So summer holidays are almost upon us, and for once the weather is playing ball with a good few mini-spates helping to clear the river and for a couple of weeks Castlehill was regularly over-topping. Between we have had some long warm and sunny days encouraging hatches but making fishing quite difficult. Number of reports of nice fish being caught in the river up to 2lb in weight.
Glenquey has been fishing very well and remains pretty full. During May, 51 anglers submitted returns which recorded 269 fish were caught with a total weight of 134.75lbs (mean weight 0.5lb and mean catch rate 5.27 trout per visit). The monthly winner of an extra days fishing was an angler from Glenrothes.
Thanks to an early intervention by Alan Armstrong, a major oil leak from the substation at Rackmill was prevented from reaching the river. Alan had immediately informed SEPA, they were on scene very quickly and ensured an immediate intervention.
Members may be aware of a series of flytipping incidents at Glenfoot in the car park. The DAA are doing their best to get these incidents reported to the relevant organisations and the materials cleared. Please if you see suspicious activities here or elsewhere on the river please inform SEPA and Clackmannanshire Council https://www.clacks.gov.uk/environment/flytipping/
DAA committee members have been undertaking some training in invertebrate sampling to begin a series of regular invertebrate surveys so we can better understand the condition of the river.
Almost as a matter of course the Wednesday work parties continue the endless rounds of strimming, cutting, clearing fallen lumber and general maintenance. It is a tough ask for this group of retirees particularly in the mid-summer. We intend to organise a routine weekend (Sunday) work party, hopefully supported by the younger employed members of the Association. After a bit of lobbying by the committee, Dollarfied has been fenced keeping cattle away from the river. We are working with the landowner at Taits Tomb to find a fencing solution to prevent the current bank poaching by cattle, but robust enough not to be destroyed in spates.
Alan Graham has been co-opted as an anglers representative to the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board. It will be great to have a voice representing the Devon on the board at a very important time as a number of changes in fishery management are in the pipeline.
”
The Devon Angling Association 