Hi Robbie.

 

Andy Marky lost a very nice fish today at the two lades on the Flying C with large gold Blade. To say he was not too happy about this would be an understatement.. Pip was on hand to assist but not needed. This was Andy's second time out this season. He informed me that he had seen a couple of fish moving up river earlier in the morning. I will need to get my wheels oiled and the rod out now..

 

Shuggy..

Stuart Ingles has informed me that Craig John caught a 9lbs salmon yesterday on the Loch off the Claddich shore. Thanks Stuart. It looks like it has been a stuttering start to the spring run rather than a sustained one as hoped for. Fortunately there is the rest of May to make up for it!looks like it has been a stuttering start to the spring run rather than a sustained one as hoped for. Fortunately there is the rest of May to make up for it!

04th May

At 08.00hrs the water level was barely at weekend height but the water authorities added an extra two or three  inches to the level at 09.30hrs. Despite the fact there was one or two anglers out since 04.30hrs there wasn't anything seen or caught up until 13.00hrs. The water temperature is now 53 degrees Fahrenheit. This morning I spoke to Willie Broon who told me that yesterday he caught a 11lbs springer at the bottom end of the Glebe on the worm. There weren't any sea lice on it. He described it as a good fish. Two days ago he lost another fish. Willie has done well in the past in regards to springers but this is his first for at least two seasons. Well done! One springer caught on the worm. Another on the Rapala. One on the minnow and another on the Flying C The fly has still to catch one and the shrimp and prawn haven't caught any! I won't be on the river tomorrow so there is bound to be a bonanza!

07th May

There hasn't been any springers caught or seen since last Thursday according to the reports that I have received. Saturday proved once again to be a disappointment. The water level was still at weekend height at 12.00hrs today. Probably tomorrow morning the level will drop. A sea trout about 8lbs was caught on Saturday by Dave King snr on the Loch.  Thanks to Stuart Ingles for the information. The fishing can best be described as dour at the moment. There is an air of despondency among the anglers which hopefully will end soon with a good run of fish?

08th May

This morning the gates were raised and the water level started to fall. I wish that there was something more interesting to report.

10th May

This morning the water level was almost at weekend level and rising. Today I fished the Church Lade - on the Polaroid side - Mckinnon's, Garden Stream, Wash house pool and the top of the Back Stream on the spinner. Three hours solid without a sight of a fish, never mind a touch. One other angler was all that I saw. This must be the worst start to a season that I, and other regular anglers, can remember for a very long time. Absolutely nothing to encourage you and bolster any optimism. Sorry to be so negative but it is IMHO a reasonable assessment of what is ongoing. Even the Association can't find anything good to report. I have checked last season's news and by this time last year there had been fifteen springers caught and several lost. The Association has had an up-date on their site concerning the clean up on Sunday. If the gates are lowered tomorrow - a faint hope - then they will be in a dilemma as to how to proceed. 

Up-date

There has been an up-date to the Association's web site that is worth reading.

11th May

The planned clean up of the river on Sunday has been cancelled

Yesterday evening two of the gates were lowered and the water level rose to the closing height. This happened because the water authorities wanted to lower the level of the Loch prior to the clean up on Sunday. Because of the overnight rain the Loch level rose and this morning they decided to lower all the gates and the level rose a further three inches. Unfortunately this meant that the clean up couldn't go ahead. The Association has more details on their site. There is more rain forecast which means hopefully that there will be a prolonged spell of high water which should encourage the springers to run in greater numbers? Up until 13.00hrs there hadn't been any reports of fish seen or caught. A familiar story? The water temperature is now 52 degrees Fahrenheit. What will tomorrow bring? Hopefully some good news!

13th May

Yesterday was a fruitless day in respect to reports concerning catches. One possible cause is a sighting of a seal at the Wash house pool on Thursday evening. This is a definite sighting confirmed by Eddie the Bailiff and others. If this spell of high water doesn't produce a run of springers then it looks like there won't be any. Four springers caught so far isn't even cold comfort. One angler who I spoke to said that he had been doing well for sea trout on the small Rapala. Most anglers however are looking for springers! At the top end yesterday morning there were at least ten disgruntled anglers without even a touch. Two experienced anglers have been out early most mornings. Even though the numbers fishing haven't been high the early mornings and late evenings have been covered. Perhaps tomorrow morning?

