Well, it certainly is autumn weather; sun, rain, wind and sometimes cold all in equal measure. However, this is better news for the fishing. Although the water level is still excessively low we are at least seeing the fish rising again in greater numbers. The last few days especially seem to have re-awakened the trout population. When the loch is calm it is fascinating to watch the fish rising in numbers.

Trout catches reported recently : F. Baskerville caught two beautiful fish on Friday 16th September weighing in at 1lb 10 oz and 2lb 1oz respectively. Eddie Macguire from Glasgow landed one brownie approximately 1lb 6oz and Geordie Allan from Falkirk caught two at around the 1 lb mark.

 As per usual the pike fishing at Venachar is in a healthy state with numerous significant catches being reported recently, particularly during the Help for Heroes fundraising event which raised a large amount of money for the charity. Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate. All pike caught have been described as being in excellent condition with minimal disease and/or damage which is in no small part due to responsible practices by our fishermen and our continuing efforts to keep Venachar clean.

Pike catches : 12/9/10 A. Rosinsky from Germany caught three pike 8lb, 7lb, 4lb using sardines. 19/9/10 James Johnson from Uddingston landed three pike weighing in at 15, 10 and 7lbs using mackerel. Scott Mckenzie from Glasgow caught two pike using a float and mackerel off Otter Island weighing 11lb 8oz and 8lb. Chris Barlow from Wishaw had a hugely successful trip fishing from the boat on 12/9/10 with his nephew and father landing a total of six pike weighing 18lb 4oz, 16, 13lb 8oz, 12, 7 and 2 using roach and perch as bait. A good day by anyone’s standards! There have also been other catches but, as we all know, they aren’t always reported.

It was good to see the Oakley Fishing Club from Dunfermline and we look forward to welcoming the Crammond Fishing Club on Saturday 25th September. We hope they have an enjoyable and productive day. There will also be a pike fly-fishing documentary being made in late September with the producers citing the spectacular location and excellent reputation as their main reasons for filming at Loch Venachar.

There has been a definate change in the temperature - we are now entering Autumn.  I believe we can expect good fishing for Trout between now and the end of the season - less than 6 weeks away!

“Help for Heroes Pike fishing day organised by the Pike Angling Club and Pike Angling Ailliance in co-operation with David Scobie, was very well supported by Pike anglers.  I believe in excess of £2000 was raised on the day.  This was commendable, it is also worth noting that everyone involved, from the organiser David Scobie, the Pike Anglers, the cooks, cleaners and stewards.  It was a pleasure to have every single person on Venachar Lochside.  Everyone will be welcome back here anytime.  I wish we could deal with people like you every week!!

Catches for the week-end:

Charlie Davison (aged from Glasgow caught  wild brown trout - 3/4 lb to 1lb using a blue toby and blue rapala.  This was fishing from the boat in choppy conditions.

Mr G. McQuade from Glasgow caught a 2lb brownie from the boat using a spinner (meps)

George Laing from West Calder (season ticket holder) caught a few nice pike from the farm end using trout dead bait.  The best was 24lb 10oz.

Boyd McAllister kept hs record intact by catching eight Pike in total over his 3 day visit.

Steven McLean from Stoneyburn caught a fish at 20lb 6oz using mackerel bait from the bank on Invertrossachs side.

Hopefully the rains are here for a week or so and fishing weather is back on.

We are certainly having a great spell of weather - whether it suits all anglers - well thats a different story!

 Catches recently:

2 September - Mr Mitchell from Bellshill caught a 20lb Pike and a fantastic 26lb Pike using mackerel bait.

Alan McGregor from Perth caught a 18lb speciman - fly fishing from the boat (hard work)

Boydy (Boyd McAllister) has given me his return for this week - so far - 9 fish over 3 days - 5 fish between 6lb and 9lb, one at 14lb and one at 12.5lb, one at 10.5lb and lastly one at 10lb using mackerel and smelt.

Trout catches - Terry Breman from Motherwell caught 3 brown trout each around 1lb using maggot and poly/balls.

Mr McQuade from Glasgow using a spinner/mep from the boat caught a 2lb fish.

Mary McFarlane from Coatbridge using a red/black buzzer caught a 1.5 lb fish.

Today 4 September we have the Help for Heroes Pike Fishing Fundraiser - 11 boats are out and the day started with coffee and bacon rolls.

The Pike Anglers Club and the Pike Anglers Alliance have joined with David Scobie to what we hope is going to be an enjoyable and productive day.

I will report on the days proceedings and catches over the next week.

A big thank you to the Pike Anglers and to David Scobie - as I said I will let you know how the days events unfold.

