KAILZIE Fishery looked a picture on arrival for the Peeblesshire Trout Fishing Association family fun day.

I strolled past the beautifully manicured putting green and then popped in to see a fascinating live viewing of the Tweed Valley Ospreys (Easter to end of August).

The bait pond, where novices experience the buzz of hooking a fish, is opposite. No fly casting here.

The picturesque, two-acre fly fishery nestles in the rolling Border hills and next to the River Tweed.

It is selected by the trout association as it provides the perfect environment for the angler. The average depth is 12 feet and is burn fed.

Furthermore, the fishery is regularly stocked to maintain a good head of trout and Kailzie holds quality fish starting at 2lbs and rising to double-figures.

Incidentally, the current record at the fishery is a 22lbs rainbow trout landed in 1998 by Edward Williamson, but the record since fishery manager Jimmy Barrett took stands at 17.5lbs Joe Dodds was the fisherman who landed the specimen in September 2013.

Kailzie caters for all types of anglers from beginners to experts, and the beginners, coached by experienced anglers, and despite there being little or no wind creating a glass surface, the keen, young anglers were soon into fish.

Several were landed in the first hour courtesy of hothead damsel patterns, bringing smiles to the faces of some.

Sadly, several more were hooked, by they got away, much to the disappointment of the youngsters.

The object of the day was to attract new anglers, particularly young boys and girls.

Time will tell if they have been - excuse the pun - hooked but many braved the heavy, thundery showers during the afternoon, to soldier on in their quest to land a trout.

However, a few fish were hooked, mainly to red diawl bach patterns, nymph flies much-favoured by anglers. Diawl bach translates from Welsh as little devil.

Hugh of Peebles-based Fast Flies, who sponsored the day, said it is vital that young people are attracted to the sport.

He argued that there were so many other attractions for them but said: "It is extremely important to get kids into fishing. They are the future.

"We sponsored this last year and found it a great way of encouraging young people.

"There are a number of really good instructors to help them learn the basics and hopefully catch a fish.

"Fishing can be an expensive sport if you want to go to extremes on it but with the mass production equipment coming here from Japan and China and kids can get into the sport at a lot less.

"If they are keen I would not go overboard buying the best reels and rods.

"If you can remember back, we used to fish with a big stick and a fly on the end of it, but it can be as expensive as you want to make it.

"The basics are easy once we get them making a basic roll cast to get the fly into the water.

"They can pick up the basics quite quickly and the key is to catch fish and help the kids enjoy themselves. If the kids catch a fish it is a bonus.

"Remember, the sport is fishing not catching."