It’s winter league time again for members of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League and club officials have confirmed the venue for the first leg.
James Ogilvie (pictured), the club secretary, said the event is a North Berwick Rover which means that once anglers have checked in they can make their way to their favourite mark.
The boundaries are the golf course to golf course – The Glen to North Berwick (the 13th oldest golf club in the world – and registration is at the harbour from 6pm to 6.30pm.
Fishing on Wednesday, October 4 is from 7pm to 10pm and only sizeable fish – those above the recognised size limit – should be brought to the weigh in which is back at North Berwick Harbour. The scales close at 10.20pm.
Ogilvie from Haddington said new members are always welcome and there is a £10 entry and a 100 per cent pay out with the 50-50 split for the heaviest bag and heaviest individual fish.
The first leg was postponed from last week because of a poor forecast but Ogilvie said the weathermen predict a South, South-West wind of 19mph to 23mph from the shore which should mean that most anglers will have the wind at their backs.
The sea swell should be fine if the wind direction remains as forecast and high tide is predicted at 18.40 on the night, just before the lines go in.
Codling and flat fish are the target with well-known rock marks predicted to produce the best catches, but both beaches in the town, according to Ogilvie, will produce fish with the East Beach within easy distance of the car park and there is parking along the front at the West Beach.
Peeler crab, lugworm, ragworm, squid and mackerel are among the baits likely to be selected by anglers on the night, said Ogilvie, who stressed that you do not have to cast far to get into fish. He has landed a cod of up to 9lb from one of the beaches.
Barry McEwan, who has been selected by Scotland to fish in the world championship later this month in Sicily, and Chris Empson, winner of the club’s popular Summer League, are expected to be in the field and club members come from all over the Lothians and into the Borders.
Ogivlie stressed: “New members are always welcome and our aim is to encourage more people into sea fishing. Members are always willing to give advice.”
PICTURE: James Ogilvie fishing in a round of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League’s summer series on Fisherrow Beach at Musselburgh. Picture by Nigel Duncan
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