Fishing Reports

River Leven

The Loch level has now dropped back and the barrage gates closed yesterday reducing the river flow to summer level. However we are almost into July which is not noted for being the driest month on the calendar……

Nevertheless some good sized summer salmon coming through and grilse starting to make an appearance.

17 June, Robert Baxter (10.5lbs) Top Pool, worm.

24 June, Grant McIntyre (8lbs) tail of Linnbrane Hole on the fly. – fish was carefully returned.

Other catches: 16 June, Stephen Gilfeather (15lbs) Hole in the Wall, flying-c. Andy McElwee (10lbs) Top Pool, worm – rtnd 17 June, Alec McElwee (13lbs) Top Pool, worm – rtnd. 19 June, Neil Baxter (14lbs) Top Pool, worm. 21 June, Derek McKenzie (20lbs) Top Pool, worm. 23 June, James Duffy (5lbs) McKinnons on the fly.

Loch Lomond

After a spell of good sport on the Loch the run has now dispersed to the usual lies around the banks and islands. The weather hasn’t helped much with strong winds making it almost impossible for anglers to get afloat.

17 June, Ritchie Millar reports from his latest ferox hunt..

‘Caught this Ferox fishing the Loch on the downrigger 27ft down on a Savage Gear lure. It weighed 8lb 3oz.  I put fish into the tank so they’re hardly out the water and swim away strong when released’  ‘Also released a sea-trout around 3lb that day lost 2 good trout.’  ‘I’m intrigued too know the largest trout that’s came out Lomond. I heard 19lb.’ ……Anyone Know?

16 June, Donald McKellar catches an action shot of Bob Forshaw playing a good fish….

…….his first this season…14lbs.

24 June, a very windy Saturday on the Loch but it paid off for Scott Sinclair. Approx (10lbs) taken just north of the Rowardennan Youth Hostel and starting to colour. A quick trophy photo and returned safely.

Other catches: 14 June, Dick Dickson (12lbs) South of Manse Bay.

Good sized summer salmon now making there way into the Loch along with some grilse. Just a matter of getting out there on the hunt….

 

Marine Scotland Armadale Tracking Project.

Tags Wanted – Reward

Marine Scotland is tracking salmon from July 2017 and would like your help.

If you catch a salmon with a tag (as shown in the attached photograph) near the dorsal fin, then please remove it by cutting through the plastic cord to remove the acoustic tag (black cylinder). Please note that the colour of the cord may vary from yellow.

Please send the acoustic tag, also with a note of day and location of capture, to:

Armadale Tracking,

Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory,

Faskally,

Pitlochry,

PH16 5LB

Please enclose your name, postal and email (if applicable) address and we will send you £20 in reward.

If you have any other information about the fish (eg a photo, length, sex) then please include it when you send in the tag. However, please do not delay the safe return of the fish to the water to obtain any such information.

 

With thanks

Armadale Tracking Team.

 

JR

Email Reports at : reports@lochlomondangling.com

 

River Leven

Summer has definitely arrived and thankfully with it the rain….  Last week saw a few fish caught and this week kicked off with one of the best days for a long time. On Monday at least 12 and perhaps as many as 17 salmon were landed. As usual the information about ‘who caught what and where’ is a bit sketchy…but most catches were made at the top of the river from the Bonhill Pool upwards.

12 June, Peter Wormald (10lbs) Bonhill Pool on a Cascade.

13 June, Colin Smith (14lbs) Bonhill Pool on a conehead.

13 June, Ross Macleod (8lbs) McKinnons on the fly.

Other catches: 12 June, Jim McFarlane (14lbs) Top Pool, flying-c.  Alec McElwee (13lbs) Top Pool, worm. Alec McElwee 15lbs) Stuckie Bridge, worm – returned. Tam McBride (16lbs) Top Pool, worm. Duncan O’Neill  (11lbs) Chapel Hole, worm. 13 June, Stephen Gilfeather (11lbs) Top Pool, worm – returned. 14 June, Chic McLean (14lbs) Ritchies Lade on the fly – returned.

Also good to hear that fresh run sea trout are about. On 7 June,  Dick Dickson landed 5 sea liced trout all weighing between 1.5 lbs- 2.5lbs. 10 June, Craig Carr reports landing a fresh 3lbs sea trout at the Craft Stream.

Loch Lomond

Loch anglers continue to enjoy good sport. The main run seems to have moved off the Endrick Bank with catches made at Sallochy, Caraig Rock and around the islands. A few anglers have ventured up the top end of the Loch but  no catches reported north of Pilot Bank. Over the past few years the runs have tended to stay in the southern basin with very few fish found in the upper reaches. Some anglers have now changed over to tobies on a faster troll while others are having success on rapalas at a slower pace.

9 June, Frank Caldwell with his second salmon (12lbs) of the season.

13 June, Alex Bowie with his second fish (11lbs) of the season caught at Caraig Rock.

14 June, Donald Brown’s furry companions guard his first salmon (11lbs) off the Loch this year, taken off Little Ireland.

Other catches: 1 June, Frank Caldwell (13lbs) at Sallochy. 5 June, Russell Boyd (12lbs). 6 June, Alex Bowie (9lbs). 7 June, Donald Brown (6lbs) sea trout. 10 June, Scott Sinclair (5lbs)  – returned. Alan Dorrian (14lbs). Billy Marsland (10lbs). 14 June, Billy Quinn (12lbs).

River Leven Clean Up Weekend.

