With the run up to the National Prelims a number of competitors have been practicing during the past week and most have had great success with small traditional fly’s. Understandably they are not generally very forthcoming as to where they were having good results! Water clarity is superb and the temperature is rising. The Venachar brown trout are now feeding heavily mostly just under the surface. Another 2000 fish were stocked last Tuesday.

Last week five 14 yrs old pupils from Kelvinside Academy visited Venachar to gain experience of fly fishing for brown trout. This is an annual event kindly arranged by Tom Neil. Katie Mullen, Courtney Smith, felicity Ramsay and Douglas Maxwell all had 1 fish each with Guy Rogerson bagging 2.

There have been numerous fish approaching the 2lb mark this week but only one over 2lbs weighing in at 2lbs 8oz caught by Ian Jackson fishing with the Edinburgh Breadalbane club on Thursday. Colin and Barry Hutton had their boat limit by noon on Thursday returning a further 15 fish in the afternoon. Scottish Youth Team member Scott Miller from Perth was the best rod on Saturday, fishing during unfavourable conditions. He boated 12 brownies, beating his dad by 4 fish! 

Featuring amongst the best of the angling club were Edinburgh Breadalbane, 4 boats, 31 fish, 10 returned - winner Robert Sneddon, Broxburn 5 for 6lbs.Bridge of Allan Fishing Assoc, 5 boats, 55 fish, 17 returned; Stanley AC, 5 boats, 37 fish, 7 returned best basket Scott Miller (16yrs) 12 fish and the Bank of Scotland (Glasgow), 4 boats, 8 fish - winner Dave Look, 2 for 2lbs 10oz. 

 The best areas have been Beetle Bay, Grahavie Bay, Road Shore and the top taking flies size 12’s and 14’s black traditional patterns.

Although the weather was mixed during the past week with rain on Tuesday and Wednesday then bright skies and a coolish north easterly wind for the later part of the week there have still been some superb catches, though some boats have found the conditions quite testing. The north shore came into its own towards the end of the week.

On Monday, Ronnie Rob, who drove up overnight from Rutland Water had his limit by mid day. Stevie Docherty, Fort William, had 13 fish on Wednesday mostly on Dabblers from the Portnellan drift. Mark Stephen and Tam Burnett, fishing catch and release, had the largest catch for the week loosing count at over 30 fish to the boat. Scott Griffin, Weir Pumps AC, had his limit and returned a further 15 fish, as did John Orr.

The angling clubs were out in force and included amongst the best catches were Gartmore FC, 7 boats, 21 fish – best result Robert Murray winner 5 fish for 7lbs; Dunrod AC, 3 boats, 13 fish – best catch R. Gonet winner 4 fish and Weir Pumps AC, 5 boats, 55 fish (31 returned) winner Scott Griffin with 22 fish. Last but not least Kelvinside Academicals, 4 boats, 18 fish best bag Roddie Spiers, Strathaven 4 fish for 5lbs 8oz.

The best fly patterns have been Dabblers with an orange throat, Professor, Soldier Palmer, Kate McLaren- green tag, Clan Chief, size 14’s and wee double traditional. Midge tip lines produced good catches during the early part of the week, then slow intermediates towards the end.The best areas have been the Grass bank and Scouts bay that fished extremely well and the Portnellan drift fished well over the weekend. The Road Shore, fished further out than Submarine Island, saw many boats ‘bagging up’ from mid afternoon to the end of the session.

Some excellent catches are now being reported with many boats reaching their limits by mid day. In general the weather has been much better during the past week with warmer water and air temperatures. Large hatches of buzzers and some lake olives are now being seen, mainly to the west end of the Loch.

The ospreys are back and stealing a few brownies but no one really minds. Over the weekend many fishers have reported that they have returned salmon smolts so hopefully this is a good sign for future years.A number of 2lb+ brownies have been caught during the past week, some natural and some over wintered. Jock Cowan, Dechmont, out with the Hedgehogs had a beautiful 2lb 14oz fish from Grahavie Bay.Featuring amongst the top individual catches were Sam Waddle, Falkirk, and Dick Ness, Markinch, who had a great day in windy conditions on Wednesday with a boat limit of fish to 2lb. Davie Neilson, Crainlarich, had 5 crackers including a natural brownie of 2.5lbs and Angus Armour and Bill Smith from Penicuik had their limit on Thursday with most of their fish coming from Boathouse Bay and Otter Island.

