Fishing Reports

River Leven.

Even with summer low conditions there’s been some good sport with the August grilse run. At one point it looked as though the Loch level might rise enough for the gates to drop, but beaten again…..

15th/16th August were good days out for Derek Hughes:

‘Hi, thought I would give you a report on fishing Friday and Saturday 15 /16 august….on Friday I landed 2 grilse of 6 lb and 7 lb on an orange Allys Shrimp. Took one from the Glebe corner and one at Factory Wall.  Saw a lot of fish going through the system. On Saturday first light, I fished the Bonhill pool and hooked a fresh grilse around 6 lb which unfortunately spat the hook after about 5 mins. Seeing fresh fish moving through the pool I moved up to the factory wall and connected right away with another fish, which again threw the hook.  Looked like there were plenty of fish going through, possibly of the morning tide, anyway a very enjoyable two days fishing,…the 2 fish caught on Friday were released unharmed.’

Thanks for your report Derek.

15th/16th August were also good for John Copolla.  Friday he landed a (7lb) grilse at the Glebe and returned the following morning early to follow up with a (6lb) fish (above) also at the Glebe.

Catches continued on Monday 18th, with Ross Macleod landing this 11lb salmon at the Garden Stream on a Silver Stoats Tail.

On 19th, Gareth Bourhill nets his first salmon of the season (11lb) tempted by a yellow shrimp at the marker above the Bonhill Pool.

Saturday 23rd August. Our chairman netting a 16lb cock fish for Colin Smith at the Bonhill Pool.

A very quick ‘trophy photo’…..

…..and safely released back to the river.

Other reports: 14th August, Dick Dickson, grilse (7lb), sea trout (4lb) and (2lb) at Dalquern. 16th August, Peter Ingram, grilse (7lb) Factory Wall on a Snelda.

Loch Lomond.

The Loch continues to fish reasonably well with grilse and summer salmon about. The Endrick Bank is still weedy, but the Loch level has risen slightly and with the surface temperature now dropped to 14oc there should be more activity.

Good sea trout in the  3 – 6lb class coming to the fly around the islands. Reports and photos on Balmaha Anglers.

14th August, Gerd Elsweiler lands his second fish of the season, a fresh (14lb) summer salmon, taken at Mill o Ross Bay on a gold/green toby….. two more than last year…

Peter Lyons, who had been following behind Gerd, crossed over to the road shore and boated a (5lb) fresh grilse.

The ‘Tap End’ of the Loch is know to hold some big sea trout, which never really get fished for. It’s a long way for a day out, but there’s good drifts at Rowchoish, Tarbert and beyond.

On 19th August, the author landed a nice (6.5lb) grilse at Rowchoish and continued up the Loch in search of more sport. Just on the approach to Doune, the outside rod buckled back with an accompanying screaming reel …..felt like a right good fish. Eventually this (6lb) sea trout was welcomed aboard. Slight ‘sun tan’ but not to be confused with a brownie.

He was quickly sent back to ‘freshen up’. Would have been quite a scrap on a fly rod. …I’m sure there’s more.

Rivers Endrick/Fruin.

Some spate conditions recently with fish showing in both rivers. Not much in the way of reports though. The bailiffs have been busy strimming the banks of the Endrick, so access should be much easier when the time comes…

On the 21st, Malcolm MacCormick had a successful few hours on the Fruin, landing two grilse, (3lb) and (4.5lb)(above) and a (3lb) sea trout.

Members are reminded that this weekend there’s a River Leven Clean Up. The compensation flow will be from Wednesday till Friday then the gates will close.

 

JR

Contact Reports at : reports@lochlomondangling.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

River Leven.

A few quiet weeks on the system, which is nothing unusual for this time of year. Even with the recent heavy rainfall the Loch level, which was sitting fairly low, hasn’t been topped up enough to make a big difference. Well not enough for Scottish Water’s purposes……and as we all know, that doesn’t help the Leven.

We’d had reports of pods of grilse seen heading upstream and some unconfirmed catches. However things now seem to be warming up. On Saturday 9th August, at least two grilse were landed at the Bonhill Pool and one at the Glebe. There was also some good sport on Monday morning with Chic McLean landing and returning two fish (5lb) and (7lb), Mick Fries landing two and Bob McKinnon a fine (10lb) summer salmon at Sandy Hole. Then the gates closed….back to summer low again. So there’s fish there, but not many anglers on the banks.

A good head of sea trout in the river, especially on the nightshift….. On 5th August, Ross Macleod enjoyed some classic ‘after dark’ angling with a three pound sea trout coming to a teal blue and silver. Our rep. David Watt reports numbers of sea trout pushing up to Renton with the tide, but not keen to continue into the warmer water.

On 29th July Glasgow University Angling Club members Craig Carr and Harry Jackson went in pursuit of sea trout. Craig landed this (4.25lb) specimen, a personal best. Harry also enjoyed good sport with a (3.25lb) fish…where did they catch them?…..on the system of course!

 

Earlier in July, visiting angler Marcus Schmiedehausen and his friends, from Nuremberg, Germany, spent a week in Scotland.  After visiting our website they decided to give Loch Lomond a try. He mailed us…

‘I just want to let you know, that we had a really, really great time in Loch Lomond. We went one day pike fishing, cause all of the fishermen confirmed, that there was not enough water to go for trout and salmon with spinners.

So we took a boat and a bunk room in Balmaha and just have a look to the picture. I released him gently afterwards.

Attached to this awesome experience we met a lot of really nice people there. Everbody tried his best, in our opinion, to help wherever we went. Fishing Store Balloch, Balmaha Oaktree Inn, Boat renting, Hiking, Marshalls, etc.’

Thanks for that Marcus, glad you enjoyed your stay. Next time…….

Loch Lomond.

Over the last fortnight the Loch level has risen slightly and the surface temperature dropped by a few degrees. With these encouraging conditions more fly fishers are heading out, having sport with sea trout in the 2-5lb class. Latest updates on Balmaha Anglers.

A good healthy rod bend, south of German jetty.

Some unconfirmed reports of grilse into Balmaha and Balloch, though boatmen are noticeable on the Loch by their absence. Very few anglers out during the week and there’s no doubt that the grilse are in…so get afloat.

On Monday 4th August, the author landed this (9lb) summer salmon just south of Inversnaid, ‘at the usual lie’ on a copper and black toby. So fresh it must have come up on the back of a jet ski…… not been hanging about and didn’t come up alone…

 

Lost or Hopeful?

Leven anglers recently spotted a strange bird frequenting the top Pool. Thinking that it might be some unwelcome predator our bailiffs investigated……

….and found it to be a Muscovy Duck drake, normally found in the Mexico, Central/South America region. Won’t find many mates on the Leven……..a nae luck duck! Well you never know, might be a few strange looking chicks about next year.

Great Scottish Swim 2014.

Anglers, particularly those heading out from Balloch, are advised that the Great Scottish Swim 2014 will take place over the weekend 22nd/23rd August. Open water swimmers will head out  from the Duncan Mills Memorial Slipway. Full information at www.greatswim.org/scotland

 

JR

Your reports, photos and info. always more than welcome.

Contact Reports at : reports@lochlomondangling.com