Kathleen grabs swimming glory
SWANSWATER
This week saw some heavy rain showers and strong winds which made conditions a bit difficult. The water temperature rose over the course of the week despite the cold winds, but the amount of rain led to coloured water for the middle part of the week.
This cleared by the weekend and there was some excellent sport to be had, particularly on Sunday.
At the start of the week the fish were in the top two to three feet of the water and many anglers were using floating lines. However, as the week progressed the fish went a bit deeper, and an intermediate line was a better bet.
The boats were doing well all week with the island being the best area on the bank. The usual variety of flies were taking fish with favourite patterns being Hot-head Damsel, Dancer, Blob, Buzzer, Diawl Bach and Bloodworm. On the bait pond worms and maggots took the majority of the fish landed.
The start of the Brown Trout season on Monday, March 15 saw a good stocking of top quality browns just waiting to be caught.
Although some anglers struggled with the wind and rain, those doing well included Kieran Lydon two for 9lb 8oz including 7lb 8oz Gold, Alex Wilkie five for 13lb including a Gold plus 11 released, Mark Willis four for 12lb 8oz including 4lb 12oz Gold plus seven released, John Miller, in two visits, five for 14lb 2oz from the Millpond including two Golds (bigger one at 4lb 8oz), Donald McMurchie five for 12lb 4oz, John Hester four for 9lb 12oz including a Blue, Andy Tervit three for 8lb, Barry Lee two Golds for 7lb 8oz, James Elliott two for 7lb 8oz including a Gold, Callum McMillan two for 7lb 4oz including a Gold, John Miller, in two visits, five for 14lb 2oz from the Millpond including two Golds (bigger one at 4lb 8oz), Sean Reilly two for 6lb 8oz and on another visit, a 4lb Gold, David Pratt two Golds for 5lb from the Meadow Pond, plus one released, Willie Sweeney and Joe McKenna both released six, Stephen Calder released five, Russell Armstrong released four in the Meadow Pond, Robert Grainger released three including a Gold and a Brown and Ian McLaren released three including a Gold estimated at 5lb 8oz.
On the bait pond Thomas Hislop caught two for 4lb 12oz, Scott Hislop two for 4lb and Andrew Brown a 3lb 8oz Gold.
The fishery is open from 8am to 5pm every day except Thursday when it closes at 2.30pm.
Please continue to observe all coronavirus restrictions with regard
Stirling University swimmer Kathleen Dawson wrote her name into the record books last Saturday at the Manchester Aquatics Centre with a stunning swim to win the women’s 100m backstroke at the British Swimming Invitational Meet.
Twenty-four hours earlier she had landed a personal best and Scottish record in winning the 50m event and added another pb in her 100m heat.
And in the final, she touched home in 58.65 - the fastest ever swim by a British athlete outside of the suited era - and just ahead of her Stirling University team-mate Cassie Wild who also registered a pb in 58.56. Wild was third in the 50m event.
Dawson said afterwards: “I’m over the moon with that! I mean I don’t want to toot my own horn, but I kind of expected to go a 58 because I’ve been swimming so well at these time trials we’ve been doing in Stirling, so it was expected, but I’m still buzzing with it.”
The duo also delivered another brilliant 1-2 finish for Stirling to travel, social distancing and hand hygiene. Face coverings must be worn in reception.
Bookings are not necessary but are really appreciated. Contactless card payment is the preferred option although cash is accepted if necessary.
LAKE OF MENTEITH
The First Minister detailed the government’s timeline for lifting of travel restrictions as April 26. Staff had hoped it would be sooner but happier at least that all will be able to move about Scotland by that date.
In the meantime only Stirling Council residents or 12 to 17 year olds who have permission to travel outside of their council area (more or less), can come and fish on the lake. This puts paid to a normal opening day on Saturday, March 20 and those of you who had requested an opening day boat and who live outwith the Stirling Council area will already be resigned to not being able to attend. There may be around 15 boats. Please get in contact if you are unclear.
Staff have carried out a preliminary stocking of 990 trout (554 of average weight 1.9lbs and 436 of 2.8lbs) which is less than normal. In 2019 there were 1400 fish stocked pre-season with a bit of a record opening day catch. In 2020 it was 1010 fish. Thre may be a few more put in prior to Saturday but are temped to wait a little for the cormorants to migrate to their breeding grounds and then put in a lot of fish similar to last year.
Anglers have asked why prices have gone up. Answer is that the income is limited by boat number as there are no bank anglers due to the SSSI status of the lake and effectively limits angling pressure/income.
So it is market driven and helps revenue but also assists the folks who are hard at
University in the 200m backstroke final, the race unfolding in a similar way to the 100m event with Dawson setting the pace throughout and Wild never far away. Dawson clocked 2:09.44 for the first time in five years, whilst Wild came home in 2.10.93.
World champion Duncan Scott won three finals - 200m Individual work during the week to get a boat at the weekend as it reduces weekend demand from others who can fish any day, e.g. retired folks – for whom there is a good value reduced weekday ticket.
FRANDY (GLENEAGLES)
Fishing from the bank Paul Holbourne caught and released eight, Raymond Pirrie fishing on two separate days released 34 and Glen Lamond released six.
Boat anglers doing well included Albert McKinnes and Wilson Orr who kept 10 fish weighing 21lbs and released a further two, Russell Ferguson kept five weighing 11lb 8oz and released six, Geoffrey Bowerman released four and Ian McKenzie and Paul Sattie kept eight weighing 14lbs 12oz and released one brown trout.
The best flies and lures included the Hot Head Damsel, Ally McCoist and the Cormorant whilst the best fishing area was on the South Shore from the start of the dogleg to the dam wall.
ORCHILL (BRACO)
Last week was quiet with the weather having a cold edge to the wind and too much rain.
Catches included Sonny Baillie with two fish for 6lbs on an Ally, Andy Gallagher three for 6lbs 8oz on a Black/ Red/Orange Buzzers, Peter McGrath one for 2lbs 8oz on a Yellow Dancer, Mike Lord two for 4lbs on an Orange Eye Cat, John Graham released five using lures, S Cooper three for 10lbs on a White Fritz, I Wilkie three for 9lbs on a Cut Throat Cat, B Quinn three for 6½lbs on Buzzers, William Smillie four for 11lbs 8oz on a Black Damsel, Allan Lessells one for 2lbs on a Green and White Fritz and B Stirling released 12 on Buzzers.
Medley, 100m and 200m freestyle.
On Saturday in the medley he overhauled the Litchfield brothers Joe and Matt in the lanes outside him while in a fast and furious 100m contest, he drew on all his reserves to get the touch ahead of Tom Dean with just two hundredths of a second separating the pair.
Afterwards he said: “I train to do doubles like that and it was good I was able to execute the races the way that I wanted to. They were hard races and there are some boys in there who are really quick.
“It’s a year since I raced the Edinburgh International so it was good to get back out there with some long course racing and I really enjoyed it, especially the 100 free.”
In his 200m freestyle final, he fought back to get the better of James Guy and Tom Dean.
“The 200 free in Britain is always good fun,” he said after the race. “I’ve been doing some race simulations at home, but to come here and race some other guys has been really good.
“It was just so tight and that’s what’s so good about it – head to head racing gets a bit more out of you.”
In other races featuring University swimmers, Nicholas Pyle won the 50m backstroke, Ross Murdoch showed good form to finish second in the 200m breaststroke behind James Wilby and third behind Adam Peaty and Wilby in the 100m and Keanna MacInnes was second in the 100m butterfly in 59.33.