Butterstone’s opening weekend was a great success with all boats landing fish on both days. After the false start of the previous weekend due to Ice preventing us opening all anglers had a grand days fishing, as the weather stayed warm and fair. A total of 200 fish were weighed in on Saturday with a further 310 returned, the returns for Sunday were a little less but still 177 fish weighed in and a further 63 retuned. Tactics were the usual early season intermediate lines with a selection of lures, i.e. Cormorants, Black Tadpole, Black and Green, White Cat and the good old Yellow Dancer.

The fish have spread out fast this year especially as our initial stocking was delayed dramatically by the cold weather. There were pockets of fish found down the North shore, lochend bay and along the shelf just outside the harbour right round to the south shore and reed end. They were even picking fish off up in and around the top bay.

The average size of fish this year is just above the 1kg mark and some lovely overwintered fish were in angler’s returns. The ice having played a fantastic part preventing the pesky black death (Cormorants) from decimating last years remaining stock.

A Few anglers that did well over the weekend were: Father and Son Peter and Nicky Greig weighing in10 fish for 24lbs and returning 4 before departing to watch the rugby, Messers Harper and Pozzi weighed in 12 fish for 26lb 10oz and returned between them a further 39, On the club front Stanley AC 90 fish for 205 lbs for 8 boats and returned a further 169 fish, Perth ex service weighed in 24 fish for 49lb 4oz for 3 ½ boats, Leslie and Glenrothes managed 69 fish for 145lb 13 with a further 32 returned for 7 boats and finally Cupar AC weighed in 41 fish for a total weight of 103lb 12oz and returned 25 for 4 ½ boats.
The forthcoming weeks forecast is looking pretty wet but with light winds around 2 – 10mph with Barometric pressure remaining stable at between 995 – 1009, temperatures on the cool side with a maximum of 10 ‘C

Hi Ade,

Sounds like Butterstone is on top form, will see you in a few weeks when our club is up.

Keep up the good work.

Derek

Have the Ospreys arrived yet?
I must make a point of fishing Butterstone this year.

Munro

No ospreys yet, one was the the loch of the lowes site yesterday but thought just to be passing through and left going further north.

I have a mate in Perth who spotted a sea eagle last year down at the harbour

Munro

Osprey was at Butterstone on Sunday and although we didn't see it hit the water it did have a few attempted dives.

__________________
Keeping the Faith

The Osprey seen on Saturday and Sunday was a passing bird with no rings. I believe it has moved on. Although I have it on good authority from Peter the head warden at Lows that the female arrived fit and well today. I think that makes it 25 years. He also informed me that the local Sea eagle has been spotted in and around one of the local lochs not far from Butterstone, having a go at a mute Swan. So maybe we will be blessed with a glimpse or two of it this year. Maybe it will come in and pick off some of the pesky Black Death!

I like your thinking

Munro

Butterstone remains to fish well with intermediate lines and a range of different patterns of lure from black and green, yellow dancer, white cat, black tadpole, green n black. Conditions over the week were ok with barometric pressure fluctuating quite allot and the wind blowing up the mud from the bottom creating a few problems for some. Water temp is now at 5.8'C a good 2'C down on last year with clarity 1M which is half a meter better than last year.

The fish remain predominantly in the same areas as last week. With pockets of fish found down the North shore, lochend bay and along the shelf just outside the harbour right round to the south shore and reed end. They have moved round a little from Cottage bay through pike point and up towards the lilies.

The average size of fish this year is just above the 1kg mark and some lovely overwintered fish were in angler's returns. There were also a few bigger fish weighed in this week ranging from 4lb up to 11lbs.

A Few anglers that did well over the weekend were: Ian & Alec who netted 12 for 28lb 2oz, Monsieur Pequegnot weighed in 5 fish for 11lb 8oz returning a further 4, The Welsh family also had a great day and finished the day off with 12 for 26lb 8oz, K Panton weighed in 6 fish for 16lbs including a 4lb 2oz rainbow. John Maxwell of Windygates fishing on saturday with Colin Adams weighed in an 11lb 2oz Rainbow. On the club front Edinburgh Civil Service AC who due to the Ice of the previous week had had to delay their opening outing weighed in 31 fish for 75 lbs 9oz for 3 boats, Stanley AC 60 fish for 112 lbs 11oz including an 8lbs rainbow for 9 boats, Catch 22 AC managed 22 fish for 56lb 2oz for 5 boats, Kingfisher 20 weighed in 24 fish for 59lb 1oz for 6 boats and Aberdour AC had 50 fish for 114lb 11oz for 10 boats.

The forthcoming weeks forecast is looks pretty changeable as it was forecasting snow for Monday and as I write this there are lovely blue skies, snow is now forecast for Tuesday with moderate to high winds for Tuesday and Friday. Rain is forecast for Thursday and Friday with pressure remaining low all week ranging between 986 mb to 998mb, but it could have all change tomorrow.

Due to the appalling weather and the high winds there is not much to report as very few anglers braved the terrible conditions. Slow glass intermediate with early season lures of Black n Green, Black tadpole, Yellow dancer, White Cat, are still the best taking patterns.

The best areas now are still from pike point down to lochend bay, the shelf is still delivering no's of fish and from lunan bay down to reed end is another good area.

Again over the weekend some good specimens were weighed in the overall average was 2.3lbs with two very large fish being weighed in at 10lb 8oz and 11lbs.

A Few anglers that did well over the weekend were: The Wilson Brothers from Kinross weighing in 11 fish for 24lb 4oz, J Russell landing 6 for 14lb 2oz, A Young of Luncarty also managing 6 for 15lb 2oz, Messers Bothwell & Smith weighed in 12 fish for 27lbs 8oz returning a further 3, On the Club Front: Broughty AC 17 fish for 43lb 3oz for 3 boats, Perth RASC 23 fish for 57 lb 7oz for 4 boats, Cowdenbeath AC 69 fish for 168lbs including 1 at 10lb 8oz for 9 boats, Balbeggie Ac 59 fish for 141lb 2oz for 8 boats including an 11lb rainbow weighed in by J Watson and finally St Mungo AC managed 24 fish for 51lb 11oz for 9 boats.

The forthcoming weeks forecast is looking pretty wet and windy for the start of the week with conditions improving towards the tail end again the winds are being forecasted for gusting to 21mph but as I write this there isn't a breath of wind. Barometric pressure is to rise slowly as the week progresses from 1003mb – 1030mb, temperatures are averaging around 13'C.