Well that`s us two months into the new season and off to a fairly quiet start by all accounts, not that there have been many accounts. Few fishers have been out on the loch or river due to the continual unfavourable weather.

I put the `Greendrake` back onto its mooring last Saturday after the usual spring paint and varnish session which the wife would rather I conducted at home!!.

It`s always a good feeling getting down to Angus`s yard mid March to survey what`s to be done before the launch to make the boat hopefully presentable to the fish for another season. The usual problem is timing the weather for painting and varnishing unless you are lucky enough to have a space in the shed.

It`s a much better feeling when Angus reverses that trailer into the water and she floats off into the bay without any hitches and he gets his old Landrover back out again before it becomes submerged.

I went down to Balmaha last Wednesday for a look with the intention of going out but it was wild with very heavy squalls coming in from the south west. Not good at all. Decided to retreat, go home, park the car and go for a beer. Thursday wasn`t much better.Had a long lie and of course - back to the pub to meet some fellow fishers.

Easter Sunday I went down to give my brother Alan a hand to launch. Again it was still very blustery from the south west but I did learn from Sandy McFarlane that Jim Freeman had been out on Good Friday and took a nine and a half pound springer.Possibly the first fish into Balmaha this season.A good Friday indeed for Jim! No further info unfortunately as to where it was caught but Jim had said that he had passed by a Balloch boat which also has a fish. Sandy heard that Balloch boats took another couple of fish on Saturday but again no other information.However it`s good to get some reports that the the fish are in.

Last season the Botturich area yielded the first few fish and after that there were fish caught at Inchlonaig and Carrick Rock with several fish off the Endrick bank. I think that these are probably again the areas to concentrate on. Manse Bay is good for an early fish and Strathcashel Point can give you an early offer. At this time of the season I wouldn`t bother going much beyond the Ross Isles unless you just want some really good scenery. As to lures? Everyone`s got there own favourites. Sprats, rapalas, kynochs, tomics. They all take fish every year. A couple of 13cm raps and a kynoch on the poker perhaps.

I went out this Morning - Easter Monday - as did brother Alan but again it was wild. Fished the bank for a couple of hours to get my sea legs back and the cobwebs blown off.I was once again reminded that rough conditions can have a fair old effect on the digestive system.Struggled to get the boats back onto their moorings.

On Friday I read that the east coast systems from the Oykel to the Tweed are experiencing their best start to the season for years with the Tay doing particularly well.Hopefully the west coast systems will follow suit.If the weather lets us out soon we may find out!

Remember if you do get a fish at this time of the year - think - well mended kelt? Baggot? even though it`s shiny silver and jumps about have a good look at it. Look at the body proportions - Look at the gills.If in doubt put it back.You`ll know a springer anyway when it starts heading back towards the Leven with most of your line.

Finally may I wish Stuart McMichael, previous custodian of the Balmaha Diary, all the best for the future.You`ll be well missed on the loch Stuart - particularly by the grilse.

I hope to have an e-mail address very soon that you can contact me on with reports, photos or anecdotes that you would like to share - or any secrets - fishy of course!!!!

Regards - Jim Raeburn