The weather is warm and calm - the views spectacular and the fishing - well who knows!! 

We are still experiencing low water levels on the loch and for a week or so it definately had an effect on our fishing.  However this low water level is not unique to Venachar and I think fishing has suffered throughout several areas as a result.  However the good news is that it appears that as Venachar levels return, the fishing improves:

 James Allen from Perth landed a 1.5lb brownie from the boat on Saturday 21 August.

Peter Edgars on holiday from Bristol landed an impressive 1.75lb speciman again from the boat fishing in towards the South bank.

The most impressive was Aiden Tighe from Alloa who caught a fantastic 2lb brown trout - using a worm at the first car park.  What makes this so impressive is that Aiden is 6 years old.

Stuart McBeth from Loanhead landed a 1.25lb brownie at the second car park, however he also landed an 18lb pike using mackerel tail - 30 inch fishing in excellent condition.

Phil Davies from Stirling caught a 13.5lb then 14.4lb fish.  Both fish in excellent condition.

Bernard Dolan from Salsburgh landed an 18.5lb pike measuring 36″ long.

Joh Bennie from Lanarkshire cuaght a 14.5lb pike measuring 23″ long.  Once again though the most exciting catch was by 10 year old Jay Hubbard from Blackburn who caught his first ever pike on the 10 August - an 8lb pike using mackerel tail.

All pike caught were checked to ensure minimum damage and returned clean and unharmed to the water.  Our Clean Policy on Venachar is to minimise the killing of any fish.  This is a sports fishing loch.

 Can I also commend the work done by our balliffs in ensuring the environment around Venachar stays as clean as possible.  The National Park Rangers also do sterling work to correct any inappropriate behaviour and help our visitors to enjoy Loch Venachar and respect the countryside and banks of the Loch.

Although our water level has dropped again we are at least back to some good fishing.

Mr Cowan from Glasgow landed a 10lb Pike using sardine on Saturday 6 August.

Andrew Mearns from Coatbridge caught a good 15lb - 30 inch fish using a lure.

Stuart McBeth from Loanhead landed an 18lb - 30 inch Pike using mackerel tail.

Robert Campbell from Paisley - a 20lb, 28lb and a 15lb - using sardines.

Jim Brown from East Calder - a 14lb, 8.5lb and a 6lb using headless mackerel on the Invertossachs bank.

Trout fishing from the boat has been the most successful:

James Dow from Oban caught a very good 1lb 13oz brown trout - fly fishing from the boat on 6 August and came back 3 days later and caught a 2.2lb speciman.

Alan Meikle from Dunfermline, again from the boat caught a 1.5lb and 1lb fish - Alan returned the fish unharmed.

 All catches have reported good healthy fish and the anglers have enjoyed good sport bringing them in.  All this is good useful information, which will be used to formalate our fishery policy.

Our banks are clean, they are well patrolled by our baillif and the National Park Rangers and once again they have nothing but praise for the majority of our sports fishermen.

Many thanks.

Pike fishing has been excellent this past week.   Darren Reynolds for Fife - 15lb fish using roach.  Derek Gilmour from Motherwell - 27lb 10oz (32″length) using smelt.  This pike was in peak condition.  Peter Dlabic - on holiday from Czech Republic - one pike 10lb and one pike 8lb.  His son fishing for trout caught 4 brown trout all about 1lb. This was all from boat fishing.  Burrows & Andrew - 11lb pike from the bank near the Harbour Cafe - fish in good condition.  Mr Taylorson from Paisley 9lb 30z fish using mackerel tail.  Jason Walls from Dunfermline fishing from the boat caught 3 pike averaging 9lbs.

 Trout fishing has been slower, however, Jason Barr from Perth caught a fantastic 2lb 4oz fish - fly fishing from the boat towards the south bank.  The fish was returned unharmed.

There were a few others reported trout catches all around 1lb - 1.5lb.

The banks have been relatively quiet and there has been a good family atmosphere, where people have been camping.

As usual the anglers prefer to go the the quieter areas or fish from the boat.

We are continuing to work with the rangers to keep Venachar litter free and discourage anti-social behaviour.

And with the weather, the catches improve - last week Mr Black from Skinflats, at his usual spot on the east bank caught a very good 2lb brown trout however his grandson who is 6 years old, but has fished for 2 years, caught a fantastic bag of 6.5lbs, 4 brown trout.

 Martin Tucker from Livingstone on 21 July caught a 2lb brown trout from the north bank, Martin removed an old hook and line from the fish and released the fish unharmed.

 However the trout catch of the month is a 3.5lb specimen caught by Shannon Stokes at the week-end.  Shannon photographed the fish and returned the fish to the water unharmed.

