2026 National
National
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
2026
Sponsored by
7plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Semi-Final No 4 - Harelaw 19th June 2026
We were back at Harelaw for semi-final no 4 where 22 anglers competed for a place in the National Final. The day started out with a strong wind and persistent rain. The rain continued throughout the day although the wind dropped back in the afternoon. The anglers caught a total of 103 fish with 20 of them brought to the scales. Of the 20 there were eight between 3 and 4lbs; six between 4 and 5lbs and the heaviest was 5lb 5.9oz caught by Stephen Robinson of Hawick AC.
Top rod was Blaine O'Donnell of Balfron Piscatorials with 15 fish for 31lb 15.1oz. In second with 10 fish for 19lb 9.8z was Calum Clark of Firecats and third with 8 fish for 18lbs was Fergus Aitchison of West Lothian FD.
The top 11 qualified for the final with the cut off point being 9lb. 11th place went to Archie MacGilp of Lochgilphead & District AA.
photo
Fergus Aitchison (on left) and Blaine O'Donnell
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Semi-Final No 3 - Menteith 16th June 2026
The Lake of Menteith held their first semi-final of 2026 on Tuesday 16th June. Gone were the strong, cold winds. For a change this year we had an overcast day that started off with light rain and a light breeze. The rain stopped after a couple of hours and up popped the fish. They were moving everywhere but for many competitors they proved hard to tempt and once hooked they were hard to hold onto.
There were 41 anglers in this match and what a strong bunch they were. The field included four National Champions (Derek Pozzi-three times champion; Ronald Gilbert-twice a champion; Kevin McCabe and Tyler Hay). There were five Brown Bowl winners (Tyler Hay-3 times a Brown Bowl winner; Ronald Gilbert-twice a Brown Bowl winner; Alan Steven; Derek Purves and Martin McCafferty) and sixteen internationalists (Tyler Hay, Ronald Gilbert, Peter Cameron, Derek Pozzi, Neil Anderson, Bradley Chalmers, Alan Steven, Scott Henderson, Derek Purves, Martin McCafferty, Adam King, Kevin McCabe, Nigel Burns, PJ Mackintosh, Chris Harkess and Sandy McConnachie) plus Kevin Malcolm who get his first cap in this years autumn international.
Between them the 41 anglers caught 343 fish and the top 21 qualified for the final.
Top rod with 25 fish for 50lb 12.1oz was Tyler Hay of Fly Boys FF. In second with 22 fish for 44lb 5.9oz was Ronald Gilbert of Greys Menteith Ospreys and in third with 17 fish for 34lb 3oz was Peter Cameron of Househillmuir FF.
In 21st place, the cut off point, with 8 fish for 16lb 14.8oz was Scott McGregor of Northern Drift FF.
Of the 40 fish brought to the scales 27 were over 2 1/2 lbs of which 5 were over 3lbs and 1 over 4lbs.
photo (from the left)
Tyler Hay and Peter Cameron
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Semi-Final No 2 - Harelaw 12th June 2026
Cold, wet and windy with squally showers probably sums up the conditions faced by the 24 competitors in the second semi-final held at Harelaw on 12th June. Most of the anglers found the fish hard to tempt and difficult to hook when they were tempted. However several anglers overcame the conditions and found methods that worked. Ninety one fish were caught of which the heaviest was 5lb 14.5 followed by another at 5lb 3.8oz and two others over 4lb.
The top 12 qualified for the final.
Top rod with 10 fish for 21lb 7.6oz was Kyle Courtney of Lochend FF. Second with 9 fish for 18lb 9.6oz was Stuart Malcolm of Barrhead AC and third place went to Mark McNaughton of Lochend FF with 7 fish for 14lb 2.9oz.
It needed three fish to qualify and the 12th place went to Gary Wilkinson of Cupar AC with 3 fish for 7lb 11.9oz
photo from left
Stuart Malcolm, Kyle Courtney and Mark McNaughton
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Semi-Final No 1 - Lintrathen 10th June 2026
There were 24 anglers in the first semi-final held at Lintrathen on 10th June. The day started off bright and sunny with a chilly breeze. Conditions changed after a couple of hours with a shower of heavy rain and occasional squally hail showers. It was a hard day but between them the 24 anglers caught 36 fish of which three were over the 3lb capped weight. The heaviest weighed 3lb 13 oz.
The top 7 qualified for the final.
Top rod was Grant Sutherland of Perth RASC who had 6 fish for 9lb 1.1oz. Scott Pozzi of Rainbow AC was second with 6 fish for 8lb 13.6oz and third place went to Connor Wales of Fly Boys FF with 3 fish for 6lb.
The last qualifying place went to Bob Salmond of SPRA East AC courtesy of his one fish at 3lb 13oz.
photo (from left)
Scott Pozzi, Grant Sutherland and Connor Wales
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 8 - Harray 17th May 2026
The last of the 2026 heats was held on Harray on 17th May, Top rod with 16 trout for 12lb 13.5oz was Stuart Leslie of OFTA Stromness. In second with 11 trout for 9lb 11.25oz was Sandy McConnachie of OTFA Kirkwall and in third with 11 trout for 9lb 0.5oz was Stephen Breivik of Shetland AA.
The top 11 qualified for the semis.
photo (from left)
Stuart Leslie, Sandy McConnachie and Stephen Breivik
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 7 - Menteith 15th May 2026
The cold weather continued for Menteith on 15th May. There were 39 anglers taking part and between them they caught 344 trout.
