Record-holding club visits respected Midlothian reservoir

The world’s oldest continuously registered fly fishing club, noted in the Guinness Book of Records, visited Glencorse for one of their annual outings this week.

Chairman George Wood confirmed that the Ellem Club was established in 1829 in Ellemford in Berwickshire by two Edinburgh businessmen and, over the years, it has developed through local businessmen.

Members had their own uniform and they would go fishing all day in their distinctive jacket in the Whiteadder River and then adjourn to a dinner.  

The club continued through the war and they have 40 active members and probably another 100 on their books.

Six outings are held every year and they have their own free-to-enter museum in Paxton Hall. Wood added: “Here we are today, on our third outing of the year, fishing at Glencorse, and the next outing is at Loch Leven in August.”

Members live in Cumbria – the angler attended the event in Midlothian – one from Peebles, others from Berwickshire and a few members live south of the Border.

He said: “You have to be introduced to the club and you pay a one-off payment of £100 if you are accepted. This is for life.

“We are at Glencorse as it is a good fishery and the owner, Bill Taylor, is well known to us as he used to have The Watch Reservoir in the Lammermuir Hills (near the Southern Upland Way). We tend to fish here (Glencorse) once a year and we also do Coldingham Loch (one of Scotland’s oldest fisheries) and the owner is with us today as a guest.

“We also do the Lake of Menteith and two reservoirs south of the Border.”

PICTURE: Ellem members prepare their boats for a day of fishing at Glencorse. Picture Nigel Duncan