Fishing Season Report 2022 May 22, 2023
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...
Fishing Season Report 2018 Jan 27, 2019
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2018 fishing season averaging between 16ozs and 32ozs, almost 5ΒΌ tonnes in total weight. A total of 256 fish were landed giving an average catch per visit of 2.9 fish compared to 6.1 fish in 2017.
By species, 255 brown trout and 1 Char made up the total numbers caught. The total weight caught was 266lbs 10ozs giving an average of 1lb 1oz.
Fishing Season Report 2017 Jan 21, 2018
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2017 fishing season averaging between 16ozs and 32ozs almost 5ΒΌ tonnes in total weight.Aa total of 536 fish were landed giving an average catch per visit of 6.1 fish. By species, 529 brown trout, 3 rainbow trout, 3 Char and 1 eel made up the total numbers caught.
The heaviest Rainbow Trout reported during the 2017 fishing season tipped the scales at 20Β½lbs, and a brown trout was reported weighing in at 33lbs! This fish was returned to Loch Earn but had it been retained would have beaten the previous British record by 1ΒΌlbs.
Fishing Season Report 2016 Mar 26, 2017
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2016 fishing season averaging between 16ozs and 32ozs almost 6 tonnes in total weight. Stockings took place on 9th March, 18th March, 20th April, 23 rd June and the 11th July. The average weight stocked in 2016 was 1lb 4ozs. The table below shows the average catches per visit to Loch Earn over the past ten years.
This year also saw the heaviest trout ever caught by rod and line in the UK and weighed in at an incredible 34lbs 12ozs. It was taken on the 2 nd October 2016 by Coatbridge painter and decorator Michael Mitchell fishing in the shallows at the western end of Ardveich Bay.
Fishing Season Report 2015 Jan 5, 2016
Season 2015 has seen a good number of heavy brown trout killed with at least twenty averaging in excess of 14lbs with some as heavy as 24lbs. Ten thousand brown trout were stocked averaging between 16ozs and 32ozs, almost 6 tonnes in total weight.
Pictured is one of the UKβs rarest fish: the vendace. Two of these fish have been caught (to the best of our knowledge) in the last eleven years. It is possible that a small population exists in Loch Earn!
Fishing Season Report 2014 Dec 30, 2014
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2014 fishing season averaging between 16ozs and 32ozs, totalling almost 6 tonnes in total weight. Stockings took place on 4th March, 11th March, 16th April, 26th June and the 16th July. The average weight stocked in 2014 was 1lb 3ΒΎ ozs.
The heaviest brown trout reported in season 2014 was a 17lbs 2ozs specimen taken by Associate Membership Season Ticket Holder Dougie Lawrie from Motherwell out fishing in his own boat Dreamcatcher on the 8th September 2014 along with a gang of dachshunds. Dougie was fishing his favourite lure the 12g Zebra Toby when the huge fish struck in the shallows of Ardveich Bay. It took a full twenty minutes to get the fish under control.
Fishing Season Report 2013 Dec 12, 2013
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2013 fishing season averaging between 16ozs and 32ozs almost 7 tonnes in total weight. Stockings took place on 6th March, 13th March, 24th April, 19th June and the 17th July. The average weight stocked in 2013 was 1lb 8ΒΎ ozs.
The heaviest rainbow reported in season 2013 was a 11lbs 8ozs specimen taken by Associate Member Season ticket holder Richard Zalewski from Dunfermline out in his own boat Sammy Troot on the 16th March 2013 at about 9.30 in the morning as he passed the fish farm exclusion zone fence. The fish was taken using a fast sinking lead tipped line and a pink bead head fritz. It took a full 30 minutes to get the fish under control.
Fishing Season Report 2012 Jan 11, 2013
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2012 fishing season averaging between 14ozs and 24ozs almost 4ΒΎ tonnes in total weight. Stockings took place on 9th March, 14th March, 18th April, 14th June and the 8th August. The average weight stocked in 2012 was 1lb 0Β½ozs
The heaviest rainbow reported in season 2012 was a 8lbs 3ozs specimen taken by Associate Member Season ticket holder Jim McKenzie from Stirling out in his own boat She Fears No Fish in the shallows of Ardveich Bay on the 8th August and was taken on ledgered maggot.
Fishing Season Report 2011 Dec 19, 2011
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2011 fishing season averaging between 14ozs and 28ozs almost 6Β½ tonnes in total weight. Stockings took place on 9th March, 16th March, 27th April, 15th June and the 27th July. The average weight stocked in 2011 was a very respectable 1lb 6Β½ ozs. The normal average would be in the region of 1lb 0ozs.
