Summers here!

June is hot but enough about her...........the evening fishing is back with a bang. We missed out on this big style last season so it's time to take advantage and get the dries on.

Joe Beattie, Leith, had 13 on c/r to cdc's and T. Dickson, Dunbar, 12 on c/r to spinners (the real ones not the metal ones). D. Douglas had 12 on buzzers and M. Devine, Caston, had 14, with the best at 9lb 8oz, on buzzers too. Steve Rodger, the diver from Edinburgh, did an underwater survey of the main loch and then took an 11lber on a Cat's Whisker (inside information?). Peter Craig, Dunbar, had a good morning landing 12 on a rabbit snatcher and G. Ray did similar with 12 to nymphs and buzzers.

Martin Williamson, Tranent, continued his fine form with 12 on c/r to dries and T. Dickson, Dunbar, had a 10lber on a cdc.

Graham Deeley, Tranent, used a hot head damsel to take a cracker of 15lb 8oz. Joe Beattie had another 10 fish on cdc's and Tommy Dickson used a traditional (yes, they still work) blae and black to lure a 14lb specimen from the Monastery Loch. Newtongrange angler Scott Abbott used a Bunny Leech to take 2 for 11lb, best 7lb 4oz.

It's already past the Summer Solstice so take advantage of the good evenings whilst you can.

ps an Osprey is coming calling on a regular basis.

May 2013

Much better weather, Spring has arrived!

Fish have been showing on the top of the water but the water is still cool for this time of year. Jack Stevenson, Ormiston, had a nice one of 12lbs on a black buzzer whilst Joe Beattie from Leith matched that with a 12lber on a cdc. Stuart Frasers six-person team event (yes, ladies are allowed to enter!) was a great success with 79 fish weighed in for 193lb. Mark Anderson, Musselburgh, had a 12lb 8oz beauty on a blob and Gordon Bunce, Edinburgh, had 23 on c/r mainly to black buzzers.

An 11lb 10oz fish for D. Ross, Dalkeith, helped him win the Will Telfer Memorial Trophy and J. Dunn, also Dalkeith, had a good one of 8lb.

Peter Craig from Dunbar had a huge fish, estimated at 20lbs on Bunny Leech, which was returned and Angus Robertson had 2 for 14lb 8oz on a yellow dancer. Ross Wilson, North Berwick, had a belter of 13lb 8oz on a black lure and Eric Livingstone used a buzzers to take a terrific brown of 12lb 4oz. B. Donaldson, Edinburgh, had a nice double of 11lb 4oz on a black buzzer whilst Steven Knox had a 10lber on a dry fly and returned another 8. Bryan Ormiston had a 10lb 4oz specimen on a buzzer and P. Irvine had a similar fish of 10lb on a black ant.

Northfield AC had a good day weighing in 32 fish for 84lb 6oz.

Mark Anderson used his blobs again to good effect taking 20 on c/r but was outdone by Steve Cochrane from Newbiggin-by-the-Sea who had a terrific day out with his club (Hoy 'N Hope) taking 31 fish all on buzzers! T. Stephenson and S. Greathead, both Durham, also had a great trip with 19 and 25 on c/r respectively - best patterns were buzzers. P. Kennedy had 12 and 10 on consecutive c/r trips, mainly to black hopper and black gnat. Bruce Hunter had a tremendous specimen of 18lbs on his home tied black lure and also returned another 12.

Weather has improved and we are definitely heading into summer.

OK make that five, yes five, young kestrels! It's difficult to count the fluff balls when Mum or Dad flies in.

Rain, rain, rain, and yet more rain, yes folks the Highland Show is upon us, but I digress. With no shortage of water the fishing has been excellent, well except on the bait pond when it muddied up, but the problem has been shortage of anglers! Some of the days have been torrential this week so I don't blame them. The plentiful cool water has certainly stirred the bigger fish into action.

J. Clark, Edinburgh, had 2 for 13lb 8oz on yellow dancers and John Russell, Prestonpans, had a beauty of 12lb 4oz on a mini cat. Bruce Hunter, Edinburgh, had a great day on c/r taking 14 on black lures including specimens of 13lb and 10lb 4oz respectively. Dunbar regular, Tommy Dickson, also had a 13lber on a cruncher and Chris Barrett (a fishmonger to trade!) had 2 for 11lb 8oz on lures, best 8lb 8oz.  Gordon Scott, Lilliesleaf, had 16 on c/r including a 5lb brown on crunchers whilst Paul Rae, Hawick, took 15 on c/r again to crunchers but also suspended buzzers.

