The Committee's Blog

Almost three weeks into the consultation period and many of our members, associate members and ticket holders have quickly reacted to news of Marine Scotland’s intended imposition of Cat 3 on our system for season 2018 by submitting individual objections.

Most of our anglers are well versed on the relevant issues involved but some, although aware, are unsure of how they should format their objection.

The committee have produced six letter templates which can be downloaded, personalised and sent off to Marine Scotland. We hope these will be of help. Please feel free to use or adapt:

Letter 1

Letter 2

Letter 3

Letter 4

Letter 5

Letter 6

Objections should be submitted by Friday 13 October 2017

Email or post to:

Today Marine Scotland announced next year’s Conservation Categories for all river systems in Scotland. The Leven/Lomond System once again receives a Cat 3 status. A 28 day consultation process now begins for objections to be made.

Marine Scotland have changed the methodology by which the Conservation Status is determined, in particular how ‘wetted areas’  are calculated. This is a national model and not specific to each system and must be challenged.

Reading through the document it cites the reason for Cat 3 as due to the River Endrick’s Special Area of Conservation (SAC) status. This was the same reason given for grading our system Cat 3 last year. However, we were downgraded to Cat 2 on appeal. We are not the only system affected. This year 73 rivers in Scotland were Cat 3. Next year Marine Scotland propose 123.

(Please note that our website is experiencing technical problems and blogs can only be opened through the links sent by the email subscription service or those posted in our Facebook page. We hope to have this issue resolved very shortly.)

When we want rain we don’t get it and when we don’t (very seldom) it doesn’t stop. Not a bad thing as far as fishing is concerned but how do we reach a happy medium?……never!

The Loch level is again too high for Scottish Water to close the barrage gates allowing a clean up of the riverbed and more rain forecast. Once again the elements win so it has been decided to postpone the Leven Clean Up, already rescheduled for this weekend. Disappointing and frustrating but somethings are beyond control. We hope that by mid September the taps will be turned off and further dates will be posted shortly…. if we can find an oracle to consult…..or somebody can pull the Loch’s plug out…

As an alternative, it’s suggested that we have a look at the Endrick and expend some energy there. Might not suit everyone but you’ll be more than welcome to join us on Saturday (26th) 10am at Ballochruin Bridge…otherwise enjoy your fishing.

Regards

LLAIA Committee

Membership and Marketing

The committee are delighted to announce that last week we welcomed this season’s 60th new member which speaks volumes for the confidence and interest anglers have in the Lomond system. During March and April over thirty new and returning members took advantage of the joining fee waiver. A very worthwhile exercise and something that we may consider in future.

Earlier this year we initiated the Association marketing campaign through distribution of ‘flyers’ to retail outlets, hotels, Visit Scotland offices, outdoor stores, anywhere that the angling public might visit. We’ve regularly replenished stocks of  leaflets at a number of outlets, some on more than one occasion. We don’t claim that marketing alone has increased our membership but have noticed an increase in anglers traveling from further afield to fish our waters which may be an indicator that this project is reaching a wider audience.

The internet is obviously a very valuable resource and our website is updated with current reports as often as the flow and receipt of information will allow. The LLAIA is now listed on the Visit Scotland extranet and we believe this has been responsible for the marked increase in web enquiries coming from within the UK and beyond.

LLAIA reports continue to feature monthly in Trout and Salmon. Even in these days of tablets and e-readers many anglers still prefer to settle down with a dram and T&S magazine, not a bad idea, and we thank Dick Dickson for his dedication.

The Loch Lomond Fly Fishing Competition 2017 will be held on 2 September. This is the first competition of it’s kind for many years and will become an annual event.  There has been wide coverage of Angus MacRitchies 10lbs+ sea trout caught earlier this year on the fly. An event like this is excellent promotion for the Loch, and maybe Angus will catch an even bigger troot on the day! Full details of the competition have been included in the most recent update on our Reports page

The news of two 40lbs+ pike having been caught on Lomond this year has brought a considerable influx of coarse anglers. We don’t need to promote pike angling when the quality of fish do it for us… Fly fishing for esox has become very popular, so we hope to hold  a competition day during September. Details will be announced.

