Fishing at Loch Leven off to slow, frustrating start

Fishing has been very slow at LOCH LEVEN during the first few weeks after opening, writes our angling correspondent.

Until a few days ago, the very cold water temperature has probably been the main single reason for the lack of fortune for the anglers.

Pike fishers too have been very frustrated with the late start to the season but a pike weighing 10lb was caught recently and so hopefully that is a harbinger of better sport to be had over the coming weeks as spring hopefully kicks in properly.

Some trout have been seen rising this past week, coming up to feed on early hatching buzzers. In fact, it is encouraging that some very good buzzer hatches have been already been seen over the last week or so, particularly East and South of St Serfs Island.

Some of the buzzers hatching have been pretty big and hopefully the hatches will last and get the fish feeding on them on a regular basis.

It is rather nice to see the small black-headed gulls feeding in some areas all day on the hatching flies.

Brian McKenzie and Tom Burnett who were out on Saturday had five trout, all returned, and also contacted several others. Paul Donegan had two fish on Sunday which he duly returned and had good fun in the Hole ‘O the Inch “pulling up” a good number of fish.

Lewis Kerr and Stuart Moodie had a fish each on Sunday. Stuart caught his on the buzzer also in the Hole ‘O the Inch.

The new season at LINTRATHEN LOCH is getting off to a very good start.

Member Robert Gardner had a total of 44 fish on c/r over two outings. Harry Furey bagged his 12 fish at 24lbs 6oz and returned three fish over three visits.

Colin Kirk landed four fish for 9lbs with another 20 returned.

Club outings are also going very well. RAF Northern League four boats had 21 for 41lbs 10oz with seven returned. First place went to G Allen with his four weighed in and three fish returned and second was W Edmund with four weighed in and two returned.

With weather conditions improving and temperatures rising fishing is improving across the loch, with the best results so far from behind the island with buzzers, crunchers and cormorants doing well.

There have been some excellent catches this week past at FRANDY FISHERY.

Individual returns include Jane Wright and Dionne Roberts (Cove & Kilcreggan) kept nine weighing 19lb and released 16, Gordon Price and Keith Findell (Kilmacolm) kept 10 weighing 24lb 12oz and released 26, Donald McPherson (Crieff) kept two weighing 6lb and 4lb and released eight, Paul Mondor (Auchterarder) kept two weighing 7lb and released four.

NEWTON FARM FISHERY. It’s been a superb week at Newton with anglers catching well into double figures.

Top rod by far was Davie Simpson, Forfar, who landed a superb 31 fish up to 11lbs.

Richard Shepherd had a superb evening landing 24 fish on a black snake and nymphs. The fishery is open from 8am until dusk.

If fisheries, clubs or individuals would like their news included in this weekly column email sales@angusangling.co.uk or contact Neil Anderson on 01307 466366 or 07759 022503.

Tight Lines!