The Fishery
Crosswood is a fly-fishing only trout fishery. It covers about 55 acres of water, on the West Side
of the Pentland Hills. This Troutmaster certified fishery can be fished from the boats or from the bank.
The fishery is regularly stocked with hard-fighting rainbow trout as well as blue trout.
There is a large head of wild brownies. It is the fishery's policy to stock fish with a minimum
weight of 2 lbs with the average weight being 2.5 lbs, up to large doubles weighing 15 lbs.
Season: 2008
22nd of March - 9th of November.
Times
22 March - 9 May and 18 Aug - 9 Nov
- day session: 9 to 5
- half day : any four hours
10 May - 17 Aug
- day session: 8.30 to 4.30
- eve session: 4.30 to 10.30
- half day : any four hours
Tickets
Please note, single angler boats and half day boats for weekends
cannot be booked in advance.
- Day: £20 limit 4 fish
- Eve: £18 limit 4 fish
- Half day: £12 limit 2 fish
- Boat hire: £2
Senior citizens:
- Day/Eve: £15 limit 4 fish
- Half day: £8 limit 2 fish
- Boat hire: £2
Engine hire: £5 - must be pre-booked
Children under 16 yrs fish for free on an adult permit - shared bag limit
All clubs receive a 10% discount for 8 or more anglers
Facilities
Fishing Lodge with tea/coffee, snacks and a small selection of
flies/nylon for sale, tackle hire, secure car park, toilet and
weighing in facility with up to date anglers log book.
There are also picnic areas and an outdoor decking area with seating.
Fishery Rules
- Fly fishing only
- No bank fishing on Dam Wall
- No anchoring directly in front of Valve Tower
- No Booby Fishing once limit has been reached
- No Static Booby Fishing
- No Trolling
- Lifejackets to be worn when boat fishing
- Electric outboards may be used
- All Trout to be returned must be handled with wet hands
- All fish killed must be weighed and recorded
- Anglers must follow The Country Code
- No selecting of fish
- No Bag sharing
- Bags must be weighed individually
Latest Catch
WEEK ENDING 22/6/08
Strong winds throughout the week made fishing difficult at times. Saturday saw the best of the conditions and catches with around ninety trout landed. Top area was over towards the rocks at the peat bank with muddlers, sedges, daddies and hoppers all taking fish.
Sunday brought strong winds meaning boats couldn't go out but the bank anglers saw some sport. Mr Mcglone was top rod with five rainbows and one brown at over 5 pounds in weight, caught on a sedgehog.
Outlaws A/C (3 Boats) landed 14 fish for 31lb 4oz on Saturday with the heaviest fish a brown trout weighing 6lb 8oz. At least half a dozen more Browns were returned between them. The big Brown had to be killed as it was bleeding heavily.
WEEK ENDING 15/6/08
The top results were made by anglers who were fishing on the surface down to four inches below it, any deeper and you were going past the fish.
David Robertson & Son had a good day on Sunday catching brownies at over 8lb & 4lb in weight along with two rainbows at 5lb 4oz with a further 12 rainbows landed.
David Mitchell returned rainbows at 4lb and two at 5lb+, all caught on a clan chief.
Clive Shotton returned a lovely brown at over 3lb in weight taken on a dry.
The top area over the weekend was the bank opposite the cabin right up in to the peat corner.
The Macmillan Cancer Big Fish Charity Day was held on Saturday, check the news page for details.
26th May - 8th June
Anglers fishing smaller patterns by far had the better sport and better quality of fish with cdc's, and tradditional wets all taking fish.
On the warmer days the evening fishing has saw some terrific rises.
Polton Inn F/F (4 1/2 Boats) caught 12 Fish for 28lb 8oz taken in tough conditions, heaviest fish was a blue at 5lb 8oz.
Inchinnan A/C (4 1/2 Boats) caught 24 fish for 54lb 8oz with the heaviest fish a rainbow weighing in at 5lb 8oz.
Other notable fish included-
A. Borthwick 7lb Rainbow, K. Nelson 5lb 4oz Rainbow and D. Robertson's 5lb 4oz Rainbow.
WEEK ENDING 25/5/08
Hatches were abundant and the fish are gorging themselves on the naturals.
Good numbers of overwintered fish are still being brought to the scales.
Top bank area was right opposite the cabin up to the peat bank, while the best area for boats was anchored up at the peat bank and also just off the cabin shore.
Top flies - Black spider, Black Pennel, Dunkeld, CDC Shuttlecock Buzzer, Muddler and Yellow Dancer.
Heaviest Fish of the week fell to Graeme Mclean who landed a wintered 7lb rainbow.