Our new logo has been unveiled and is now the LLAIA official ‘trademark’. Something that the association has lacked and now been addressed. You’ll notice that our slogan hasn’t changed…Another useful tool in our marketing tool bag.

We have no intention in becoming complacent about our marketing strategy. More ideas are being worked on but there’s always room for innovation and any constructive suggestions are very welcome.

Only when the year is over will we be able to reflect on how our efforts have fared, but at present things look pleasingly positive…

Regards

LLAIA Committee

BBC News http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-40693320

LLAIA Committee

Montrose Estates Lease

Montrose Estates are the second biggest riparian owner on the Lomond system having the majority of fishing rights on the east side of  the Loch and some stretches of the lower Endrick. We are very pleased to announce that we have negotiated a new lease with them ensuring the security of our fishing for the next five years. This lease covers angling for migratory fish and all fresh water fish on Montrose Estate water.

Competition Updates

Our Game Fish Fly Fishing Competition 2017 will be held on Loch Lomond on Saturday 2 September. This is a boat fishing competition and will be run from Balloch and Balmaha.

Last year a very successful Perch Fishing Competition was held on the Loch. This year it will be held on Sunday 27 August. A Pike Fly Fishing Competition will be held on the Loch on Sunday 17 September.

Further information on all these events will be published in due course.

River Leven Clean Up

Unfortunately our clean up scheduled for June had to be cancelled due to high water levels. It’s now proposed to hold it over the weekend 26/27 August, weather and water levels permitting. We’ll post an update to confirm nearer the time.

Pacific Pink Salmon – FMS Advice

Fishery Management Scotland advise that Pacific Pink Salmon have been caught by anglers on the Rivers Ness, Dee and Helmsdale possibly having strayed from Rivers in Norway and Russia. Full information on identification is contained in the FMS Advice Note found by opening the link:

http://fms.scot/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/170711-%E2%80%93-FMS-Statement-%E2%80%93-Pink-salmon.pdf

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

Over the past few days various posts have appeared on social media and web sites about a ‘break down’ in the relationship between the Loch Lomond Angling Association and the Loch Lomond Fisheries Trust. We would now like to dispel these rumours. Following the LLAIA AGM in February the LLAIA Chairman, contacted LLFT Chairman Mr Eddie Edmonstone, several times by email and letter in an attempt to discuss future partnership working and strategy. Mr Edmonstone was also invited to attend the Scottish Bailiffing Conference, hosted in Dumbarton in March by the LLAIA,  to arrange for a presentation by the LLFT. Neither of these letters or emails were acknowledged.

The LLAIA secretary also contacted the LLFT secretary Mr Mark Hedgecoe intimating the LLAIA’s willingness to work with the LLFT, offering support and volunteers to assist. This dialogue was also fruitless. We were eventually informed that a meeting of LLFT trustees would be held in May . We pointed out that there had still been no discussion between the LLAIA and LLFT and requested that a LLAIA representative attend this meeting. Again we were ignored.

Following this meeting we received communication from the LLFT that it had been decided to terminate the LLAIA membership. We were given no specific reasons for this.

The committee has now passed our communication trail and LLFT Articles of Association to the LLAIA solicitors for advice. It should be borne in mind that the LLAIA were founder members of the LLFT along with the riparian owners. Since the committee was appointed in February there has been no change in policy towards the LLFT and we have expressed that we are more than willing to work with them for the good of the Lomond system.   However, we have not been afforded the opportunity to discuss anything whatsoever..why?… we ask ourselves.

Contact has been made with Fisheries Management Scotland, the umbrella body for Fishery Trusts and District Salmon Fishery Boards and also Marine Scotland (Salmon and Recreational Fisheries Department). Both bodies are aware of our position. Although the LLAIA is not a salmon fishery board FMS have indicated that they may be able assist in any mediation.

There are various options open to us and once we hear from the LLAIA solicitors will decide which course to take. In the meantime we request that this topic is not discussed on social media or websites. Uninformed chatter is not helpful and can be damaging to our reputation.

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

Scottish Water informed us today that due to the high level of the Loch they will be unable to close the barrage this weekend – 17/18th June – to allow for a clean up of the river. It hjas been decided to cancel the clean up meantime and we’ll monitor weather forecasts to identify another possible date which will be posted in due course. In the past we’ve held clean ups in May, June, August and September but it’s hard to predict future rainfall and give volunteers enough notice. Early season would be ideal, however  we are limited by possible disturbance to ground nesting birds. The bailiffs will continue to monitor river access points for anglers.

