and released; David Halcrow, Stenhousemuir, four for 9lb 8oz, plus three caught and released including a brown; Bob Garavie, Lennoxtown, three for 9lb; Henry Fulton, Greenock, three for 7lb 8oz, plus seven caught and released; Peter Johnson, Glasgow, three for 7lb 8oz; Steve Irwin, three for 6lb from the Meadow Pond, plus six caught and released; Alan Armstrong, Dollar, two for 5lb; Raymond Strachan, two for 6lb 8oz; Geoff Gilbert, Isle of Man, caught and released 39 over the course of a week’s holiday; Ross Riley, caught and returned 14; Graeme Arthur, Stirling, caught and released 12, including two browns.