Fishery now under 24-hour watch after ‘poaching’ claim

A popular Scottish fishery is now under 24-hour surveillance as the owner believes he has become target of “poachers”.

Connor Newcombe (pictured teaching at the fishery by Nigel Duncan), who took over Kailzie Fishery near Peebles in March, has calculated that he has lost hundreds of pounds of fish and the gutted businessman said: “We are deeply saddened that people would do this to us in our first months of opening.”

Human tracks leading to the back of his bait pond, regularly by groups from Midlothian and the Borders and a big hit with children, have been noted recently.

The Peebles-based angler wrote on social media: “On two separate occasions we have noticed the lack of fish coming out of the bait pond.

“We keep track of all the fish that go in and out so I usually have a pretty accurate idea of how many fish are in at any given time. I am almost certain we have been poached.”

The fishery is also being manned overnight and he added: “We are deeply saddened that people would do this to us in our first months of opening, or at all.

“You can imagine the impact that this has had on us as a new business and we are trying not to feel disheartened.”

On a positive note, Newcombe has noted another increase in catches with over 120 fish caught on the fly pond and dry fly fishing has improved with some great hatches on the water.

Yellow owl, daddy and klinkhammer patterns are working well along with yellow dancer lures and hot head damsel on intermediate lines. Bung fishermen have also been c catching on dogs bollocks and yellow and sockeye eggs.