Jack Hay, Haddington, has been bang on form again with three doubles in the last week at 10lb 8oz, 12lb and 12lb 8oz all on damsels.

Gordon Dagg, Gorebridge, took the best fish of the week on a Hopper - it was a beauty of 16lb!

On the better evenings the rises have been terrific so let's hope for a consistent period of better weather.

Let's not forget the cygnets either!

East, east, east and the temperature never hit 17! The cold wind doth prevail but we still catch. Plus the birdlife, steady guys, the feathered birdlife, has exploded! We have 5 cygnets, 6 young wagtails, 10 great tits, about the same again in blue tits, steady, and 4 young kestrels!

Bruce Hunter, Edinburgh, had a great day with 20 on c/r, best 7lb 8oz, mainly to lures. D. McGrory had 14 on suspender buzzers and G. Dickinson took 16 on the same, whilst G. Pirnley had 15 and I. Jameson 18 on buzzers as well! Chris Barrat, Cockenzie, had 2 for 11lb and returned another 6 on mini cat and Jim Tuck, England International, made the trip up and was not disappointed - he had 20 on various flies but mainly buzzers I'm told. Tommy Dickson, Dunbar, had 10 on eggs and daddies and John Russell, Prestonpans, took 10 on mini cat and buzzer. Neil Keillour, Dunbar, had 10 on PTN and GRHE and Mike Blackwood had 7 on dancers and buzzers. B. Cummings had a nice bag of 3 for 12lb on yellow dancer and Norham and Ladykirk AC had a successful day with 18 for 42lb plus a good few returned. Chick Stewart, Edinburgh, had a great day with Blae and Black's taking 20+ on c/r!

How's this for a bait ponder? John Russell, Dalkeith, caught this beauty out of the Kin Loch weighing 11lbs, well done John!

Will someone rid me of this turbulent wind? No, didn't think so.

Alas, the fishing remained steady though. P. Regan, Tranent, had 9 on c/r to hoppers one evening and Jack Hay, Haddington, took a beauty of 13lb 8oz on a dancer. Alan Cameron, Tranent, had 9 on buzzers and M. Anderson, Edinburgh, had 16 on blobs. R. Haugh had 14 on buzzers and blobs and B. Whitehead 10 on the same. Darrel Young put in an appearance, at last, and had a good day with 9 on GRHE's. Derek Powell, Prestonpans, had 7 on c/r to black rabbits and crunchers and S. Maconnor and K. Johnstone each had 8 fish on c/r to mainly dries.

The east wind is set to stay.

When the wind is in the east the fish bite the least - well that blows that theory out of the water then! Despite the colder sea breezes fishing has still been remarkably top knotch. Peter Craig, Dunbar, had a cracker of 12lb 8oz on a damsel. The Mayfield Inn 6 "man" team event, ok "person" event, weighed in 93 fish for 250lb 2oz - what a day! R. Woods had 2 for 12lb 4oz on damsel and Mick Mulgrew released 9 in an evening on egg fly. Jack Hay, Haddington, had a 9lber on a yellow dancer The Goth FFC weighed in 39 fish for 102lb 9oz. Bruce Hunter, Edinburgh, had 11 on c/r to lures and buzzers and the Hoy 'N Hope AC, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, weighed in 17 for 49lb 9oz. Honeywell AC weighed in 31 fish for 77lb 1oz and Arniston AC also had a good day with 30 for 86lb plus c/r. Jack Hay, Haddington, regained his double-figure touch with two of 13lb and 11lb, respectively, on damsels.

It would be nice for the wind to change but would it......?

The cold winds continued....but the fishing was still good! George Liddle, Dunbar, had 3 for 12lbs on a yellow dancer and Jim Skilling, Shotts, took 21 mainly to buzzers and bloodworm. The 1314 FFC from Stirling had a good day with 43 weighed in for 115lb plus many returned. George Charters, Dolphington, had 11 on c/r to buzzers and Tommy Dickson, Dunbar, had a beauty of 10lb 8oz on an Okey Dokey. John Thomson, East Linton, used buzzers to take 10 on c/r and G. Hobbin had 3 for 15lb 12oz on crunchers. SMART Builders had a great day with 33 weighed in for 88lb plus returned 32! John Russell, Prestonpans, had a 10lber on a buzzer.

Despite the colder winds smaller flies such as buzzers have prevailed.