I've started a new thread to avoid confusion. I got the name of the fishery slightly wrong in the title of the other thread and it doesn't seem to be possible to edit the title!

Anyway, Willowgate is still fishing really well. Jock Kettles was up today and had 20+ fish with the biggest a double of 10-11lb.

I had a short session after work and had a few rainbows, a nice blue and this brown which would have been 6-7lb.


Best methods are the bung with leaded blobs or millenium bugs or alternatively, dancers, damsels or bloodworms on a floater or slow glass.

The competition on 27th December is now fully booked but we are taking names for a reserve list in case of any cancellations. Another comp is planned for Sunday 31st January 2010.

what colour blobs are catching?????

Sweetcorn, Fl. Yellow, Sunburst or Coral. Some anglers have had fish on Fl. Orange blobs fished as a dropper fly on a pulling rig but I haven't tried that colour under the bung yet.

I have tied a selection of the ones that I use and they are available to buy in the shop at the fishery.

Thinking of a trip up there at weekend.whts the average depth of the place? and is it a good buzzer water?
thanks in advance
yc

not really a water for fishing your flies slow as i found you pulled a lot of weed if you fished your flies at depth with a bit of luck when the cold bites the weed might die off a bit

Mr Ripley's right- it's not a deep fishery. The average depth is about 7-8 feet with some deeper areas up to 12 feet.

Although the fishery is relatively shallow and there are established weedbeds, the fish are currently holding mid-water. The most successful anglers with the bung have been fishing a single fly at around 4.5 feet so the weed isn't an issue.

There is some weed cultivation planned for next week but there really isn't a problem. You need to use the right tactics for the fishery and not simply try to replicate the tactics that work for you at other fisheries.

I'm sure James Litster wont mind me using him as an example. James fishes all over Scotland and fishes a lot of smallwaters in the winter. He has been travelling from Kilmarnock to Perth to fish at Willowbank because it is the best smallwater fishing available at the moment. Tomorrow will be his third Saturday in four weeks. He has worked out exactly how to fish it and what flies to use and he catches 20+ fish every time - enough to merit the long drive. The flies he uses are available to buy in the shop.

I don't have any financial interest in the fishery, I just help them out at the weekends. The place is absolutely stuffed with quality fish and if you are prepared to work out the appropriate tactics for that particular fishery, you will have one of the best smallwater days you have experienced.

Does the lodge sell the leaded blobs,cant seem to get them at the angling centre in stirling.if not would a small leaded fritz have the same effect.two of my mates have fished here and they really rate it, im really lookin forward to giving it a bash over the weekend.
regards YC

can you give me directions to this fishery

YC If you are up tomorrow introduce yourself and l will give you a couple of the flies l have been fishing.
James litster

see you in car park about 8.30 then