Bangour Trout Fishery (pictured) is now open again and owner Jason Smith reports good catches. He has been encouraged by attendances.
Over 20 pegs are spaced around the picturesque, tree-lined water near Dechmont originally built in 1902 as a water supply for Bangour Village Hospital.
It was stocked with brown trout to keep the water pure but it now has a 28-angler capacity and there are two piers for the disabled.
The seven-acre loch is 720 feet above sea level and holds 16 million gallons of fresh water. Rain enters the loch from a catchment area running from the 5,500-year-old Neolithic ritual site at nearby Cairnpapple Hill.
Also in West Lothian, Fraser Thomson, owner of Pottishaw near Whitburn, said that the weather appears to be cooling down and he expects to see good surface action with dries and buzzer fishing for the next few weeks.”
Nearby Bowden Springs has been enjoying good sport in the fly and particularly bait loch and owner Jim Gargaro has been delighted with the number of anglers who have visited and also with the catch returns.
Day one saw a total of 129 trout caught for a weight of 341lbs. Floating lines and small gold head lures fished on a ten to 12 foot leader caught well and so did dark pattern buzzers fished on a bung.
On the bait loch, ledgered Powerbait proved the best method with several 5lbs rainbow trout amongst the catches.
The best flies currently are damsel patterns on an intermediate line along with buzzer nymphs on floating lines and Gargaro said: “Evening fishing worth a go with some good trout showing.”
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