The heaviest rainbow reported in season 2011 was a 8lbs 6ozs specimen taken by William Beckinsdale from Balquidder out in his own boat the Friday Flier 11 in Ardveich Bay on the 22nd August and was taken on an orange countdown rapala near to the main fish cage block.
The heaviest brown trout reported in season 2011 was a 4lbs 12ozs fish also taken by William Beckinsdale from Balquidder out in his own boat the Friday Flier 11 on the 29th July. This fish was taken on ledgered maggot in about 45 feet of water.
Fishing Season Report 2010 Jan 20, 2011
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2010 fishing season averaging between 11ozs and 15ozs almost 3Β½ tonnes in total weight. Stockings took place on 31st March, 13th April, 28th April, 15th June and the 30th July. The average weight stocked in 2010 was much lower at 12ΒΌ ozs. The normal average would be in the region of 1 to 1ΒΌlbs. The reason for this was because of the severe winter conditions and much lower water temperatures resulting in poorer growth over the winter months.
The heaviest rainbow reported in season 2010 was a 4lbs 2ozs specimen taken by Bobby Snodgrass from Wishaw out in a Drummond Estate boat in Ardveich Bay on the 24th September and was taken on maggot in 10-12feet of water. A rainbow of 7lbs taken on a worm was reported by Season Ticket holder Adrian Reyneke from Falkirk out in his own boat on an overnight session in Ardveich Bay in August, but unfortunately there was no picture taken.
The heaviest brown trout reported in season 2010 was a 22Β½lbs fish taken by Robert Cunningham from Renfrew out in his own boat on the 17th April. The huge trout took a 5"Β orange Kynoch Killer just as the boat passed the mouth of the Beich Burn about 50 yards from the shore. After a 15 minute tussle the fish was weighed, photographed and gently returned to Loch Earn none the worse for the experience.
Fishing Season Report 2009 Dec 10, 2009
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2009 fishing season averaging between 1-2lbs and almost seven tonnes in total weight. From the information returned by associate member season ticket holders a new record was achieved during 2009 with an average of 9.0 fish per visit!
The heaviest rainbow reported was a 4lbs 6ozs specimen taken by Keith Reid from Muthill on the 15th March, fishing from a Drummond Estate boat in Ardveich Bay. The fish took ledgered maggots in about thirty five feet of water about a hundred yards off the boat hire jetty.
The heaviest char reported this season was a fish of 2ΒΎlbs taken by Jim Dixon from Tranent on the 20th April fishing from a private boat in Ardveich Bay. Again this fish was taken on ledgered maggots in about thirty five feet of water
The heaviest brown trout was a 20ΒΌlbs fish taken by 14 year old Kyle Ireland from Dunfermline out in his grandfather's boat on the 16th April. The huge trout took a 10cms green/orange tiger rapala just as the boat passed the mouth of the Kendrum Burn. Scale analysis at the Freshwater Fish Laboratory in Pitlochry established that the huge brownie was the same age as its captor: 14 years!
Fishing Season Report 2008 Jan 13, 2009
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2008 fishing season averaging between 1-2lbs and almost seven tonnes in total weight.
The heaviest brown trout reported was a 16lbs cock fish taken by Adam Smith from Bridge of Weir out in his own boat at the beginning of June. The huge trout took a rapala fished on a downrigger about fifty feet down as he crossed the loch in a line between Castraan Croft on the south shore and the fish farm on the north shore. The fish was photographed and returned safely to the water.
The heaviest rainbow reported was a 10lbs 8ozs specimen taken by Raymond Davis from Kincardine on the 12th August, fishing from his fathers's boat in Ardveich Bay. The fish took a ledgered worm in about thirty feet of water.
Fishing Season Report 2007 Jan 29, 2008
Ten thousand brown trout were stocked in the 2007 fishing season averaging between 1-2lbs for almost seven tonnes in total weight. From the information returned by associate member season ticket holders there has been a further improvement of catches over the previous five years with the average rod taking 8.5 fish per visit.
Heaviest brown trout reported in season 2007 was a 5lbs 12ozs fish taken by Andrew Christie from Gargunnock out in his own boat on the 21st April. The huge trout taken close to the trout farm took a ledgered maggot on a 3lbs leader and took about 15 minutes to land. These fish and other catches are available to view in the gallery.
We are aware from confirmed reports that at least two trout, one brownie and one rainbow both in excess of 10lbs were taken in the St. Fillans area of the loch in 2007.