Bill Tomlin landed four wintered rainbows in the 4-5lb bracket along with a 4lb+ Brownie.
Shell Mossmorran A/C (4 Boats) caught 24 fish for 49.5lb and returned a further 9 rainbows on Saturday.
WEEK ENDING 18/5/08
Despite good numbers of fish on the surface throughout the week they were quite hard to tempt, and the best results came from anglers fishing small patterns down to size 16's.
Gary Kennan had the heaviest fish of the week, an overwintered 7lb blue taken on a bibio.
Honeywell A/C (6 boats and 4 bankies) caught 19 fish for 41lb on Saturday.
Edinburgh City Fly Fishers (4 boats) caught 17 fish for 37lb 4oz on Sunday, heaviest fish was a 4lb 12oz rainbow.
WEEK ENDING 11/5/08
Fish continue to be caught on floating lines with diawl bach's, buzzers, dries and size 16 spider patterns. Top area continues to be the bank opposite the cabin right up to the peat corner with the fish lying quite close to the shore.
Evening fishing started on Friday with a good rise and reports of large fish spotted on the surface.
Heaviest fish of the week was a brown trout caught on Friday (day boat) by Jim Thomsom and weighed 6lb 12oz taken on a snatcher.
Falkirk Municipal A/C (6 boats) caught 28 fish for 63lb and returned a further 2 rainbows.
3/5/08
West Lothian Fly Dressers (5 boats and 2 bankies) caught 80 fish today mostly on diawl bach and buzzers.
44 fish were killed for 89lb with a further 25 rainbows returned including one at 6lb+ and 11 brown trout returned.
Club member Scott Middlemass lost a large brown trout.
29/4/08
The fishery continues to provide anglers with good sport, with the cabin shore right up to the burn being the top area this past week. Floating lines with diawl bachs, cormorants, kate mclaren and small spider patterns being the top flies.
The Airflo Classic bank heat was held on Saturday, (see news page).
Mr Donald had the heaviest fish of the week, a lovely wintered rainbow of 5lb and he also returned a wintered blue the same size.
20/4/08
Crosswood continues to fish well dispite the strong winds this past week. The brown trout record was broken again on Monday with a 8lb fish.
Club Returns
- Crosskeys A/C (3 boats) 19 fish for 40lb 4oz with a further 20 rainbows returned. Heaviest fish was a 4lb 8oz brownie.
- Edinburgh Masonic A/C (3 boats) 18 fish for 37lb 12oz plus a further 8 'bows and 2 browns returned.
- South Queensferry A/C (3 boats) 23 fish for 56lb 12oz with a further 12 returned. Heaviest fish was a 6lb rainbow.
Other notable fish were a 6lb 8oz rainbow caught by Scott Middlemass and Eric Livingston's 5lb 8oz 'bow.
14/4/08
The first part of the week saw the fishery quiet due to the low temperatures, but by Thursday anglers were catching on dries over towards the peat bank.
Saturday saw the boats all anchored along the cabin shore with most rods completing there limits very quickly.
The fish are averaging around the 2lb 4oz mark with bloodworm, lures and when conditions allow dries all catching fish.
7/4/08
Fishing continues to be superb with most anglers bagging up without to much problem. The large head of fish that was along the cabin shore have moved up in to the far corner (peat bank).
The fishery record for brown trout was broken with a fish weighing just over seven pounds.
The Troutmasters fish off was held on Saturday and was won by Jackie Arthur from Bathgate. Runner up was David Purves from Edinburgh.
Floating lines from the bank and intermediates from the boats with lures are taking the bulk of the fish.
30/3/08
Most anglers visiting the fishery midweek acheived their limit with some nice wintered fish starting to show up in the returns. Top area continues to be the cabin shore with floating lines and orange blobs, damsels, crunchers and diawl bachs doing the damage.
Wellington A/C (6 half day boats) 11 limits and one blank caught 22 fish for 49lb including a 'bow at 5lb 4oz.
Heaviest fish of the week was a 7lb rainbow caught by Bill Tomlin.
23/3/08
Despite the weather on opening day Seafield A/C ventured out and managed 21 fish for 49lb 12oz (5 boats) taken on bobbies and various lures. Bank anglers were catching fish from the boat mooring and right down the cabin shore on floating lines with bloodworm patterns and lures. Sunday brought better conditions and the top boat managed 11 rainbows returning 8 of them.
Useful Info
Fishing type:
Fly fishing only
Season: 2008
22 March - 9 Nov
Species:
Rainbow trout, blue trout and brown trout
Contacts
Phone:
07748188364
Email:
scott@fishcrosswood.co.uk