2022 was another busy year, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support. In 2022 we stocked 9,000 brown trout up to 2lbs 8oz, with a few extra fish from the suppliers as well. The season started off with lots of wind and rain so the fishing was very slow both on the banks and from the boats. During May we experienced a lot of East wind, but the fishing started to improve around the middle of the month and by the start of June the Loch was fishing really well from both North and South shores.

The fish were at all depths with some great days reported fishing the surface with traditional wets (Kate Mclaren, Dabblers, Bibios) and some small lure (hot head damsel, small hummungus). The trolling on the boats also did well with Tasmanian devils (black gold, Canberra killer, Brown Trout). As we went further into June, it warmed up and Tobys of all sizes started to catch lots of fish both spinning from the shore and trolling in the boats (Black and Gold, Blue and Silver, Copper).

Bait fishing had a mixed year in 2022 with some people having great days and others finding it really tough at times. The fishing was steady until the middle of August, but as the water temperature continued to rise the fishing became difficult with all methods. Subsequently, there were a few good days reported but generally it was slow until the end of the season. Overall, 2022 was a good year with good catches coming from the shore and the boats. Fingers crossed we have another good year in 2023.

Wheely Boat

Our 16ft Coulam wheelyboat finally arrived on the 11th April 2022 and what a beauty it is. The boat has a raising platform in the centre where we can add a ramp to allow access for wheelchairs. We also have 2 removable seats that have swivel bases for extra movement. This boat can be used by any disability badge holder for a cruise around the loch and for all types of fishing be it fly, spinning, trolling or bait fishing (MAXIMUM 3 PEOPLE WITH 2 WHEELCHAIRS). The price is the same as the regular boat hire. We have improved the access down to the jetty and hope that this will allow more people to fish or just take a cruise around the loch. As we aim to make Loch Earn accessible to all, we welcome any feedback or suggestions. The boat was well used through the summer months by wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. Many of these people were fishing Loch Earn for the first time and we hope to build on this in the years to come. The Boat can be booked in the usual manner just let us know you would like to use the Wheely Boat

Catch Returns

Catch and Release Wild trout are a precious resource and filling the freezer with them is not sustainable! Wild trout that are caught and released carefully will live to breed and be caught again. Catch-and-release can make a huge difference to the quality of fishing on a wild fishery.

How to release trout

• Use tackle that is an appropriate strength for the size of fish you expect to catch, as this avoids you having to play fish for a long time before landing. Long fights in warm weather are especially damaging.
• Use barbless hooks and have pliers to hand in case of difficulty. If the fish is deeply hooked, cut the line as the hook will work its way out and this is less damaging than a prolonged wrestling match.
• Always use wet hands to handle fish, and handle as little as possible. Avoid squeezing it.
• Try to release in the water and avoid landing on the bank or on gravel as this removes the surface slime and leaves the trout vulnerable to fungal infections.
• Photograph your fish close to the water, holding it out of the water as briefly as possible.
• Measure it rather than weigh it.

Angling Clubs

Fly Fishing Clubs

2022 was a good year for fly fishing clubs with some great days and evenings enjoyed. We were delighted to welcome some new clubs as well. All clubs also released a great many undersized wild brown trout which is good to hear and also bodes well for the future. All clubs fished for roughly an 8 hour session.