COVID-19
As the lock down has eased we have been able to get permits to all of our usual sellers. In general Covid 19 restrictions allow all fishing activities but we urge members and visitors to obey any local restrictions and conform with the appropriate social distancing and hygiene regimes.
The latest advice from SANA remains unchanged:
COVID-19 – Advice on getting back to fishing – Updated 24th May 2021
Hopefully by the time we get to the next update all restrictions will have been removed
IMPORTANT INVASIVE SPECIES NEWS
In the space of a week Forth Rivers Trust reported a Pink Salmon caught on the River Forth and the discovery of Signal Crayfish in the River Almond.
Pink Salmon – The Forth District Salmon Fisheries Board reported on their website:
First pink salmon reported on the Forth. Stirling Council Fisheries had a report from one of their anglers catching a pink salmon today on their Forth beat. The fish was dispatched by the angler then pictured and reported to the fishery who then reported it to the Board. If you are fishing and catch a pink salmon, please dispatch it and report it to either ourselves by emailing board@forthdsfb.org or via our social channels.
You can also report it to Fisheries Management Scotland via their online app https://survey123.arcgis.com/…/1b8632f1d06c48c89bbac890…
For more information about pink salmon, head to the below link. http://fms.scot/…/05/210519-INNS-Statement-Pink-salmon.pdf
Pink Salmon (also known as Humpbank Salmon) are natives of the Pacific Ocean. They were periodically stocked into Russian rivers that flow in to the White Sea abd Barents Sea since 1956; and have since spread west into the North Sea and are now seen in Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Great Britain and Iceland.
Salmon anglers on the Devon should familarise themselves with the information and advice contained in the Fisheries Management Scotland note, Pacific Pink Salmon – Advice Note 2021
http://fms.scot/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/210519-INNS-Statement-Pink-salmon.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0E9qGop-jtoFDdr6eLXg9WL7wxLyOxPIWyhcyVayOD23jddNBdtoFYbb8
Signal Crayfish – A new population of Signal Crayfish have been discovered on the River Almond (West Lothian). The Forth Rivers Trust have details here:
https://forthriverstrust.org/invasive-crayfish-found-in-the-almond-catchment/
They are a non-native species from North America originally imported as a ornamental animals for garden ponds. Once established they are almost impossible to get rid off and can have a very detrimental impacting on bank stability through their borrowing, predating fish eggs and competing with fish for invertebrates.
Key to prevent the spread is good bio-security practice particularly when having been fishing where Signal Crayfish are known to exist
GLENQUEY
Most of the Ochils reservoirs remain pretty full, no doubt topped up by the occasional downpour which has characterised June and early July. At the start of June the work party endeavored clear access along the North Bank.
The latest catch returns (to 3rd week in June) shows 73 returns recording a total of 346 trout caught (average weight is 0.5lb and mean 4.7 trout/angler visit but included 10 blank visits). Twelve anglers caught 10 or more fish with the best “bag” being 18. Generally fish were in the range of 0.5lbs but a few trout in excess of 1lb were caught.
The angler winning a free day’s fishing from a draw of the Catch Returns is a Glenrothes resident.
If you mislaid a hat on the 13th June, you can reclaim it by giving Neil a call on 07748573561.
RIVER DEVON
The Devon has benefited from a few small spates in recent weeks which has helped to freshen it up a bit. There are a few reports on social media of decent 1lb+ fish being caught, mostly early in the morning or in the evenings. Once again these fish are being caught on nymphs cast upstream. There is more signs of surface action too, with a number of fish now being caught on dry flies
Its a bit too early for migratory fish entering the Devon, but any spate event from now on might encourage some early visitors to the River. Hopefully the relatively high current level of Castlehill Reservoir will remain, so if we get any serious rain the river will benefit from Glendevon