Fancy a day out fishing on Loch Lomond, whether a beginner or seasoned angler, you'll find the experience very enjoyable.  Get in touch with The Lomond Angler for more details.  I provide the boat, permit, rods, tackle and life jackets.  All you need to bring with you is warm and water proof clothing.

The Lomond system provides some of the best game and fly fishing available in the UK with day, weekly and season tickets available.  The salmon and trout fishing season on the Lomond System opens in February until October each year.

There is some fantastic sea trout fishing on the fly, wading out on the rivers and in the Clyde Estuary during the Summer months.

Looking at Loch Lomond on a map, the first thoughts of the visiting angler to the ‘Big Loch’ must be ‘Where do I begin?’….. a very good question indeed.

Some facts and figures

With a surface area of 27 square miles, Loch Lomond is the largest expanse of freshwater in the United Kingdom.  With a length of 27 miles and 5 miles at the widest point.  The average depth is 121 feet and maximum depth 620 feet. It holds the second largest volume of water in the UK, only deeper Loch Ness holds more.  Within the Loch’s waters there are over thirty islands, including prehistoric crannogs.

So where does one begin??

Out on the Drifts

Much of the angling sport is found around the islands, particularly with sea trout which are always present in numbers and quality.  Every season sea trout in excess of six pounds come to fly and dap.  However, before embarking on a day on the drifts, one must have a good knowledge of the likely lies and flies.  The ‘Big Loch’ is not the place for the beginner and the services of an experienced ghillie or guide are invaluable.

Many regular Lomond fly fishers favour ‘the dap’ particularly using big imitation daddylonglegs.  Dapping is an art of its own and accounts for some really big sea trout with double figure fish coming to the net every season.

The visiting angler will be introduced to the island drifts around Inchlonaig, Inchmurrin, Inchmoan, Darroch and Inchcruin.  Of course Lomond is not only famous for sea trout but also for the salmon which rest up on the shores awaiting spawning time.  So when that big boil appears at your bob fly and all hell breaks loose, just hope that you’ve enough backing on your reel!

On the Troll

Loch Lomond is connected to the Clyde Estuary by the six mile long River Leven. Every season from March onwards, salmon make their way into the Loch to rest up before returning to the rivers and burns of their birth to spawn.  In the earlier part of the year spring salmon ranging from 10lb to 20lb plus are landed regularly by anglers on the Leven and the Loch.

A day out on the troll can be varied.  From March to July, Loch boatmen tend to concentrate on the lower reaches.  Lures can range from plug types to died natural sprats.  Everyone has their favourites.  The lower end of the Loch is the widest and shallowest so it goes without saying that a good deal of knowledge and experience is needed to have any measure of success and more importantly navigate hazards such as the Boturich Rocks and Endrick Bank where the early fish find initial sanctuary.  As the season progresses the springers move up the Loch to the much deeper and narrower ‘Tap End’, while others remain ‘camped out’ around the island shores.

From July onwards grilse runs enter the Loch providing lively sport.  It’s not uncommon for some boats to land two or three of these ‘bars of silver’ over the course of a day.

At this time of the season many loch boatmen sail northwards to the quieter, more scenic end of the Loch in pursuit of their quarry.  With its rugged, mountainous, fiord like appearance, this part of the Loch is in complete contrast to the bottom end.

Ospreys nesting in the surrounding pine forests can be seen fishing and herons standing at the banks like statues also trying their luck.  Otters, wild goats, deer and all manner of wildlife abound.  One thing is for sure, even without a fish in the boat, a day on the troll here can be an unforgettable experience, particularly with some good company and ‘the craic’ aboard.

Loch Lomond has its own weather system and sometimes it just doesn’t allow enough wind to cause the big wave needed to cast a fly around the islands.  However there are other less well known drifts up north, particularly around Rowchoish which may just benefit from a stiff breeze funnelled through the mountains.  Many anglers combine a day out on the troll with a few drifts on the fly and this can make for a very worthwhile and successful venture.

Loch Lomond and its’ Bonnie Bank’s is a great place to be.  Anglers feel privileged just to be part of it and soak up the atmosphere.  They say that a fish is a bonus and although this is certainly the case with the Big Loch, it holds many other bonuses.

Enjoy and ‘Tight Lines!‘