14th May

At 07.00hrs Rab Hainning hooked a good fish at the Double pipes on the Rapala. After thirty seconds or so it parted company from his hook. Willie Broon at the Glebe corner had his worm nibbled a few times and another angler at the Floors had a fish follow his lure to the bank side. Insignificant happenings? Under the presents circumstances a sign of hope? There is still about an inch of water above the closing level. The water authorities told Eddie that the gates will remain lowered for a few days more. Hopefully it will happen. The banks are now in need of trimming. Normally this is the week that it is done. Despite the clean up being cancelled there isn't any reason why it can't be done.

15th May

Yesterday evening I received an e-mail from David Andrew.

Hi Robbie 

Caught a 10 pound springer with sea lice tonight at the piles on the flying c Unfortunately it had been damaged by a seal Hopefully this is the start of the spring run coming in numbers My dad went down before me with the fly you should have saw his face as he turned round and seen me bent into one better luck next time dad  haha

David Andrew

Thanks David. This is the kind of news that is welcome. Yesterday one regular angler - who I won't name - decided to do an underwater survey of the Bonhill pool. He didn't see any springers but he saw a good number of pot bellied pig flies that Jack had lost on the cable this season! 

17th May

This morning the gates were raised and the water level fell to a good weekend height. No reports of fish being seen or caught since Monday.

18th May

The water level is still at a good weekend height. As far as catches are concerned no news. Jack told me that there has been a good turnout of anglers in the early evenings recently which means that it has been busier than the daytime. I received some news today which suggests that the cutting of the banks will not take place anytime soon. Hopefully that will be proven to be wrong. Any anglers visiting the McKinnons area will have to be careful, especially at night. A trench has been dug adjacent to the path that runs between McKinnons and the Boat pool. This is to prevent fly tipping. My first thoughts were that a trench for a water pipe had been dug but it looks like a permanent fixture. I wonder if permission for this has been sought and approved by the council?

19th May

Up until 13.00hrs there weren't any reports of fish being caught. The water level was rising this morning and the river was a little coloured. Possibly Monday the gates will be lowered once again? The Association have reported a 11lbs springer caught at the Loch mouth by an unknown angler. By my reckoning that is six springers for the season so far. This time last season the tally was twenty two. They are speculating on more being caught and lost. The anglers can make their own minds up about that! It is fair to point out that other systems are experiencing poor runs of springers and this system isn't alone in that respect. The Association can't be blamed for the lack of springers only their biased reporting of the figures. 

Up-date

Alun Price caught a springer on the Loch today weighing in at nearly 20lbs on a toby. Well done! I think that Ray will be proud of him! The Balmaha Diary will no doubt have more details in the near future. Thanks for the information.

21st May

This morning at 07.00hrs the water level was about 12 inches above the weekend height, an unusual but good height for fishing. At about 10.00hrs the gates were lowered and the water level rose to about six inches above the closing height. This should last till Friday at least going on past experience. The water authorities paid a visit to the barrage and made adjustments to the gates yesterday. The evidence of this can be viewed on the Sepa site today. Two visits, one on a Sunday, to the river on consecutive days is unusual. Not a sign of planning but one of uncertainty? The consensus of opinion by the anglers on the river this morning was why didn't they leave it at the height it was at 0700hrs and allow it to run off? From a safety point of view the opening of the gates meant that branches of trees cut down last week by the tree cutting company drifted down the river. This took place opposite the whisky barrels. These branches should have been removed from the river at the time they were cut. The Association will no doubt accuse the anglers of moaning but they are the ones that fish the river on a regular basis and don't look at it from thirty miles away on the other side of Glasgow! The water temperature is 52 degrees Fahrenheit. No reports of fish seen or caught before 12.00hrs and none for Saturday either. I have received an e-mail containing an image of the 20lbs springer caught on the Loch on Saturday. Thanks for the information. Jack reckons it is the same fish that he caught on Friday at the Bonhill pool which he returned because he only keeps springers over 20lbs! Makes a change from catching the cable in the pool I suppose! Surely this week the belated spring run will appear and makes us all happy chappies instead of moaning faced gits!

