To all of our members and anglers the day has finally arrived and the Lomond 2024 Season is officially open. We would like to wish all anglers the very best for the 2024 season ahead and to sincerely wish each and every angler success and tight lines for the forthcoming season. Please remember to continue to share news of your catches, adventures and trips with us via reports@lochlomondangling.com so that we can in turn share your news with other anglers across the system.
Current Conservation Policy – Retention of Salmon
We would respectfully remind all anglers of the need to handle our precious fish including kelts with the care and respect that they deserve. All fish should be played and carefully released, keeping the fish in the water wherever possible. Given the fact that Atlantic Salmon have now been classified as an endangered species then the need to care and respect these iconic fish is more important than ever.
For the avoidance of any doubt by any member or angler in respect to the official current conservation policy and bye-laws concerning retention of salmon on our system are as follows.
Anglers are reminded that in Scotland under Statute Law all salmon caught before 1st April must be safely returned. The Lomond system local conservation plan and Category 2 compliance requires that all salmon caught before 1st of May and after 30 September are safely returned. So anybody breaching that bye-law would not only be in breach of our association bye-laws and would be subject to a report to the Committee accordingly but Bailiffs would also reserve the right to take more formal action as angler had no written permission to kill a fish in that period.
We would also respectfully remind all anglers that Salmon and Sea Trout fishing across the system is only by means of fly or artificial lure until 1st May 2022. No form of bait fishing for Salmon or Sea Trout is therefore permitted before this date.
Treatment and handling of all fish including “Kelts”
Regarding “Kelts’ then as always we would urge all anglers to treat these and indeed any fresh run fish fish with the care and respect that they deserve when playing, handling and safely returning these precious fish. As a reminder to all anglers please note that it is illegal to kill, harm or injure ‘kelts’. Below is a summary reminder on best practice catch and release methods.
River Leven Bank Maintenance
In preparation for today the opening day of the season our dedicated bailiff team have been busy strimming and cutting back the banks in and around the entry and exit points in particular and removing any unwanted rubbish and debris.