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Menteith Weekly Report

6th Nov 2007

Menteith School and Kirk Day This day marks the very end of our trout season. The fisheries company donates all the 40 plus boat proceeds to the Kirk and School and a barbeque and giant raffle is held by Port School Fundraisers. The end of season party and the generosity of the anglers and the fisheries board is greatly appreciated by the community, and it allows both the Kirk and School to make some purchases that make a big difference. The school children sang some lovely songs to the assembled community of anglers and parents. This year around £2400 was raised. Sincere thanks to all those who supported the event which included; The Lake Fisheries Board and employees, the Anglers, the Aberfoyle Butcher, The Lake Hotel, The Forth Inn, John Buchanan, Walter Scott Steamship, Rob Roy hotel, GoApe, Gleneagles Hotel, DS Wholesalers Dunblane and the Police International Flyfishing Association. Many other local business donated smaller prizes for which all were grateful. No big fish were landed this year.

Tarrifs 2008 Permit charges have gone up in relation to inflation (RPI), and a further reduction has been made in the limit size which has been reduced from 12 fish per boat to 10 fish (see Tarrif 2008)

Anyone landed a plane?
During the Second World War the military commandeered the lake and it was used as an ammunitions dump, particularly for phosphorus bombs. You can still see the remains of jetties built by the army on the western area of the lake, which is inaccessible by land.
On 3rd June 1943 Sgt. Pilot Thomas Hetherington was flying his MK1 Spitfire, Plane No. P8187, from O.T.U. No.58 RAF Grangemouth on a low flying exercise. Sgt Pilot Hetherington is rumoured to have been showing off to the land girls working in fields on the north side of the lake when his wing touched the water and sent the Spitfire crashing into the lake. Hetherington escaped unhurt and was later reprimanded by Group Captain Cyril Wallace.
There is no official record that the plane was removed. Some say that the valuable Merlin engine was rescued from the wreck but that the plane itself is still in the lake. Divers have tried to locate the wreckage in the past but today the best equipped survey of the Lake is commencing. The search is being led by Dave Brunton of the Scottish Historical Aviation Research Group (pictured left) lowering the sonar side scanner tow-fish into the water. So far only surprising uncharted rocky outcrops have been discovered, but the researchers hope that the use of a magnetometer to highlight metal will prove decisive.

Below: Val Stewart of the Historical Aviation Association studies the instrument monitors.