There’s a first time for everything.

I’ve not been out much recently, but last week I had a very enjoyable session with two local lads who have caught the species hunting bug, Luca and Luke. They were both keen to visit a couple of my favourite spots to target two freshwater micro species. Meeting up about an hour before sunset, we headed to the pond in Inverleith Park to kick things of by catching a load of three spined stickleback. There were enormous numbers of them present and fishing tiny pieces of maggot on tanago hooks we spent an while catching one after another. Between the three of us we must have caught over a hundred by the time we headed to my favourite bullhead spot on the Water of Leith. It was also the first time Luca and Luke had caught the species, so it was nice to witness that. Nothing beats the feeling of catching a new species!

The humble three spined stickleback. As far as I’m aware, it’s the only species of fish in Inverleith Pond and it’s thriving in there!

There were plenty of males in breeding colouration amongst the ravenous shoals. 

After a short walk, we were at the shallow rocky edge of the Water of Leith. Turning on our head torches, we began scanning the bottom for our target. Almost immediately, we spotted a few bullhead sitting motionless in gaps between the rocks and dangling a piece of maggot in front of them, we all quickly caught a few. Again, they were Luca and Luke’s first ever. After catching a few small specimens, I spotted a much larger individual and focused my attention on catching that. It was quite stubborn initially, refusing to move at first, but eventually it got fed up of the maggot being twitched around in front of it and ate it. 

At just shy of 10cm, this bullhead was a bit of a beast!

After a while, it started raining and having caught what we were after, we called it a night. Catching these two species is very easy, but it still was nice to help Luca and Luke catch their first three spined stickleback and bullhead. They’re both keen to catch a few more new species over the summer, so I dare say more opportunities to help them do so will come along over the coming months. 

Tight lines, Scott. 

Behind blue eyes.

Having stocked up on tanago hooks fairly recently, and also treated myself to a cheap and cheerful tanago rod, I visited the Water of Leith and Inverleith Pond last week to catch a few fish on it. I already own a six foot tanago rod, which I find is sometimes a little too long, especially when you want to target tiny fish in really close, so my new four foot rod was definitely a much-needed addition to my collection of fishing rods. Besides, at the bargain price of six pounds, I just couldn't resist!

There's just something about pink fishing tackle, right?

I usually dangle tiny chunks of maggot under a tiny Chianti pole float, but decided to give an actual tanago float a go. I bought some of them when I was in Japan a few years ago, and don't recall ever using them, which is borderline criminal, when I think about it. They're designed with minuscule fish in mind, tiny and brightly coloured, but sadly I didn't have a pink one that would have completed my look for the day.

Bright orange would have to do.

At both venues, it didn't take too long for the tanago float to register some interest, although rather than pulling the float under, the little spiky culprits just towed it sidewards. At the first sign of these lateral movements, I gently lifted my rod and caught a few three spined stickleback. In amongst them were some males in breeding colouration.

Eyes like little sapphires. Stunning.

A little bit of micro fishing on a sunny day. Good fun, and actually quite therapeutic. Stickleback are under appreciated if you ask me. They’re pretty cool little fish. Having given the tanago float a go, I think I prefer a Chianti pole float, they seem to give better bite indication in my opinion. I’m quite happy with my colourful little tanago rod, but I’d like to catch a few slightly bigger fish on it. Perhaps I’ll visit the Union Canal and target some of the roach in there.

Tight lines, Scott.

In the mood for micros.

I’ve been out enjoying a few short freshwater micro fishing sessions over the last few days. I just got the urge to go out and do it, I’m not sure why. Maybe I’ve been fishing in saltwater too much lately! Anyway, fishing locally, it’s been good fun and a relaxing way to spend an hour. The first target species was the humble minnow. I caught a few of them from the Water of Leith, fishing small chunks of maggot on a tanago hook under a pole float.

 Minnow are one of my favourite UK freshwater mini species. 

