Anglers enjoying good sport at Linlithgow Loch

Linlithgow Loch re-opened for the season earlier this month and it has been fishing well according to secretary Tom Lambert.

The popular destination, which has boat and bank fishing, attracts anglers from as far afield as Northern England, Glasgow, Fife, the Borders and the Lothians as well as the Central Belt.

Clubs from England even book trips to the water which is in the shadow of Linlithgow Palace.

Lambert, secretary of the Forth Area Federation of Anglers (FAFA) who administer the water from a bankside headquarters, said cormorant patterns have been doing well since opening day, but some anglers have moved on to lures and snakes.

Midge and sink tip lines have been favoured and the water, he said, had been double-stocked before opening day.

Lambert added: “We tend to re-stock every week and we have 20 boats available. Monday to Thursday you can usually just turn up and get a boat but booking is advised for Friday and the weekends as we can get busy.

“We get anglers from all over and they catch. One chap came on opening day and enjoyed it so much he was back on Saturday there with three friends and they used two boats.”

Meanwhile, the FAFA are organising a Spring Competition at Linlithgow on Sunday, May 11, and invite applications to linlithgowlochlodge@hotmail.com.

Entry is £30 and the first prize is £100, second £75, third£50 with £25 for the heaviest fish. Fishing is from 9am to 4pm.

IN THE BAG: Tom Lambert (left) weighs a catch for an angler on opening day. Picture by Nigel Duncan