Fishing Reports

First Springer off the Leven

Easter might be slightly later this year but our spring salmon are right on schedule. We had a report earlier in the week of an angler losing a good fish and this afternoon the first confirmed spring salmon of the season made its welcome appearance on the River Leven.

Regular angler Alan Brown landed this (14lb) ‘classic’ Lomond springer today at the Piles on a toby lure.

Mainly dry, bright conditions forecast for the coming week and although the Leven is beginning to drop back slowly, fly fishers may still find it on the high side for safe wading. However it’s in great condition for spinning so time to get out there…

Great news for our anglers and should be the first of many.

JR

Contact Reports at : reports@lochlomondangling.com

River Leven

Any day now we should hear of the first spring salmon off the system. On 18 March last year it was Loch angler  James Kinnear who opened the scoring with an (8lb) fish. Although there were fish were running it wasn’t until 8 April that Chic McLean  accounted for an (18lb springer at the Managers. Catches for the previous year opened on 19 March with a salmon (12lb) on the fly at the Bonhill Pool to Danny Docherty’s rod.

At present the river is a bit too high for the fly, so a spun lure such as a toby salmo, flying -c or rapala might do the trick.

To date there have been reports of fresh sea trout landed on the lower reaches but still quite a few salmon and sea trout kelts about. The Estuary around the Levengrove Park area is producing fresh sea trout.

For the latest update on river conditions click on River Leven on our home page.

Anglers are reminded that all salmon caught on the system before 1st May must be released.

Of Coarse….

Last weekend, regular Leven fisher Jim McDonald took some time off and headed to Loch Lomond in pursuit of pike ….and what a session!

Jim landed seven big pike all over the 20lb mark, including this 31lb monster….. tremendous sport! We’ve also heard an unconfirmed report of a 40lb pike having been landed the previous weekend… which is not surprising. For years Loch Lomond has been regarded by many as the top pike water in the UK and it’s still well up there. A few years ago a ‘crocodile’ was spotted off Cameron House golf course by day trippers, undoubtedly a big pike basking on the surface. While specimen hunters closely guard their ‘hotspots’ pike can be caught almost anywhere on the Loch’s shores from Balloch to Ardlui, though some local knowledge is always helpful.

£50 for a coarse season ticket represents great value and details of LLAIA permit retailers can be found on our home page by clicking on Permit Retailers.

Coarse season tickets can be bought online using PayPal by clicking on LLAIA Membership

New Membership.

During March and April this year the LLAIA are waiving the £25 joining fee for new and lapsed members. Full membership is now £210 and covers game and coarse fishing. Further details at LLAIA Membership

JR

Contact Reports at: reports@lochlomondangling.com