A few days later, I visited Inverleith Pond. As far as I’m aware, there is only one species of fish present in this small, semicircular body of water in Inverleith Park. I’m not sure if fishing is even permitted, but there are no signs saying it’s not, so until I’m told otherwise I’ll continue to visit it once every few years when I get the urge to! Again, a tiny piece of maggot was fished under a pole float to try and tempt some of the pond’s three spined stickleback. Plenty of interest was registered on my tiny float, but I struggled to connect with most of the bites. I guess the average size was pretty minuscule!

I only managed to catch five three spined stickleback. Still, it was an enjoyable little session. 

After dark the same day, I popped out again. This time armed with my headtorch to go hunt some bullhead in the rocky shallows of the Water of Leith. Catching them is ridiculously easy. Just scan your headtorch over the gaps in the rocks until you spot one on the bottom, and slowly lower a maggot down in front of their face. No need to chop a small piece of maggot off, they have relatively large mouths for a small fish! A little patience is required, because their response isn’t always instantaneous, sometimes they sit motionless ignoring the wriggling bait for a short time. Eventually though, they give in to temptation and lurch forward, greedily guzzling it down. 

Experts at hiding during the day. After dark, no so clever. 

So, micro fishing has added another three species to this year’s tally. I don’t really have a species target in mind for this year. My focus has instead been shifted towards trying to catch new species. This doesn’t mean I don’t still enjoy catching much more familiar species, even the small ones!

Tight lines, Scott.

Yet another rod added to my collection.

Last year after spending a day catching sticklebacks I decided to get myself a new rod for sessions targeting such small fish. After a bit of research online I treated myself to the smallest Shimotsuke Kiyotaki in the range, at only 180cm in length and weighing in at an incredible 15g I thought it was just what I was after for close range micro fishing. I think I'm correct when I say that technically it is actually a tenkara rod for use targeting small trout in small streams but to begin with I'll be using it to fish a variety of delicate bait presentations for little fish. This week I finally decided to do just that and have had several short sessions. My first was in Forthquarter Park behind the Edinburgh College's Granton campus. 

A lovely little pond in a nice park. Not sure if fishing is permitted.

The following evening after work I went out again with two of my mates, Gordon and Tomasz, to see if Inverleith Pond had any sticklebacks in it. Fishing the same float rig I managed a few including a few males resplendent in their full breeding livery.

The ambition of most Japanese tanago anglers is to catch a tanago (bitterling) that fits on a one yen coin. Completely wrong species of course but the smallest fish I caught almost fit on mine.

The following evening after work I went out again with two of my mates, Gordon and Tomasz, to see if Inverleith Pond had any sticklebacks in it. Fishing the same float rig I managed a few including a few males resplendent in their full breeding livery.

Lovely turquiose colour to this horny little stickleback's eyes and a bright red chin too. Mating season in full swing.

After an hour or so we walked to a nearby stretch of the Water of Leith where we found a pool to fish. I managed to pull out a few sticklebacks and a couple of small minnows. Tomasz was keen to try and tempt a brown trout so I let him borrow my "Bonito Basher". He set up a running ledger, was soon getting bites and before long he'd caught a fish. It was his first ever minnow and a fairly big one at that so a photograph was in order.

This greedy minnow took a #12 hook baited with double maggot.

Catching sticklebacks and minnows is fun but I wanted to see how my rod would handle some bigger fish so I headed to Eliburn Reservoir in Livingston on Wednesday evening. I've not fished there for a while and walking around it trying to find a peg to fish was tricky as there was a lot of weed around the margins. To be frank the venue's pegs could use a good raking out and all the weed made fishing tough. I ended up having to try and fish out beyond the weed and this meant I was fishing further out and deeper than was comfortable using the rod. Things were quite slow but eventually I managed a couple of perch.

Lots of these in Eliburn.

The rod handled these no problem at all and I'm still left curious just what it can handle. It was good to be out fishing again even if the sessions were very short. I'll be using the new rod again soon and will be targeting slightly bigger fish on it. I also have a strange desire to catch some gudgeon so it will be put to good use targeting them as well.

Tight lines, Scott.