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Menteith Fishery

Report

Preseason Report 5th March 2008

Another mild winter with little snow or frost on the ground in Menteith. A new pond on the Malling Burn was constructed. This will allow for further increases in quality; the fish are given more room to develop, there is less aggression, and feeding rates can be reduced to produce older sleeker fish. The limit at the Lake has been reduced to 10 fish per boat for 2008, although there is no limit on fish greater than 5lbs. A greater proportion of brown trout will be stocked in 2008. 

2007 Boat Catch Summary:
 

The average fish weight for 2007 was 2lbs 7 ounces, and the 8hr day average 2 man boat catch for the year was 4.6 fish for 11lbs 2 ½oz. – 8% up on last year

The above data is calculated according to hours fished. It shows the average catch for a 2 man boat, and includes fish recorded as returned. The proportion of fish returned was 17.1%, up 7% on last year and mainly due to the number of competitions last year. In 2007 a record £27000 was raised for charities at Menteith.
 

The pike fishing has had another successful winter season with three thirty pound plus fish caught over the 3 days so far. The biggest was this 32lb 8oz beauty caught by Scott Davidson (right). Picture identification shows this fish was caught last March and weighed 27lbs. Another fish caught on the first of March was this fine 30 pounder by Darren Conroy (below left).

Jack Culpin with an Autumnal 28 pounder (below). A record number of small pike (<6lbs) were caught in the outings last Autumn.

Average catch per pike angler over the outings, ranged from 5.4 fish with an average fish weight of  5.8lbs to 2 fish of average fish weight 9.6lbs.

Lake Outfall Fish Trap Catches

Chris Carroll of Lochend holds a 1lb 10oz flounder caught in the exit trap on the Goodie in January. The mud on the Lake floor obviously is a good source of nutrition and the flounder’s positionally flat tactic must make it a difficult prey for pike. Has anyone heard of one being caught further from the sea (>20miles from the high water mark)? Below right is the corpse of a 30cm Tench found stuck to the exit grid (also in January) – which make us wonder.

War Time Wire
Other fishing that has been going on over the winter is by divers from the Historical Aviation association looking for the wreck of the crashed war time spitfire. The latest indication  proved to be rolls of barbed wire which were used to protect the war time munitions stored at the Lake. The Divers have now centred their searches on another site with interesting sonar and magnetometer readings.

Lake Trout  Season Starts 22nd  March
Stocking will commence 10 days prior to this with 400 brown trout of around 12-14 inches and 1400 rainbows (which are in tip top condition).  April is usually the best month at Menteith if catch number is the criteria. Fish will be found close to the bottom in the very shallow water but the most comfortable drifts will depend on the wind direction. Generally speaking the shallow eastern drifts of the Butts and Lochend tend to hold the fish and be more sheltered at this time of year. Successful tactics in early season last year were an intermediate line with less subtle flies, such as the blobs or cat. Watch out for sea-eagles this year. For more information on the coming year – including planned events, see website under events.