Fishing reports and news from members of the Heriot FP Angling Club, Edinburgh

Please use this facility to provide fishing reports, news, views or to publish tackle for sale or wanted, tell jokes, publicise Rusky work parties - indeed anything to do with fishing. If you have forgotten how to post, please contact Eric Begbie.

 
A lot has happened since this WebLog was last used. Not much has been reported!
posted by Eric at Tuesday, June 10, 2008

 
Some very interesting discussion at the Rusky AGM this week. Is the ecology of the loch much more fragile than we thought and do we need to stock smaller fish and then kill more of them more quickly?

Very pertinent questions raised by Tommy.
posted by Eric at Saturday, March 06, 2004

 
It's been really quiet here for the past few months - guess the "Blog" idea was a daft one! I don't know if this Free Fishing in Ireland offer is genuine, but it may be worth following up, especially with Ryanair offering flights for 50p each way
posted by Eric at Saturday, January 24, 2004

 
Have a look at this one guys - Angie's Shrine To The Fishin Goddess
posted by Eric at Wednesday, August 20, 2003

 
Apparently your computer gets filled up with "Spyware" that can result in personal information, account IDs, passwords, etc that you use being compromised and collected by third parties. As well as having virus checking and firewall programs installed (I use Norton Internet Security) it is also recommended that you have a "Spy Detection" program installed on your computer. Here is one that is free to download and easy to use: --SpybotSD - Download Spybot - Search & Destroy by PepiMK Software. It does suggest you make a donation if you find it to be useful but there is no disabling of the program if you decide not to donate.

posted by Eric at Monday, August 04, 2003

 
If you missed Colin's e-mail, you'll find details of the North Uist outing here. North Uist
posted by Eric at Tuesday, June 24, 2003

 
Found this site and its fairly local. Don't know how prices compare with others.
FMTC Fly Fishermans Tackle Company UK Fishing Store


posted by Eric at Monday, June 09, 2003

 
Got back from Alaka this week. Not a fishing holiday but "she who must be obeyed" did allow me to go fishing one day. It was what they call "ocean salmon fishing" which means the boat driver baits half a dozen rods with herring strips, sticks the rods in holders with the line threaded onto depth gauges, and then drives the boat back and forward looking for patches of "bait fish" under which there just might be salmon working. Must confess there is no real sense of achievement if a salmon does attack the trolled bait and get itself hooked. Similarly, no sense of failure if it doesn't happen. Compared to the fly fishing I did on my previous trip to Alaska, this is more akin to throwing a mackerel spinner off Seafield Pipe!

EB
posted by Eric at Saturday, May 17, 2003

 
Received a letter from the Scottish Executive today asking for comments on Protection Orders. I don't think this came to me because of HFPAC but I am happy to reflect other members' views in my reply. The specific question is: "Confirm that there is general agreement that the existing system should be replaced and, if so, with what?"

My personal view is that Protection Orders should be scrapped and two new systems should be instituted - one for migratory salmonids in rivers and also covering brown trout in rivers holding migratory fish; the second for managed stillwaters.

On the former, my very strong view is that Scottish anglers are not served well by the archaic system of ownership of salmon rivers. Salmon and seatrout, being migratory, do not belong to anyone and fishing for them should be managed by a national trust on behalf of all Scottish anglers. I say that even with my cynicism about the "Morons on the Mound". In large part my opinion on this matter is strengthened by experience in USA and Canada where whole river systems are managed by statutory authorities and work infinitely better than our outdated "private ownership" system here. As far as managed stillwaters are concerned, there should be more easily enforcable laws to protect against poaching.

But what do others think?

EB
posted by Eric at Wednesday, April 02, 2003

 
First outing of the season to Gartmorn Dam yesterday (in fact, first for about 5 years). Weather attrocious - wind, cold and hail - but flogged away for 6 hours for 5 rainbows at 12 lbs 14 oz. I had forgotten what a nice setting Gartmorn is and how free-rising the fish are, even in conditions that would send them to the bottom elsewhere. The really impressive thing was the quality of the fish - comparable to Portmore. My best was 4 lbs 6 oz.

EB
posted by Eric at Wednesday, April 02, 2003

 
Interesting experience - Having far too many flies, some dating back for umpteen years, I put a box containing about 900 of them up for auction on Ebay. There was quite a lot of bidding for them and they went for £122. Quite a bargain for the buyer compared to retail prices but, equally, better cash in my pocket than redundant surplus flies kicking around the garage. Worth trying if you also have surplusses.
posted by Eric at Sunday, March 23, 2003

 
Some useful info on Lindores ahead of our outing tomorrow -- from Mike Phillips...

"Stuart from work fished Lindores Loch last weekend and caught 9 fish. Seven were caught on a blood worm imitation (flexi) fished on a floating line with a sinking tip leader attached. Others were catching on epoxy buzzers apparently. Stuart mentioned some of his fish has leeches on the underside.....maybe scrounging around the bottom for bloodworm and the likes?"

Ttight Lines,
Mike
posted by colin at Saturday, March 22, 2003

 
A mate of mine has an 11 yo son who seems to have the fishing bug (he didn't get it from his dad, that's for sure). He wants a fly fishing outfit. Dad is reluctant to spend a lot on new stuff in case it is a passing phase. I can supply reel/line/flies, etc, but I don't have a suitable surplus rod I can give him. So, if anyone has an old general purpose fly rod, eg 9 ft for a 6 weight, that just lies in the cupboard, and they are looking to sell it (for say £10-20), please drop me a line or give me a bell.

Colin R
posted by colin at Sunday, March 09, 2003

 
Good day today work-wise. We got the painting of all the boats finished and things tidied up. Much discussion about what to do with the heap of soil created by the road works. Suggestions include grassing, a shrubbery, a sprawl of Clematis montana or a couple of rows of tatties!

EB
posted by Eric at Sunday, March 02, 2003

 
Eric Singer was on phone last night - he is looking for volunteers for a work party at Rusky on Sunday 2nd March.

Eric Begbie
posted by Eric at Tuesday, February 25, 2003