Please note that due to high water the River Leven ‘clean up’ scheduled for this weekend 17/18 June has been postponed. It was hoped that the gates would close to allow a clean of the river bed. However,  Scottish Water reported today that the Loch level is still too high and unlikely to drop sufficiently over the next couple of days to allow closure of the barrage. When is the best time to hold a river clean up? Ideally at the start of the season but West Dumbartonshire Council have previously objected due to potential disturbance of ground nesting birds. Over the past five years clean up months have varied. April, May, June, August and September have all featured but we have to consider a period with a dry spell/low rainfall and timely notice for volunteers. We thought we had that…. back to the drawing board and hopefully soon…..

 

JR

 

Email Reports at : reports@lochlomondangling.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

River Leven

Now into June and our agreement with Scottish Water to provide weekend height during the week ends. Unless we have a fair bit of rain and the Loch level increases dramatically we’ll soon be at summer low except with the weekend freshet. Nevertheless, plenty of good salmon still coming through daily. Our regulars know that even when the river’s on it’s bones’ fish will still run and the pools are always worth a try. The past couple of weeks has provided some good sport…

Always good to hear of new members catching their first salmon on the Leven…something they’ll never forget. Even better when it’s quickly followed by their second…..

That’s exactly how new member Craig McKerry’s season has started off. 20 May, Craig has his first salmon (11lbs) at the Piles on the worm and on 27 May he had his second at the same spot  (9lbs) pictured above being returned. Good stuff Craig!

22 May, Chic McLean’s canine companions watch with interest as he returns his latest catch (13lbs) at Pike Hole. He followed it the same day with another salmon (10lbs) at the Apple Tree, also released. Both fish took the worm.

16 May, Tom Black with an unusual catch at the Stuckie Bridge. A blue trout took his Munro Killer tube fly. Rainbows and blues turn up on the system from time to time, more than likely having escaped from the Carman Dam above Renton.

Other Catches: 16 May, Stuart McCallum (15lbs), Alun Price (13lbs).29 May, Willie Little (14lbs) Top Pool on the worm. 2 June, Graham Dunsmore (11lbs) Bonhill Pool on a golden shrimp fly.

Loch Lomond

May started off rather slowly on the Loch and some anglers were getting rather concerned that our spring run wasn’t going to arrive. However we knew that there had been plenty of salmon running the River Leven and only a matter of time before boat anglers lures started to find them. From mid May things have started to pick up with some lucky anglers now landing two fish in one day. June should continue in the same vein and then we’ll await the arrival of the summer grilse.

Fresh fish are already moving up the Loch. 17 May, Billy Smart went out for a last hour and landed a fine, very fresh cock fish (20lbs) at Pilot Bay on a black and gold rapala. We can be sure it didn’t head up there on its own.

20 May, Derek Ranachan (above)continues his successful season with a fresh salmon (10lbs) off the north side of Inchmurrin. Earlier in the year he landed and returned a (19lbs) fish. on 29 May, he returned a smaller (4lbs) grilse sized fish caught off Balmaha which looked a bit on the thin side.

2 June, Loch regular Rab Strachan seen playing a salmon (13lbs) on the Endrick Bank which he successfully landed. It’s believed he went on to land a second fish about the same size.

3 June,  Scott Sinclair always wondered what it would be like to hook into a salmon at the yacht club at Milarochy. He found out on Saturday but managed to steer this fresh fish (13lbs) away from the boats and into his net.

Other Catches: 15 May, Scott Pryce (11lbs). 16 May Scott Pryce (11lbs) – rtnd. 21 May, Denis O’Hare (13lbs). 22 May, Alastair Mair (13lbs). 23 May, Allan Coll (13lbs). 31 May, Danny Docherty (12lbs) and (15lbs) – rtnd. Peter Lyons (13lbs.)  1 June, Brian Follett (11lbs), Eric Donnachie (14lbs) and (10lbs). 2 June, Danny Docherty (10lbs). 5 June, Duncan Ferguson (11lbs).

31 May, Balmaha angler James McGrandle with a right good bend in his rod…..

………in the net a 6lb bream which had taken his toby.

20 May, Colin Ferguson on the Bank trying to catch a rainbow on the fly….never succeeded of course.

30 May, a couple of John Bell’s guests enjoy a day out on the dap.

A seasonal Mayfly.  For some reason you’ll still see them about on the Loch at the end of July. Never seen any of our trout show interest in them though.

Submitting Reports.

Always on the lookout for reports to keep our members updated. Anything of interest is always welcome. If submitting photographs of fish which have been dispatched please ensure that the ‘tag’ is clearly showing. Part of the Local Conservation Plan with regards to our Category 2 status agreed with Marine Scotland, was that fish killed would be limited to three and tags issued which must be fixed through the gill as soon as possible. We are aware through conversations with Marine Scotland staff that websites are visited regularly to see what’s happening around the systems. We don’t wish photos of fish without tags being flagged up to us, doubt cast on our conservation plan, then back to Cat 3 again. Anglers are also reminded that only one fish kill per day is permitted. Tags may not be very popular with anglers but a bit of plastic might make the difference.

River Leven Clean Up

The clean up will take place over the weekend 17/18th June meeting at Bonhill Bridge at 0930 each day. Starting at the top end and moving down river. Refreshments and gloves will be provided. All volunteers, anglers and friends most welcome. See you there…

JR

Email Reports at: reports@lochlomondangling.com