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Menteith Fishery

Report

6th May 2008

6ft Water Temp: 13C, Clarity (secchi disk): 3m
The glorious warm has at last arrived – and I’m sure were all appreciating the free heat. The two most productive drifts at present (wind direction - light SE) are Lochend to the Butts and the Shear Point/Hotel Bay Reedy Point areas. Techniques have varied from the buzzer or dries to sink tip cormorant plus lure. Some cracking stockies have been put in this week. The cormorant exclusion nets were taken off the fish pens, as is usual for the time of year. The cormorant threat is negligible during the summer, and the nets serve only to reduce the flow of water around the pens. It appears that we may have trapped a shoal of big fish last autumn when the nets went on – these fish are now roaming free again.  
This finely composed picture was sent in by Peter Tuck of Edinburgh and shows two Great Crested Grebes in the midst of a courtship ceremony.

Scottish Anglers National Championship Menteith Heats
Heat 1, 29th April: 54 anglers caught 263 fish for 527lbs, 43 of these were returned. The cut off weight for qualification was 9lb 6oz. 27 anglers progressed, and the top 3 bags were; W.Simpson (12 fish), A.MacKay 13 fish and I.Wilson 11 fish. A.MacKay was fishing a team of cormorants at Lochend.
Heat 2, 1st May: 44 anglers caught 137 for 267lbs (14 fish were returned). The cut off weight for qualification was  4lbs 12oz. 22 anglers qualified and the top 3 rods were; K.McCabe 10 fish, R.Anderson 9 fish and W. Wilson 8 fish. Buzzers at Lochend was the successful method.

1st Evening Heat; Scottish Club Championships Results – sponsored by the Daily Record with additional prizes from the Angling Centre Stirling. 
24 boats landed 33 fish for 83lbs.  Top 3 man team were Middleton AC (8 fish for 15lbs 11oz), 2nd East Kilbride (7 fish for 15lbs) and 3rd Greenock and District. These teams go forward to the semi-final on 19/9/08. Top four individuals qualifying for the Champion of Champions were C.McKean of East Kilbride 5 fish limit for 10lbs 7oz, D.Downie of Greenock (5 fish limit for 10lbs 3oz), G.McMahon (Middleton), and past Champion Kenny McLean of Darvel. Top drifts Rookery Point and Butts with sink tip and cormorants and lures.

Civil Sevice Scottish Championship
Friday 2nd May; 38 anglers took part in the 2nd heat and 57 fish for 114lb 5oz were taken with 2 limits being recorded & 12 rods blanking. Top team was Beith 1- Jason Whiteford & Jamie Walker with 8 fish, 2nd place was Gareloch & Loch Long - Ian McKenzie & Derek Barclay with 6 fish and 3rd place was again Gareloch & Loch Long A/C  George Garfoot & Willie Ferrier with 7 fish. Top 2 individuals who will represent Scotland at the National Final in August at Eyebrook are Jamie Walker & Fraser McConnell.  

Other Catches:
Aberfoyle (6 boats) 19 fish 32lbs 1rtd, Thack AC (6 boats) 37 fish 83lbs 10rtd, Stanley AC (9 boats) 51 fish 117lbs, Newmarket AC (5 boats) 19 fish 40lbs, Leslie LLanilar (5 boats) 28 fish 64lbs 11rtd, Denny and Dist (8 boats) 25 fish 56lbs. Aaron Cannon of Stanley AC had a superb 12 ½ lb overwintered rainbow.