23rd May

Despite the good water levels and temperature there is still no good news concerning catches. There are few anglers to be seen at least during the day. Today I fished between the Craft stream and the Floors on the spinner. There were few places that I could swing a rod. Below the Chapel hole the banks were overgrown. The Glebe is also overgrown with the exception of the corner where I believe that a local resident who doesn't fish cut the bushes. The Floors has few places where a rod can be swung. A visiting angler would be appalled and put off coming back! Ironically when the banks are trimmed a good job is done. Hopefully soon!

24th May

There is still a couple of inches of water above the closing height and it is raining so it looks like Monday at the earliest before the gates are raised. Still no sign of the spring run continuing. Four seasons ago there was a similar scenario with five or six springers caught in the first three weeks of May but in the last week there were a further eighteen! The first springer in 2003 was caught at the beginning of the month by Dave McCord on the fly at McKinnons. Thanks to Ian for the image. One can only hope for a late surge similar to then!

25th May

Up until 13.00hrs there weren't any reports of springers being seen or caught. The water temperature is still 52 degrees Fahrenheit and there is still a couple of inches above the closing height. There is heavy rain forecast for Sunday so there could still be good water next week? Yesterday evening about 22.00hrs David Watt, a friend of Jacks, caught a sea trout just over the 4lbs size at the Stuckie bridge. It was taken on a fluorescent orange flying C. He said that he had lost an even bigger sea trout and another one just smaller. On my way home from the river I spoke to an angler who fishes the bottom end who told me that sea trout were getting caught on the maggot. There is other anecdotal evidence of sea trout in the river. Unfortunately no springers! I waded the Piles today. A lovely bit of water to fish the fly through at this height and the Floors was the same. The middle part of the Floors appears to have deepened due to the winter floods. Other rivers are still reporting poor runs of salmon, so it isn't the end of the world despite the spring period ending in a weeks time.

27th May

I was on the river from before 09.00hrs till 14.00hrs and for an hour in the early evening yesterday. The highlight of the day was two or three anglers covering a fish on the cables in the Bonhill pool to no avail. This was the first fish some anglers had seen this season. Apart from that no reports of fish being caught. An amazing fact is that not one springer has been caught on a Saturday this season and yesterday was the last Saturday that one could have been caught. Next Thursday is the last chance to catch one. Saturday is usually the busiest day of the week - yesterday was busy - so the theory that more anglers on the river means more fish likely to be caught doesn't hold true. To rub salt into the wound phone calls to anglers brought the news that springers were being caught on the Loch. Five fish were reported. Stewart Ingles Jnr 9.5lbs. Alan Millar just over 13lbs. Alec Kieller 12lbs and another into Balmaha. There is an unconfirmed report of a 19lbs fish. Hopefully as I write this the banks of the river are being cut. The Association are reporting a healthy bank balance so some of it should be spent on the annual cutting of the banks. Last season the machine couldn't get by the Chapel hole. Last week I witnessed a large Council cutting machine and tractor getting by and Jack saw a lorry doing so as well. Therefore it is passable. The rain forecast for today looks to be showery so it will likely be tomorrow that the gates are raised.

28th May

At 14.00hrs the gates were raised and the level fell to weekend height. No reports of fish being caught. Three days till the end of the spring run. Last season Willie Little was on suicide watch. This season there are many more anglers joining him! If anyone takes the time to read through 2006 News for May it would make them weep!

Up-date

The water level has settled at just above the weekend height. Thanks to Jack for the information.

29th May

The water level is still at weekend height but that is bound to drop before Friday. There were about half a dozen anglers at the top end of the river this morning going through the motions. Grim faces were evident and there weren't any fish. An interesting e mail from Davy Bell.