Taylor aiming high in Home Internationals

Edinburgh Reporter

17-05-2025

Lana Taylor, Dione Roberts and Sam Hayhurst, who are all based in the Lothians, head for Ireland on Sunday with Scotland's ladies fly fishing squad, determined to lift the team up the home international rankings.
They completed their group training sessions at the Lake of Menteith last Sunday and are confident they have a quality mix of youth and experience.
Their coach heads out from Stirling early on Sunday morning bound for Lough Lene and the journey, including the ferry, is expected to take around nine hours.
In their luggage are over 1,000 flies tied specially after doing their homework on the lough. The squad expect to use floating lines with dry flies, but as things can change in fishing, they are prepared for all eventualities.
Taylor is confident the Scots have put in the preparatory work and said: 'It has been hectic leading up to now, but moral is high and the squad are determined.
'We have several members who are excellent fly tyers, so they have been kept very busy.'
The captain added: 'My job now is to put the flies into boxes and we hope the patterns we have will do well on the day. We can catch fish in practice, but it is all about what happens on the actual day.'
Taylor and Roberts are from Edinburgh and Hayhurst is from Dalkeith. The rest of the squad are Helen Philp (Milnathort), Kathleen Shepherd (Forfar), Jane Wright (Cove), Morag Wallace, the current national champion, from Leslie in Fife, Jean Ferguson (Ayrshire), Dierdre Dunbar (originally from Annan), May Anderson (Bonnybridge) and Kirsty Murray (Dunfermline).
Liz Stringer (Glasgow) is the only debutant with Leanne Andrew as the travelling reserve. (Dumbarton)
The team manager is Gary Hamilton from Lanarkshire who has taken over from Iain Earle.
Taylor said: 'We have experienced anglers and also some new team members who have really come on in the past year. They have learnt so much and we are really confident as a group.
'Our final group practice at the Lake of Menteith went very well with everyone catching fish. Next week we will be in Ireland, fishing for rainbows and brown trout and we have three practice days to learn about the water and the best places to fish before the match day on Thursday (May 22.'
Taylor, one of the more experienced anglers in the party, said: 'We are determined to give it our best, we can do no more than that, but we are all feeling very positive and really looking forward to the competition.'
Locally, Bowden Springs near Linlithgow report that they have re-stocked and Graham Munro had nine including a 10lb brown, and Ian Hunter had seven, biggest 5lb.
Also in West Lothian, Linlithgow Loch say Gavin Green returned 24 fish and Tam Robinson and Marty Nelson both returned 17 trout and Mr Green 15. They have been visited by clubs including Waders, Bank of Scotland Glasgow District, and Rosyth Civil Service and Kelvinside Academicals.
Millhall near Polmont report mixed fishing but B Dewar and D Cooper switched between pulling snakes to buzzers and eggs to record 16 and 17. Dry flies orked bgest with overcast conditions and in th evening with yellow owl and other CDC's catching.
Allandale Tarn say some nice fish are being hooked regularly, and Morton Fishings near Livingston have restocked with another full tank with Drumtassie near Blackridge also fishing well with Eric Gibson catching eight on Shipman's buzzer and black spider patterns.
Loganlea near Penicuik report another productive week on the water with double-figure returns and neighbouring Glencorse have started improvement work to help anglers step in and out of boats easier.
Jock Kettles from Bonnyrigg and Lindsay Simpson, well known for his fly tying tutorials on YouTube, had what they called 'a fantastic days sport' at Glencorse as they resume their KitKat Cup Challenge.
In East Lothian, Newlands Tweeddale confirm that regular Kevin Walkinshaw (Gorebridge) had 26 on FAB and buzzer patterns with Ron Macdonald (Haddington) 13 on the Vicar buzzer, Alex Rowley (Dalkeith) 12 on dry flies and James Fleming (Elphinstone) 11 on top hat and buzzer.
A date for your diary. Scotland's bank team host a fund-raiser at Drumtassie on Sunday, May 25 with prizes for the first three places. There is a £40 entry fee.
Sea fishing now and Craig Ogilvie was top rod with five fish for 107cm in round three of the Bass Rock Shore Angling League's summer series in a pegged match at Pease Bay.
There was a good surf running but quite a bit of weed in the water.
Second was Alan Brown (West Barns) with one fish for 30cm – he won the longest fish prize – and third P Grindley only 3cm behind with T Davanna fourth win 23cm and Graham Meadows (St Boswells) fifth with a fish of 18cm. Their next match is on Wednesday, May 21 at a venue to be decided.
Coarse fishing now and the Edinburgh and Lothians Coarse Angling Club host the second match of their summer series at Orchil near Auchterarder on Saturday, May 17. The first round of the Knockout Cup will also be held.
Finally, the Scottish Federation of Coarse Anglers hold the Strathclyde Open at Strathclyde Park on May 18. The draw is at Car Park 4 at 9am and fishing is from 11am to 4pm. Entry will be capped at 40 anglers and pike, eel, grayling and trout do not count.
PICTURE: Some of the team during a recent fund-raiser at Pottishaw. Picture Nigel Duncan
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