Gatehouse and Kirkcudbright Angling Association
Fishing News
The Committee would welcome your contributions to this page: photographs and stories about your fishing, and comments from visitors.
Gatehouse member Bill Sandiford with the Lochenbreck Cup Rainbow of 2012: 12lbs 10oz
When asked to comment on his prize catch at Lochenbreck, Bill said…
“It was an absolutely foul day, the rain remorseless. I was fishing from a boat at the far end of the loch, near the boathouse.
I wasn’t completely alone. Shortly after setting off from the jetty, a tiny mouse had emerged from the bow section and had nosed its way towards my lunch pack. Judging by the amount of ham sandwich he’d managed to eat (fed directly from my own hands) he must have been starving. Then, unable to consume any more, he’d scuttled away back under cover. I didn’t see him again until… Bang…! The twelve-pounder took my fly.
Fortunately for me, there was another angler on the loch, Adam Thomson, once an acting chairman of the angling association. He’d been fishing from a boat at the other side, near ‘hotel bay’. Adam was able to confirm that it was an outstanding catch and kindly agreed to act as witness. The weight turned out to be 12lbs 10oz and details were duly entered in the fishing log.
I should add that I am not a skilful angler. I regard myself as “exceptionally lucky”. But then, why shouldn’t I be: with a lucky mouse to keep me company? I think the mouse was more excited than I was.
On arriving home, my wife gazed upon my amazing catch and was moved to ask the inevitable question… “Where did you buy it?”
Lochenbreck interim report: Despite the cold and windy weather the opening months of the season have seen some excellent fishing. By the 21st May 193 rods had taken 473 fish (a 2.45 average bag) and released 186. The average weight was 2 lbs 4 oz, and the biggest fish (caught on the first day) weighed 12 lbs. Up to that point the loch had been stocked with 1200 fish.
Problems were reported to the committee with boats 1 and 5, each leaking at the stern where the deck boards had chafed. Here is our valiant Secretary Dave Ferguson at work on one of them:
At 14th June: 429 rods had caught 919 fish, and returned a further 348. The average bag was 2.95 fish, and the average weight was 2 lbs.
From the Comments Book, June:
'0500 - beautiful morning, mist on water. Best time to fish. 4 fish, all good weight.' M.B.
'Good evening's fishing; 8 fish, 4 returned.' F.R.
'Not a good day; raining. Snapped rod top section - no fish - going home to beat the cat.' M.B.
At 20th July: 663 rods had caught 1239 fish, and returned a further 417. The average bag was 2.5 fish, and the average weight 2 lbs
The July heat wave severely affected our fishing, and only 10 percent of that month's stock had been caught by the end of the month. Fortunately, August fishing has been much more productive.
At about 9 a.m. on August 7th member Alex McGhie caught this beautiful 7 pounder on a 'yellow Daddy Longlegs'. No wonder he looks happy!
At 28th August: 936 rods had caught 1630 fish, and returned 470. the average bag was 1.7 fish, and the average weight over 2 lbs. After the prolonged warm weather bag numbers were beginning to improve considerably.
At the end of October, Lochenbreck: 1135 rods had caught 1943 fish, and returned 562. The average bag was 2.2 fish, and the total weight of fish taken throughout the season was 3763 lbs 12 oz!
Loch Whinyeon was very lightly fished: in the whole season 41 rods took 6 brownies, and returned 44. The heaviest fish weighed 2 lbs 10 oz.
photo by Liz Modrate
