On Friday last, I read an advert in the Daily Record fishing page for a newly opened fishery. The Arran fishery, the advert claimed, to have anglers catching 1000 fish in the first week of opening.
Living close to the fishery, I thought over the weekend I’d take a look at this very prolific venue. Now I must admit that I’m not one who uses a fishery for my sport but again everyone has his own ideas about angling.

With plenty of car parking and very easy access, the fishery, is of a size that many anglers would be able cast the width off and not much longer in length and had people standing in very close proximity to one another.

It’s my opinion,that it’s as much akin to angling as “ pick your own strawberries” is to real gardening.

I admit this may be a boon to the infirm or disabled but fear that the anti-angling, anti blood sports brigade would have a field day on inspecting a fishery making claims of these numbers of fish caught.

I don’t profess to be great angler and I may be getting too old for it
and don’t like the changes to the sport but to me fishing is about walking the riverbank or loch side, seeing the wildlife and catching a brownie or two if I’m extremely lucky and can enjoy it, even if I don’t.

I don’t think the introduction of these fishery's and rainbow, blue or whatever other kind of trout to the Scottish fishing scene has been a good thing.

I look back to a time as a boy, when a half- pound brownie was a big fish and realise that fishing has changed and to my mind not for the better.
Anyone agree.

Totally agree with you my friend.......
Fishmongers.........

Welcome to the Forum archie.You make a valid point.but We are a sport with many disciplines.and I feel that there is room for us all.

Jim

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The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

Look on the bright side, those venues cater for a demand.
Which should mean less people clogging up rivers and better waters.

I agree, but I think the original poster is making a broader point by questioning what this kind of shooting-fish-in-a-barrel fishing is doing to the image of angling.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of the public are not anglers and don't draw any distinction between different types of angling. Personally, I think this kind of sure-thing McFishing is moving the sport in the wrong direction and it will inevitably harm the sport.

Grouse

Let us not forget, these type of over stocked small waters can also a perfect starting point for anglers who then progress to other forms of fly fishing.

I agree I'm not a massive fan of them, but they do serve a purpose, especially for the younger generation who might soon loose interest if their efforts went unrewarded.

a fantastic post and im in agreement from the first word to the last. jon mcmillan.

yes, totally agree, these places are brothels where the desperate can satisfy the urge in exchange for cash with no strings attatched,
youngsters can further embed their urge for instant gratification by loosing their virginity in artificial surroundings and they usually sell food that the cat would recoil from.

there are of course natural and well run fisheries too, so im told anyway.

Absolutely, and also this is ideal for beginners who might find Carron, Menteith or Leven a bit daunting.

You wouldn't need a huge amount of tackle to fish it and this particular one is easily accessible. The car park is yards from an A class road with the ponds just a cast length from the car park. I've only seen the first pond, I guess the second is slightly higher.

Its also yards from my journey to and from work every day so I could stop if its quiet or carry on past if its busy. No need for waders or even boots there.

You may look back to your time as a boy and things were good, but if you look back a bit further most of us would have been sent to Australia in chains on a rather uncomfortable cruise for taking a fish.

Look back to c1900 and you have a pompous twit called Halford saying what you can and can't do.

Look forward to next season and there are hundreds of waters you can't afford to fish, thousands you can and a whole country's-worth of fly-fishing you may never get the time to enjoy.

And in the middle of all that there will be a few people hand-lining fish from a fish farm. Hopefully they'll go home with a smile on their face and a sense of achievement. I wouldn't begrudge anyone that feeling.