Harelaw Trout Fishery Open Boat Offer

Alex Cairnie at Harelaw has made a very reasonable open boat offer to fish Harelaw Dam near Neilston after the brown trout season ends and before the winter pike syndicate on the dam starts on Nov 1st the details of which are as follows:-

There are five boats available each day at Harelaw Fishery on October 26th (lure only) and 27th (deadbaits) for priveliged access pike fishing in conjunction with the Pike anglers club of Great Britain.

2 anglers per boat 8.30-5pm £50 per boat pm me for details payment required in advance to secure. This is a rare chance to fish prior to the winter syndicate opening on nov1st.

Non members welcome

Highly recommended that you snap up a boat while they are still available to give yourself a shot at one of the Harelaw pike the calibre of which can be seen below.

A bit of a Spin

We're into the Xmas holidays again and there was really nothing for it but to break out a rod or two today to try and blow the winter cobwebs away. I didn't set out until after 2 P.M. so didn't get too complicated with my set up, opting for my Diawa Regal lure special rod and Ukuma Razor reel carrying 4lb line and some wee spinners with red tassels on the hook as Perch were to be my quarry.



Now in case you're wondering, red feathers on Perch lures are a good idea because Perch will nip at the tails of their prey until they're disabled and then move in for the kill. The red feathers simulate the tail of a prey fish so the perch may have nipped at them a couple of times before taking the lure proper. The best method for the retrieve is to bring the lure in as slowly as you dare or even stop retrieving every now and again with maybe a bit of a jerk here and there. Don't forget a swivel on the line when spinning to prevent line kink.

Now where to go was the question on a short winters day with the light already beginning to fade. It had to be close at hand so I opted for a couple of still waters close to home that I'd never fished before but had heard held Pike, Perch, Roach, Rudd, Tench and Carp.

Venue 1



It was blowing a hooly this afternoon so I went to a small still water which is maybe about four or five acres in size but has good access which would mean I could get the wind behind my back and get a decent cast out. This pond / Loch really is a nice little venue and I'm looking forward to the Spring and Summer when I can get the match gear out and really have a good bash with some particles and Maggots. I'd never been here until earlier this year or even realised it existed until some guys at the canal put me onto it. It's a well maintained public water and the fact it has a head of fish is a definite bonus. Anyway, time was short so I only spent about half an hour here. There were fish moving close in which I take must have been small pike or perch going by the water they were displacing while chasing what I take must have been fry. I had no luck though so decided to move onto a larger Loch in the area which is reputed to hold fish as well.





Venue 2

This second venue is a larger amenity loch about 1km in length and 300m wide. I was at the West end which has good access as the westerlies would have made the East End a nightmare. The Swans, Ducks, Moorhens, Geese and various other wild foul were out in force and this really is a pleasant place to come fishing to even on a wild and windy day. It's a shame more housing is being built here but I do envy the folk who have a view of the water from their windows. Shame about the pylons but I guess we gotta get power one way or another. Apparently there is a section of the Loch which is sectioned off as a nature reserve and it's nice to see the local authority making good use of land.







I had about half an hour here too and spoke to a guy walking his dog who does a bit of fishing on the water who told me that he does well with Roach in the Spring but I'm going to have a shot at dead bating for Pike over the holidays and if the water warms up a bit I'll have a blast with the match gear too.

No luck here with the spinners either even though there were predatory fish moving in the margins. Not a wasted day however and some good reconnaissance work done for the future - let's see what happens. :-)

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