Bowden Springs reservoir started life in 1896 after six years of hard blasting and digging by Irish labourers and it was created to provide water for nearby Bo’ness.
It is set high in the hills above the West Lothian town of Linlithgow and you can see five counties from the entrance gate.
There are two ponds, the fly of two acres and the bait of five acres and in its heyday it provided sport for up to 120 anglers.
Fishing started here in the 1980s and there have only been two owners, Will Martin until 2004 and now Jim, a former international fisherman, and Jacqui Gargaro.
The couple currently run the popular facility which buys in trout from a river-fed fishery near Yarrow in the Borders.
It is full of hard-fishing fish of up to around 10lbs and anglers come from all over Central Scotland. Incidentally, I enjoyed great sport with a 2lbs 15oz specimen.
HOW TO GET THERE: Bowden is situated on the A706 and it is best to approach the fishery via Linlithgow if you are coming from Edinburgh or Glasgow.
Take the A706 out of Linlithgow Bridge signposted Lanark and the fishery is around thee miles out of the town on the left.
FACTFILE:
Contacts: Jim or Jacqui Gargaro
Web: www.bowdensprings.co.uk
Address: Carribber. Linlithgow EH49 6QE
T: 07836 209050
Open: seven days a week (weather permitting)
Times: 8.30am to dusk except Saturday when the fishery closes at 6.30pm.
Car park: 30 cars
Species: brown, blue and rainbow trout
Hooks: barbless
Favoured patterns: buzzers, shrimps, mini-lures, cruncher, PTN and damsel patterns
Booby: allowed but only on a kill ticket
Line strength: anything less than 8lbs will be snapped by the strong fighting fish
Best approach: sub-surface
Best time: late evening
Ideal weight of rod: 5/6
Basic prices: fly loch (two acres): four hours and kill two fish £18.50; bait loch (five acres), two hours kill two fish £14
Stocked: regularly
Bank fishing only
Average depth: 9ft
Catching method: fly and bait
Pegs: up to 40 in the bait pond and 12 in the fly pond
Rod hire: yes
Boats: no
Bait: maggots and worms and both are available to buy on site
Outings: maximum number 30
On-site facilities: toilets, bothy with fridge, microwave and small cooker
Disabled area: yes
Shop: tackle essentials like flies, fly lines, nylon, weights and floats plus accessories
Food: none
Refreshments: free tea and coffee
CCTV: in all areas
Coaching: available on request from Ian Jardine and John Sher
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