It is 9.30am on March 1. The thermometer in the car is showing 6c, but the wind chill made it feel much colder. Still, five anglers in three boats, plus 13 anglers on the bank, were casting for trout, and tempting trout, despite the low temperatures.
This was at Millhall near Polmont, claimed to be one of the cheapest trout fisheries in Central Scotland, and anglers were anxious to get back into the swing on opening day.
The Central Scotland venue, popular with anglers from Fife, Stirlingshire, Glasgow and the Lothians, has frozen its prices for this season, despite rising costs.
And volunteers have been busy during the close season, sprucing up the facilities and making improvements on the banks of the eight-acre fishery operated by Avonbank Fishery CIC, next to Grangemouth Golf Course.
The not-for-profit fishery is now open daily from until the Autumn and, once again, hoping for a good year. They are open daily from 9am to 4pm.
Millhall at Old Polmont, Polmont, Falkirk FK2 0YA, was not the only fishery to open on March 1. A few miles along the road towards Edinburgh, Linlithgow Loch, also launched their boats for their opening day and 16 of their fleet of 20 were in use.
Anglers were catching here too and Linlithgow is operated by the Forth Area Federation of Anglers and is now open seven days from 9am to 4pm. They draw anglers from as far afield as Newcastle and double stocked the water by introducing fish on Tuesday and Wednesday last week.
The address is 212a High Street, Linlithgow EH49 7ES and anglers without a motor can hire one at the venue which also holds a supply of life jackets and landing nets.
MAIN PICTURE: Busy on the Dam Wall on opening day at Millhall. Picture Nigel Duncan
IN THE BAG: Tom Lambert, secretary of the Forth Area Federation of Anglers, weighs-in some fine trout caught on opening day. Picture Nigel Duncan
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