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

Catch Returns

We are sure that all our members, and associate members must be well aware by now of the importance of catch returns. For the past two years the Scottish Government determined the Conservation Category Status purely on these returns. How Marine Scotland can accurately assess the health of a system purely by catch returns is beyond comprehension. There have been indications that additional information such as juvenile density surveys will be used in future…..along with catch returns!

So the more fish that are caught on a river, the healthier it is deemed to be. We know that there is no shortage of salmon on the Lomond System, but we need our anglers to assist in proving this by submitting their returns timeously. The LLAIA is required by law to file a return with Marine Scotland by 31 December each year. Basically after the season ends we have two months to complete this task.

This subject was discussed openly at the AGM and the committee agreed that it would be one of the main topics to be addressed. We have had much discussion on how the objectives can best be met and decided that to take punitive measures against defaulters in the first instance, is counter productive. While we don’t want to penalise our anglers it may at some future time become necessary. We hope not. In the meantime we have looked at ways to collect day/weekly ticket returns. As a result two collection ‘letter boxes’ have been sited on the River  Leven.  No. 1 on the riverside opposite the Vale of Leven District Angling Club and No. 2 within O’Briens shop adjacent to Bonhill Bridge. Collected returns will be drawn for a Leven season ticket for next year. Similar draws will be made for full and associate members. These boxes could also be used by Leven ticket holders to submit at he end of season

A tighter administration process to identify and ‘remind’ those who are late in submission is being devised. The online catch return system has proved to be popular but had its flaws. Members were unsure if their return had been made as there was no electronic receipt. An upgrade of this system is ‘work in progress’  Hopefully these improvements will help to ensure that we are returning the maximum fish caught on the system….but it’s up to our anglers.  We will continue to send out the paper return forms along with the autumn ‘Lennox Angler’. We certainly don’t want to go back down the road of Cat 3 again…..

Assessment of Categorisation for Season 2018

In a recent communication Marine Scotland state that they intend to refine the methodology behind the conservation status and to this end are working with the Technical Working Groups which are taking forward exploitation rates, grilse error, electrofishing data, fish counters and radio/accoustic telemetry.

They went on to remind us of the importance of reliable catch data…..

MS state that they are working to complete the assessment of conservation status and aim to consult with stakeholders on the provisional categories during the month of July. Since they have not announced what other data will be taken into account it would be fair to assume that Season 2018 Conseration Category Status will once again be determined by catch returns…….  For further details open the attached link.

Marine Scotland Update

River Leven Clean Up Weekend

A clean up of the River Leven is likely to take place during early or mid June. This will of course be water level and weather dependent but if the current lack of rain continues there should be no problems. All members, associate members, ticket holders……everyone in fact…. is invited to take part in this event. Every year rubbish and debris of all descriptions is removed from the Leven, making it a more pleasant place for the public and anglers. An announcement will be made very shortly to confirm date and arrangements.

Competitions

The committee is mindful that although many anglers prefer the solitude of a few hours peaceful fishing there are some who enjoy the atmosphere and camaraderie of a competition. We are now in the planning phase of a fly fishing competition to be held on Loch Lomond which will interest many followers of the gentle art. This will take place in September and the registration process will be announced in due course.

Last year our coarse rep organised a perch fishing competition on the Loch which proved to be very successful. This event will be held again this year.

Loch Lomond has always attracted pike anglers. More recently it has become a mecca for anglers who enjoy fly fishing for pike, so it has been decided to organise a competition. This year specimens of Esox Lucius in the 30 – 40 lbs class were landed by anglers using conventional tackle…so the thought of hooking into one on a fly rod must be a real draw for pike fishers.

Details of both of these events will be published on the website when finalised.

Contact Us

If anyone would like to contact the committee with suggestions on how your fishing experience can be improved or on any other matter please don’t hesitate contact the Chairman or Secretary by email at: chairman@lochlomondangling.com                                                                                                                                                 secretary@lochlomondangling.com

For further information  See Contacts on our home page.

Regards

LLAIA Committee.

