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News 2009
Chairman's
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NewsEnd Of Season Report 2008 Gordon's big fish from Tig pool At Ballantrae Bridge, Robert Dalrymple tells me they were around 20% down on last year, obviously the constant high water not suiting this beat. Also quite astonishingly, he tells me they only had two fish over 10lbs. All in all a fairly enjoyable season. Upstream on Balnowlart the syndicate rods had three of these big fish (all returned). The biggest was caught on a cascade by Hugh McLatchie - this fish measured 42 inches long and estimated between 26/27lbs. Kenny Gibson had an 18/19lbs hen fish on a tiger rapala and
Gordon Hyslop had a wonderful day on the 17th Oct landing three fish
including a 37 inch, 9 inches deep, estimated around 20lbs on a red
tube fly on the Tig pool.  Martin & Verner, from Switzerland at Kirkholm  Martin just after he landed his first ever salmon Kirkholm was booked for Oct 8th and after a ten foot flood on the 6th, the water was perfect. I was to look after Martin who wanted to fly fish & I recruited the very able Kenny Gibson to look after Verner (a beginner) who would spin. Martin looked rather alarmed at the 14ft fly rod I provided him with saying it was very long compared to what he was used to but after a quick lesson it was heartening to see him grasp the basics & by lunchtime he was putting out a nice line. Just after lunch he hooked and landed a lively little fish of 6lbs. Kenny had his man in the action after only an hour when he landed a beauty of a fish around 10lbs. Verner then hooked another five fish on the rapala but landed only one more around 12/13lbs (a hen fish, full of eggs - which was duly released). All in all a very enjoyable day for all concerned and I get the feeling they'll return. Knockdolian was booked solid from mid September, right through the season with some good catches being made. I enclose an email I received from John Cairney about a red letter day: "Hi Gordon Up on Colmonell club water, bailiff Robert McIlwraith has had a fantastic
season landing close on twenty salmon on the fly with the vast majority
being returned. On Monday 28th Oct, Craig Hastings hooked a fish on his
second cast at the bridge, he had it on for nearly an hour and was just just
bringing it to the bank when it started thrashing on the surface and broke
him. I witnessed the fish on the surface and it was certainly well over
20lbs. The young Walker boys from Craigneil Farm both had their first salmon
this season. Stuart with a lovely 8lb fish in August & his younger brother
Craig with one in October around 13lb which was a red hen & was photographed
& returned. Well Done Lads!!  One of the Carney party beaching a fish at Dalreoch
Finally up at Hallowchapel, Bill Monks party had a terrific week
including an 18 pounder - these guys take a few for the pot but the majority
are returned. They also had a fish in October well over 20lbs. I'm afraid I
don't have much info the further up the river we go apart from Minuntion
where Johnny Warrender landed a 19lbs fish. I also had a report of two
anglers landing eleven fish in one day up at Knockeen (approx 3 miles above
Barr). September 2008Out of August & into September and no let up of the rain. Good numbers of fish are being caught all throughout the length of the river. The majority of these are in the 5 - 6lb class, spanking fresh. These are the fish we used to get in mid July but now seem to arrive 4 - 6 weeks later. There has been the odd big fish encountered during August but not many; however yesterday (Sept 15th) Knockdolian had fish of 20lb & 15lb. Today on Balnowlart Stuart Laing had a brief encounter with a fish well into the teens, then a few hours later Jimmy Blane lost a huge fish after a long dour struggle. The fish was nearly beat and on its side when the Toby parted company. Jimmy was with his brother Willie during the tussle and they both put the fish in the high teens or more. Robert Dalrymple tells me they were counting 65 fish to the end of August at Ballantrae, compared to 90 last year, obviously the high water not encouraging them to hang around. Balnowlart rods have had good sport with the grilse with the odd better fish among them. Jim Gruggan had a nice one at 12lb and on his next visit he hooked another