Pike fishing has been very good over this last week as the water level rises.

Ross Waterson from Alloa - 16.5lbs

Mr Rochan from Edinburgh 14lbs

Mr Steel from Carluke - 11.5lbs

Steven Dawson from Alloa - 12lbs

Daryl Strang from Alloa - 7.5lbs - this was young Daryls first pike, so he was thrilled with this.

 However with all this good news there is one piece of misfortune, Mark Warrington from Larbert landed an 18lb pike, the pike put up little resistance and Mark found that the fish had a full wire trace wrapped around and through its jaw and gill.  The fish also had a protruding stomach and other damage.  Mark did his best to sort the fish out but after an hour of trying to get it to swim he eventually had to kill the fish.  Mark was, as most pike anglers will know, devestated to kill such a specimin

Yes the weather is helping with the fishing catches- Alistair Arniel, on holiday from Norwich, managed to convince his wife that boat fishing was good therapy and he caught 2 very clean brown trout using a black and gold buzzer (1lb to 1.5lb). Mrs Arniel enjoyed her trip out on the boat, she had a picnic lunch(supplied by Harbour Cafe) and read her book. Both fish were returned unharmed. Mr Black from Skinflats was back last week and kept up his catch record with a couple of brown trout. Fishing from the bank using a maggot. 

The trout catches that have been reported this last 2/3 weeks have in the main been around 1-1.5lbs fish. they have also been reported as good clean fish, this is all good news for the Loch.

Pike fishing has been as usual, the regulars are back and some tell me of their catches and some do not,a recent example, 12th July, Steven Dawson from Alloa fishing from the bank landed a 9lb  then a 12lb pike using  lampray bait. Both fish were returned unharmed.

I have had conversations with several angling club members , they have told me why they have not fished Venachar recently. We are working hard to improve all aspects of Venachar- the banks the boats and the catches, however we will never compromise on the quality of Venachar water and maintain this loch as one of the few wild brown trout fisheries in the area.

Please feel free to comment and make suggestions on how we can improve and make your fishing more enjoyable. I will certainly take on board all suggestions- I may not agree with all your suggestions but I will listen and I am willing to learn.

I apologise for the lack of reports recently, I was unavoidably detained in a hot country with nothing to do except laze around, admire the view and drink water!

The water level is still ridiculously low- however the catches have been reasonable considering the conditions - hot and sunny then wet and windy.

Mr McNiel from Edinburgh, fishing from the North Bank, caught 2 good sized Pike - 10lbs and 12lbs - 5th July.

Mr brian West from Dunfermline caught a fantastic 19lb specimen using a mackerel tail from the boat,  Peter Ireland , visiting from Surrey,caught a14lb Pike using sardine bait from the boat on Fiday 2nd July.

Trout catches have largely gone unreported, we continually ask for the returns to be given to the Boathouse. this information is vital to us and will help formulate our future fishery policy. - Some of the reported catches-

Alan Prentice from Glenrothes landed a1.5lb brownie using a red/black, fishing from the Port Ellen bank, Mr G Morton from Stirling landed a 1.75 brownie from the boat using a maggot-

So the fishing continues, and the recent dry spell  has seen a lot of anglers enjoying the view and the scenery as well as enjoying this fantastic location for Fishing.

The survey I reported on earlier has now concluded and I await the results. This report and reccomendations from it will greatly influence our future Fishery Policy.

I will continue to monitor the catches on the Loch and look forward to your cooperation in maintaining the high standards we hope to achieve on Loch Venachar.   

The water in the loch is very low still, however that has not deterred the sports anglers and we have had some good catch reports this week.

James Randalls from Grangemouth caught a magnificent 2lb brown trout from the north bank using a maggot.

Reece Gibson from Bo’ness - fishing from the bank at east Lodge has been trying all week for a big pike.  He tells me he has a few runs but his best has been a 11lb junior.  His best trout this week was also a junior a 1lb trout with a maggot.

Raymond Clarke from Paisley caught a 15lb pike using mackerel bait from the north bank and Thomas Krawec from Edinburgh caught an 8lb, 10lb and a 14lb pike from the boat.

All fish were returned to the water unharmed.

 We are at present continuing to work on ou fishery stategy and policy.  I expect to finalise this towards the end of July, when the final results of the Loch survey have been analysed.

The National Park Rangers are continuing to monitor behavious on our banks and they seem to be relatively hapy that we are striving to encourage sports anglers and families to our Loch and that we are discouraging anti-social behaviour.

Our biggest complaint at the moment is the amount of litter left behind.  Please help with this problem.

 Enjoy the Fishing.