The clubs have been out in force and included amongst the best returns were the Callander Angling Club that had 14 fish from their 4 boats with the best result coming from Gordon Buchanan with 7 fish weighing 10lbs 4oz. The Hedgehogs took 39 fish and returned 7 from their 5 boats with Jock Cowan having the top basket of 7 fish. The Aberfoyle Fishing Club’s three boats returned with 27 fish with the top rod being Kenny Findlayson with 7 fish and the Trossachs Angling Club had a good outing taking 18 fish with the best catch going to Archie Whitehead with 7 fish for 9.5lb.The Loanhead & District Angling Club had 14 boats out returning with 76 fish – top rod Tam Denholm with 7 fish for 10.5lb.All areas, except the mid and east deeps, are now producing fish. Grahavie Bay has been exceptional and with the warmish south west wind many boats have continued the drift onto the Lendrick point that has fished well all week. The Grass Bank and sailing Club produced great sport over the past weekend.

Another couple of tons of quality brown trout were stocked mainly to the south shore drifts and the Portnellan shore. There was a significant improvement in weather conditions with the wind changing from the east to south west.

Jim Milne from Alloa fishing with Sam Waddle of Falkirk had a very successful day on Wednesday taking 13 for the boat and released at least as many with the largest being just under 2lbs. Stevie O’Neill and Ronnie Robb from East Kilbride had good top of the water sport at the Green Banks.

Club outings got underway on Sunday with the Dalvennan Fly Fishers from Ayrshire being the first club out. Although very windy at times they had superb sport mainly at the sheltered south shore drifts. Ian and Marion Wallace fishing as Dalvennan guests had the best boat with 9 fish. They started on DI 3’s but moved up to Ghost Tips and reported numerous offers with brownies leaping out of the troughs.

The Scottish Youth team held a practice day on Sunday when the high wind speeds gave them great experience in handling boats in difficult conditions.

Despite the cool east wind some excellent catches have been returned still mainly from the south shore drifts and bays. The water temperature has risen to 6C at 3ft despite some early morning air temperatures of -3C. 

Featuring amongst the top individual catches last week were Linden Curtis and Vernon Alexander who had good sport mainly in Boathouse Bay on Thursday using intermediate lines and small traditional flies. Stephen O’Neill and Mark Steven had the best boat for the week on Sunday although fishing in probably the poorest conditions of the week.  They had their boat limit of 10 trout and returned at least a further 4 fish. Conditions were very sunny and hardly any wind but using DI3’s and size 14’s Kate McLarens provided great sport. The most productive drifts have been Boat House Bay, Otter Island and Grahavie Bay where patterns such as the Dunkeld, Kate McLaren, Bibio and the Clan Chief have been most productive. Other good drifts well worth visiting are Green Banks and Beetle Bay.

Despite 20mph winds and a very cold water temperature of 5c at the three feet mark, opening day at Scotland’s premier brown trout water was a big success with 130 fish being caught with an average weight of 1lb 3oz.

The best fishing drifts have been the South Shore, which was sheltered from the strong southwesterly wind but Boat House Bay gave the best sport with most fish taking just under the surface. The Invertrossachs and Otter Island drifts also performed well, as did Grahavie Bay especially on opening day. Jim Devine from Aberdour took the honour of the heaviest fish – a cracking over wintered brown of 2lbs taken on a size 12 Dunkeld. Jim Milne and John Jarvis had the best boat from the Thistle AC taking 10 fish to 1lb 12oz. Messrs. Simpson and Watson from Aberdour also had 10 good trout.The bulk of the catches were taken on intermediate or ghost tip lines teamed up with size 12 flies like the Bibio, Clan Chief, Zulu, mini Ace of Spades and the Dunkeld.

There are still available spaces for the Venachar Brown Trout League that kicks off in May.

The cost of entry is £20 with fishery rules and prices applying but as the number of competitors will be limited to 50 it is advisable for interested parties to register an interest now. Further information, click here.