The top twenty qualified for the semis.
Top rod with 21 fish for 42lb 0.9oz was Jake Gilchrist of Fly Boys FF. In second with 19 fish for 38lb 0.2oz was Kevin Andrews of Dalzell AC and in third with 15 fish for 30lb 4.1oz was Grant Sutherland of Perth RASC.
photo (from left)
Kevin Andrews, Grant Sutherland and Jake Gilchrist
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
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Heat 6 - Leven 12th May 2026
The cold weather continued for Leven on 12th May. Add to that a blustery wind and a mainly sunny day and conditions were set for a hard days fishing. There were 20 anglers taking part and between them they caught 22 trout. Of the 13 trout brought to the scales there were three over 2lbs and four over 1.8lbs. The heaviest fish was just over 4lbs and was caught by Adam King of Balfron Piscatorials.
The top ten qualified for the semis.
Top rod with 3 trout for 4lb 8.1oz was Scott Henderson of Glencoe FF. In second with 3 trout for 4lb was Davie Couper of Kilbirnie AC with third spot going to Sean McCaffrey of North Shetland FF with 3 trout for 3lb 3.6oz.
photo from left
Scott Henderson, Davie Couper and Sean McCaffrey
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 5 - Lintrathen 7th May 2026
Heat 5 at Lintrathen on 7th May was contested by 34 competitors with the top 18 going through to the semis. It was another cold day with a chilly easterly breeze and many anglers struggled to get trout into their basket.
86 trout were caught with the cut off weight at 3lb.
Some anglers mastered the conditions with the top rod, Ronald Gilbert, of Greys Menteith Ospreys, catching 9 fish for 13lb 2.8oz. In second with 7 fish for 11lb 15.4 oz was Tyler Hay of Fly Boy FF and third spot went to Willie Thomson of Leslie & Glenrothes AC who had 8 fish for 11lb 3.3oz,
Four National Champions, Ronald Gilbert, Tyler Hay, Peter Auchterlonie and Derek Pozzi all finished in the top five.
photo (from left)
Willie Thomson, Ronald Gilbert and Tyler Hay
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 4 - Frandy - 5th May 2026
Heat 4 at Frandy on 5th May was contested by 26 competitors with the top 13 going through to the semis. It was a cold day with a mix of cloud and sun however the chilly conditions didn't put the fish off.
280 trout were caught with 11 fish needed to qualify for the semis.
Top rod with 18 fish for 37lb 10.6oz was Martin McCafferty of Future FF. Close behind in second was team mate Nicky Cocozza with 18 fish for 35lb 9.10oz. Third with 17 fish for 33lb 14.8oz was Jamie McLeary of Black Bull FFC.
photo from left
Martin McCafferty, Jamie McLeary and Nicky Cocozza
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 3- Menteith - 21st April 2026
Heat 3 at Menteith on 21st April was contested by 55 competitors with the top 28 going through to the semis. There was cloud cover over most of the session but with a chilly east wind it was a cold day.
136 trout were caught with four being over 4lbs. The heaviest fish weighed 6lb 1oz.
Top rod with 7 fish for 14lb 1.7oz was Scott Pozzi of Rainbow AC. In second with 6 fish for 13lb 12.40oz was Brian Quinn of Glencoe FF and third place went to Graeme Lynch of Team Flybox with 6 fish for 13lb 2.2oz
Photo (from left)
Graeme Lynch, Scott Pozzi
and Brian Quinn
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 2- Harelaw - 17th April 2026
Heat 2 of the National was held at Harelaw on 18th April and the 37 anglers had to contend with cold conditions with occasional blustery showers and hale stones. However that didn't put the fish off and a total of 152 were caught of which 9 were over 4lbs. The top six anglers were only separated by one fish with five having 9 trout and the top rod rod with ten.
Top Rod with ten trout for 20lb 0.6oz was Mario Fionda of Harelaw FF.
In second with 9 trout for 20lb was Alan Harvie of Greys Menteith Ospreys and third place went to Darrell Lindsay of Harelaw FF who had 9 trout for 19lb 12.7oz.
The top 19 qualified for the semis.
photo from left:
Alan Harvie, Mario Fionda and Darrell Lindsay
Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship
Sponsored by 7Plus7 Developments and R & E Hygiene
Heat 1- Lake of Menteith - 14th April 2026
The Scottish National Trout Fly Fishing Championship for 2026 got underway with Heat 1 at the Lake of Menteith on 14th April. This year the championship is fished to a one fish kill followed by catch and release with a weight allowance awarded for each returned fish. Heavy fish are capped with the weight of each capped fish being recorded. In the event of a tie in place positions then the exact weight of a capped fish will decide the top place. Should the placings not be sorted by the capped weight then the time of the first caught fish will be the decider. All competitors must record the times that each fish is caught and they must swap catch cards with their boat partner who will be responsible for completing the card each time a fish is caught.
In heat 1 there were 23 anglers with the top 12 going through to the semis. Top rod with 12 fish for 23lb 11oz was Brad Gair of Future FF. In second with 11 fish for 21lb 15.7oz was Blaine O'Donnell of Balfron Piscatorials and third spot with 9 fish for 18lb 9.1oz went to John Simpson of Glasgow Post Office FFC.
photo: from left
John Simpson, Brad Gair and Blaine O'Donnell
2026 Scottish National Championship Boat Draw
