Back on the bank after a week away, and the fishery is in outstanding shape. Two weeks of settled early-summer weather have left the water gin-clear, the boreholes running at full capacity, and the loch sitting at an excellent height. The fish are in superb condition, the marginal weed is being managed as it appears, and from a purely aesthetic standpoint the place looks as good as I have seen it.
Surface temperature is sitting at 13–14 °C, with a lovely cool breeze rolling through on most days. That breeze matters. It is the difference between fish pinned up in the surface film and fish sitting at depth ignoring everything you throw at them. Read it, fish accordingly, and Wormit rewards you. Ignore it, and you will have a tougher afternoon than you need to.
Stocking is due very shortly. The loch does not need it, it is heaving with fish, but a fresh delivery will be announced as soon as it lands. Watch this space.
Weather & Water Conditions
High pressure is dominating across Scotland this week, bringing settled conditions, above-average temperatures, and light winds. With the Summer Solstice falling on Saturday 21 June, you are fishing the longest days of the year, close to 18 hours between first and last light at this latitude. There is no better time to be out.
- Wed 18 Jun: 18 °C / 10 °C – sunrise 04:21 • sunset 22:04 (17.7 hrs fishing)
- Thu 19 Jun: 18 °C / 9 °C – sunrise 04:21 • sunset 22:04 (17.7 hrs fishing)
- Fri 20 Jun: 18 °C / 11 °C – sunrise 04:21 • sunset 22:05 (17.7 hrs fishing)
- Sat 21 Jun: 19 °C / 9 °C – sunrise 04:21 • sunset 22:05 – Summer Solstice (17.7 hrs fishing)
- Sun 22 Jun: 16 °C / 11 °C – sunrise 04:22 • sunset 22:05 (17.7 hrs fishing)
Water temperature is steady at 13–14 °C at the surface, with cool overnight lows keeping things comfortable for the fish and easy for fly presentation. The loch is virtually weed-free, natural marginal growth is cleared as it appears, and clarity is exceptional. You can see the bottom in the shallows. Oxygen levels are strong, and the fish look and fight accordingly.
Catch Highlights
The reports coming in tell an honest story this week: those who have adapted to the conditions have done well, and those who have not have found it harder going. That is midsummer stillwater fishing in a nutshell, and frankly it is what makes a place like Wormit worth fishing. There is always a method that works, but you have to go and find it rather than wait for it to come to you.
The mornings have been the standout session. Fish have been visibly active and feeding in the surface film from first light, and those on the water early with a washing line have picked up numbers before the sun got up. The evening rise, from around five o’clock through to dusk, has been every bit as good, with dries and emergers coming into their own as the light dropped. The couple of hours either side of dusk have been particularly lively.
Through the middle of the day things have been quieter, as you would expect with clear water and a high sun, but far from switched off. Those who came off the floating line and went down to a midge-tip or intermediate, slowed the retrieve and fished at depth, kept catching. Snakes have done damage for those prepared to put a bit of pace through them when the breeze was up. The anglers who blanked, in the main, were the ones who sat on one method in the bright afternoon hours and waited. The water does not reward that approach at this time of year.
Want to be featured in next week’s report? Send your catches, flies and a few words about your session to fishery@salmoscotland.co.uk or by text, and I will make sure you get a mention. The more reports that come in, the better and more useful this becomes for everyone.
Stocking & Water Management
A fresh stocking is due very shortly and will be announced across our channels as soon as it is confirmed. In the meantime the existing head of fish is strong. The loch is well stocked and the quality is there to see in the condition of the fish being landed. Borehole flow is at maximum, the water is in prime condition, and marginal weed is being taken out on a rolling basis as it appears. There is nothing to complain about from a water management point of view.
Best Tactics & Flies
Morning, floating line: The washing line is the setup of the moment first thing. FAB on the point, buzzers on the droppers, size 14 black or claret have been most consistent, with a slow figure-of-eight or a gentle lift-and-hang as your retrieve. Fish are cruising visibly in the surface film in the early session and they are not difficult to tempt if the presentation is right. CDC emergers on the top dropper are worth carrying for when fish are clearly nymphing just under the surface.
Afternoon, sub-surface: As the sun climbs and the fish drop to around 2–3 ft, switch to a midge-tip or slow intermediate. Hot-head damsels on a slow figure-of-eight have been catching consistently through the middle of the day, with Diawl Bachs and Cormorants also worth a place in the team. When there is a ripple, do not be afraid to reach for a snake, black or olive, and pull it with conviction. The fish are chasing, and a snake worked with pace in a breeze covers water and finds them.
Evening, back up top: From around 5pm, come back to a floating line, or a very slow intermediate if there is any surface colour, and fish into the rising fish. Dries and emergers are the tools of the evening. Shipman’s buzzers, small elk-hair caddis and CDC patterns have all picked up fish in the last light. The evening rod sessions run from 5pm to dusk and have been superb value. Four rods maximum, online booking only, released at 2pm on the day.
Flies to carry this week: size 14 black buzzer, claret buzzer, Diawl Bach, Cormorant, CDC emerger, Shipman’s buzzer, elk-hair caddis, FAB (black or white), hot-head damsel, black snake, olive snake.
Angler Reminders
- Peg rotation: once you have had 6 fish from a peg or fished 90 minutes in one spot, please move on and skip the next peg before settling again. It keeps the sport consistent for everyone on the water.
- Fishery hut: the hut is a working office and is not an open-access facility. If you need to use the hut on your visit, for any reason, please arrange this with me in advance. Give me a call on 07727 360428 and I will sort it out. Equipment and tackle are stored in there, so unannounced access is not something I can accommodate.
- Fish care: barbless or de-barbed hooks only, please. Handle fish with wet hands, keep them in the net in the water for any photographs, and return them promptly. The fish are in superb condition right now, so let us keep them that way.
- Discarded nylon: please cut used nylon into short sections before disposal. Monofilament left on the bankside is a serious hazard to wildlife and it is entirely avoidable. The bin in the car park is there for a reason.
- Get featured: caught something worth talking about? Send photos and a short note to fishery@salmoscotland.co.uk or by text with your fly choice and tactics, and I will feature you in the next report.
Bookings
Midsummer at Wormit: close to 18 hours of fishable daylight, gin-clear water at 13–14 °C, and fish feeding hard at either end of the day. This is about as good as Scottish stillwater fishing gets in June. Get out and make the most of it.
Day rods: £32.50 Catch & Release, dawn to dusk.
Evening rods: £25 Catch & Release, 5pm to dusk, online booking only, released at 2pm on the day, maximum 4 rods per session.
Membership: waiting list open. Add your name via the membership waiting list or contact me directly.
Open: Wednesday to Sunday. Maximum 12 rods at any time.
Book online now at wormitfishery.co.uk or call 07727 360428.
Tight lines,
Greig – Wormit Trout Fishery
