Sea Trout Fly Fishing on the Big Loch (Page 1).

Sea Trout Runs.

Running times are very difficult to tie down on Loch Lomond although the main summer run starts in June and if there is suitable weather fish can be taken from then right through to the last day of the season. It is remarkable that fresh sea liced fish can be caught right up to the end of the season with snow lying on Ben Lomond and the Fintry hills.

The larger fish of five pounds up to double figures tend to be the earliest runners and can be taken up to the end of July. That is not to say that there are no exceptions to that rule with the largest in recent years being a sixteen and a half pounder taken in October 2002 and a fifteen pounder in October 2003, both incidentally on the dap.
Last year one of my boat partners, who is a jammy sod and has had a few big sea trout over the years and only really fishes a couple of times a year on day tickets, had a beauty on the 6th of May as we drifted onto Darroch in around five feet of water looking for a springer. When it took and his reel screamed I was sure we had a springer until six pounds plus of sea liced sea trout crashed out of the water. It tore all over the place but finally nestled in the net with the Ian Wood Muddler firmly lodged in the scissors. It was safely returned and I hope it made it to the spawning grounds safely.

There are also a significant number of fish which are caught in the Loch in September and October which are not likely to spawn in that year. It is thought that many of them spend the winter in the loch feeding and return to sea with the smolts the following spring. These fish show no sign of their spawn developing at the back end of the year and can provide excellent sport.

Most years there is a run of finnock or black nebs as they are known locally. The timing of the finnock run has varied a great deal in recent years. In years gone by there were huge runs of these smaller sea trout but that is not the case now although there are decent numbers to be caught from July onwards.

Some visiting anglers from over the border and some local experts have caught big sea trout in the Spring using downriggers. These fish have been in excellent condition and some have been spitting up roach when they have come into the boat.
There are fish which follow the traditional run patterns – running in the summer, spawning in November(ish) and returning to sea. There are those which spawn and return to the loch treating it as their sea and feeding there – for how long no one knows.

There are also late runners some of which are heavy with spawn and others which are non spawners and spend the Winter in the loch. Are these clearly defined runs or do they overlap? I'm sure it is mother nature's way of preserving the species – not putting all of her eggs in one basket so to speak.

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