The Cock Robin is an old Irish pattern that works particularly well for wild brownies. It is tied on a size 8-12 Kamasan B175 hook using black tying thread.

The tail is bronze mallard fibres, the rear-half of the body is golden olive seal’s fur with the front-half crimson seal’s fur, both palmered with a short natural cock hackle and ribbed with oval gold tinsel.

The pattern is finished with a wing of rolled bronze mallard fibres.

Most of the fisheries took a real hammering from the weather last week, but the few who turned up at the Markle Fishery, in East Lothian, came away happy.

Bruce Hunter, from Edinburgh, who had four fish including specimens of 10lbs 2oz and 8lbs taken on Apps.

Also doing well was Edinburgh’s Geoff Mills with three for 9lb, on a Bloodworm, and Shaun McGarry (Edinburgh) who took four on C&R on various small lures.

The Swanswater Fishery, near Stirling, remained open – despite snow and sub-zero temperatures – thanks to the aerators in Swanswater and the Meadow Pond.

The majority of fish were taken on lures such as Cat’s Whisker and Humungus.

Malcolm Miller from Clackmannan, in two visits, took seven for 26lb 2oz, plus 13 C&R, while Jim Milne (Alloa) four for 15lb 8oz, plus five on C&R, George Garfoot (Rosneath) took four for 15lb, including a 5lb 4oz rainbow, and Jim Harper from Clackmannan had four for 13lb 4oz.

Alva’s Stanley Franklin took four for 12lb 8oz, plus five C&R, while Andy Young and Robert Wilson, Furnace, had four each for 21lb plus three C&R from the small ponds.