good fish only for it to disappear with the fly, leader and the braided loop he had attached the previous evening. (suggest a dab of superglue next time Jim). Knockdolian had 40 fish up to the beginning of September but I am sure this figure could have been trebled had it been fished more. There is no better month than August to fish the Stinchar if it gets water. On the club water at Colmonell best fish fell to Sandy Wilson 12lb which he returned. A first salmon for Stuart Walker (8lb )on a rapala. Kirkhill seemed to be well fished with most rods being successful. Dalreoch and Almont and Hallowchapel all are doing well; best 17.5lb off Dalreoch. Anglers coming to the Stinchar can now access river levels at www.fishayrshire.co.uk where it shows the Stinchar at Ballantrae. This is a SEPA station at Balnowlart and is updated twice daily. For those of you familiar with the marker on Colmonell bridge the SEPA gauge is one foot lower. ie. 2ft on SEPA is 3ft on Colmonell bridge. Hope you find this useful. Finally any angler who would like to contribute to the site can inform me of catches and can include photos by e-mail or mobile. Gordon Hyslop August 2008
At Balnowlart the syndicate rods were mostly getting a fish each but no great catches recorded - although it must be said the quality of the fish was exceptional, with a good number of double figure fish covered in sea-lice. Kirkholm said they had a fish most days but felt it was dour for the time of year. Best so far was a sea-liced 13 pounder by Kenny Gibson. Knockdolian is suffering from a lack of anglers. Mr Edwards fishing the Twins and Bankweil on Monday 11th August had a great day landing 6 fish up to 14lb - 5 of these were returned. The Club Water has had a few but on Saturday the 2nd August, in a perfect water, 10 anglers never seen or touched a fish, while 500yds up the river on the Kirkhill beat Gilbert Brown fishing by himself told me he had his best day ever - landing and releasing 9 salmon. On Bardrochat, Dalreoch and Almont stretches Paul Mottram told me since the last week of July, they had 16 salmon up to 12lbs and 4 grilse but he too is lamenting about the lack of anglers. Hallowchapel has also been very lightly fished with only a couple caught. Up on the Wee Stinchar Phil Haughton landed 3 fish of 9, 10 and 12lbs on August 8th. I have an e-report of a fish caught on the Nether Barr stretch right at the top of the river. I fished Balnowlart all day yesterday (16th August) and there were a lot of fish coming in. I landed 2 nice fish around 8 1/2 and 6 1/2lbs and a smaller grilse around 3 1/2lb. The forecast for the coming week remains unsettled and I believe the Stinchar is the place to be as long as we keep getting the water. July 2008
Above Colmonell David Bover fishing the Kirkhill Fishings had a fish of 11-12lbs on the fly, which he returned. Dalreoch had a fish of 12lb caught by J McConway from the Smiddy on the fly and apart from a small number of sea trout caught and returned it has to be said everyone gets the feeling that there is not a lot of fish about yet. Here's hoping they come in more numbers on the next spate. (G Hyslop).
June 2008The season on the Stinchar is now finally under way. The only fish up until now was a very small spring fish around the 5lb mark caught in mid April by Jim Bryson fishing at the Old Bridge at Ballantrae. Jim took a few scales for the Pitlochry lab before returning it. The lab confirmed it to be a spring fish. May and June were non events as the river dropped to the lowest level seen for a number of years. On Sunday 29th June the river crept up 18" after overnight rain and a few fish, mostly sea trout were seen. Kirkhill caught and returned a beauty of 4lbs. May 2008It is heartening to report that the river Stinchar is steadily regaining its reputation of being South West Scotland’s premier spate river. There was and is evidence of the beginning of a Spring Run returning. Given the right conditions there are Stinchar fish ready to run the river in this early part of the season. However these fish are not ‘Bars of Silver’ but rather, ‘White Gold’, and deserve the highest conservation priority. The Board stresses to all Anglers to abide by our new Angling Guide Lines and to return these fish. See the Chairman's full Report here.
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