can anyone tell me where there is good fly fishing for pike near edinburgh ? looking to go this weekend with my mate but we dont know where is good for them any help is appreciated

Hi B&B,
The union canals quite good for a go with the fly rod , i often fish it between Linlithgow and Polmont, the pike are generally not huge but theres plenty of them . Sport can be dependend on the clarity of the water though which is usually dictated by boat traffic and Rain Used to have good sport at Winchburgh but this was sinking and drawing a bait.
Col

what kind of patterns work i dont have a clue what to use on the canal? will it be any good in edinburgh

Hi B&B, Dougie put up a flash fly in the step by step these work well in silver and gold in lengths of 6 inches, EP's (Enrico Puglisi) also work natural colours if its clear and flourescents (pink/chartreuse) with plenty of flash when its a wee bit coloured. Ive never fished the canal in Edinburgh its self but as long as theres a bit of visibility i dont see why it would not work. Turning points usually have better sized pike in them.
Col

cheers col!

Not fished the Union Canal in Edinburgh for a good few years now but my folks live next to Harrison Park and I still take the kids there to feed the ducks now and then, however the water is very dirty due to the boat traffic. When I was a lad I used to be able to spot fish from the far bank, lucky if the visibility is more than a couple of inches now The best bit for pike used to be at the basin at the back of the Ex-Fountainbridge Brewery (had a few double figure pike out of there on plugs and dead bait) but with all the development that has gone on, I don't know what its like now or if you can still access that area, and I've no idea of how the visibility has stood up.

Dunsapie Loch in Holyrood Park (its the high one) used to be stuffed full of Pike. You were only allowed to fish from the bank opposite the road.

Nearly all the wee ponds in Edinburgh (Blackford, Lochend, Inverleith, Figgate?) have pike in them - its just that fishing is not often allowed. However you can always chance your luck

Bonaly Reservior also used to be good for Pike but I think I heard that it had been drained and the fish removed - not sure on that one, might be worth confirming.

Been 15 years or so since I fished any of these spots so a lot may have changed.

Norm

i stay just down the road from dusapie! never knew there was even fish in the place. i will try the canal i think if i can purchase some flies!

cheers ¬!

Just tie a great wedge of gold flashabou onto a 4/0, cannae go wrong!

ok dougie i will try tie a few up and maybe try the canal this weekend then


how long should the fly be dougie?just like a massive sparkler? can you post the pattern up ?

Just to give you an idea of scale. I've put them beside a Humungus #8 Longshank.




Dougie