Season tickets are still available for fishing throughout the season which starts on April 1 at Harlaw and Threipmuir reservoirs situated in The Pentland Hills above Balerno.
Alex Rose, secretary of Malleny Angling, said the two waters offer superb trout fishing for the bank angler. Harlaw, he said, has a maximum depth of around 20m and has 1.5miles bank fishing. It has brown, rainbow and blue trout with an average weight of over 1kg. Specimen trout can reach over 5kg.
Threipmuir is the larger but the shallower of the two waters and it has a maximum depth of around five feet. About 1.5miles of bank fishing is available and it is stocked with hard-fighting brown trout.
Both waters are fly fishing only – no spinning or bait fishing is permitted and no boat or float fishing is allowed – and angling is administered by Malleny Angling Ltd, a non-profit-making organisation.
The season runs to October 30 but, please note, brown trout fishing ends on September 30. Permits must be purchased in advance and are ONLY available online at MallenyAngling.com. Permits are not available from The Duty Bailiff.
Alex said: “Anglers should not start fishing without a valid permit and they must check in with the duty bailiff at The Bothy next to Harlaw House. A day permit costs £30 for a three fish limit then the angler must move onto catch and release.
“A day catch and release permit is £25 and only barbless or de-barbed hooks are allowed for catch and release anglers. An evening catch and release permit is £20 and this is available from 5pm once the longer nights come in.”
If you are interested in a season permit then contact secretary.malleny@gmail.com.
Free permits are available for those 17 years and under to encourage youngsters into the sport but the young angler must be accompanied by a member, season ticket holder or day permit buyer. Conditions apply and once again these are detailed on online.
Fishing times are 8am to 10pm or one hour after sunset and parking is available at Harlaw and Threipmuir. The fishery is only a short walk from the car park.
The social media portal on Facebook is Malleny Angling and it is updated daily with weather and fishing reports, when available.
PICTURE: Fighting a fish last season at Harlaw Reservoir. Picture by Alex Rose
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