Membership and Marketing.

At the AGM the committee announced that marketing the LLAIA would be one of our main priorities. We are mindful that in order to attract anglers and potential members we need to advertise ‘who we are’ and’ what we have to offer.’

We have produced tri-fold flyers promoting game fishing on our system which so far have been distributed to over fifty tackle shops, permit outlets, Visit Scotland offices, hotels and other likely places where they’ll come to angling public and visitors attention. A similar leaflet promoting coarse fishing is under development. Additional point of sale material for our permit outlets is being developed and will follow shortly.

New Members.

The committee are very pleased to announce that so far this season the LLAIA has attracted 38 new and returning members.  The majority of these members signed up during our re/joining fee waiver period which continues until 30 April. If you’re already thinking about joining, act quickly and you can save the £25 joining fee. We wish all our new members ‘Tight Lines’ for season 2017.

Visit Scotland.

As part of our marketing strategy we have taken advantage of the free listing on Visit Scotland’s extranet. This will help ensure that our profile and website can be viewed nationally and internationally attracting anglers from near and far.

We will be updating our gallery regularly and on the lookout for  good photographs to post. Our listing can be visited by clicking on the following link.

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/loch-lomond-angling-improvement-association-p1500821

We’ll follow this up next year by including an advert in Visit Scotland’s quality publication ‘Fish in Scotland’ Unfortunately this years booklet has already been produced.

Scottish Fly Fair.

Scottish Fly Fair 2018 will be held at the Stirling Court Hotel, Stirling between 10th/11th March 2018.

‘Scotland is full to the brim with outstanding fly fishing, some of the best fly tyers and casters, in the world.
 
Close to some of the most famous fly fishing water and with a host of the best tackle and fly tying brands, fishing outfitters, demonstrations, tuition, and bringing together some of the best fly dressers, fly casters and angling celebrities all in one fantastic venue in the fishing heart of Scotland.
 
Join us at The Scottish Fly Fair and discover a world of fly fishing possibilities’

The committee see this as an excellent opportunity to promote the Association and have booked a stand at this two day festival. We’ve plenty of time to plan our contribution so if you’re interested and would like to help please contact the secretary at secretary@lochlomondangling.com

This is probably the first time that the LLAIA has embarked on a marketing project like this and we’ve a long way to go. Any ideas or suggestions which would assist would be most welcome. Please contact the chairman at chairman@lochlomondangling.com

River Leven Barrage.

Last year the LLAIA met with Scottish Water and Scottish Natural Heritage to agree a new plan for managing water levels on the River Leven. It had been noted by our bailiffs and members that the way in which Scottish Water were managing the flows was causing juvenile fish strandings. These incidences were investigated and a new plan was drawn up to give ‘bank to bank’  height until the end of May annually ensuring that this wouldn’t happen in future.

There has been some doubt among our anglers as to what the agreed levels should be and when.

The new rules are as follows:

1 – ALL YEAR

IF Loch below 23ft

Uncontrolled flow.

2 – ALL YEAR

IF Loch between 23ft and 24ft

Plate 4 with Plate 2 freshets.

3 – 1^st April to 1^st June

IF loch between 24ft and  26ft

Plate 2 with no weekend freshet

4 – 1^st Jun to 16^th August (as requested by LLAIA)

IF loch between 24ft and 26ft

Plate 4 with Plate 2 weekend freshets.

5 – Between 16^th August and 1st of 1^st April

IF loch above 25ft

Uncontrolled Flow

IF loch between 24ft and 25ft

Plate 2, no weekend freshet.

6 – Between 1^st April and 16^th August

IF loch above 26ft

Uncontrolled flow

We contacted Scottish Water recently to express our concern at the rate at which the gates had been closed causing the river level to fall too quickly. They have assured us that this will be brought to the attention of their operators.

River Leven Committee Rep.

Following our recent request for a regular River Leven angler to join the committee we are pleased to announce that Mr Stuart McCallum has come forward and been co opted as River Leven representative. Stuart has fished the Leven for a good number of years and states that he hopes to help safeguard and improve fishing on the river. We wish him every success in this post. A dedicated mail address will be set up for Stuart but he can be contacted meantime by email at web@lochlomondangling.com

Regards

LLAIA Committee.