TL;DR: Late May has Wormit looking about as good as it gets. The water is gin clear, the banks are freshly cut, the trees are in full bloom, and the fish are properly on the move. Evening rises have been superb, with Richard McLeary landing 7 and Graham landing 11 during a cracking session. Craig Fleming also had a tremendous day with 14 fish before 2pm, including a double hook-up landed cleanly. Diawl Bachs, buzzers, midge-tip tactics and cheese egg under the bung are all producing, with the sluice area fishing especially well. Fluff Flingers Fly Fishing also returned to Wormit, and their latest feature has already had more than 4,000 views.
Weekly Summary
Late May has landed properly at Wormit. The fishery is in tremendous condition just now. The grass is freshly cut, the trees are in full bloom, the water is gin clear, and the fish are moving strongly across the loch.
This is one of those short windows in the season where everything seems to line up. We have had lovely weather, but the water is still holding cool thanks to our east coast position and the night-time breeze. That makes a big difference. Warm enough for fly life and surface activity, cool enough to keep the trout comfortable and feeding properly.
As this report is being written, there are bow waves moving all over the water outside the window. That is usually a fair sign that the loch is not sitting there sulking.
The water is at its peak now. Clear, cool, balanced and full of life. There is no problem weed affecting the fishing, the margins are looking natural, and the fish are playing ball. You cannot ask for much more without becoming unreasonable, which is normally my job.
Catch Highlights
Returns this week show a fishery in excellent order, with strong sport during both daytime and evening sessions.
- Richard McLeary had a superb evening session, landing 7 fish and losing several more. Fish were coming slightly short at times, but the evening rise was described as brilliant.
- Graham, fishing alongside Richard, had 11 fish and also dropped plenty more. Both anglers were straight into proper Wormit evening sport and are already looking forward to returning.
- Craig Fleming, who knows the fishery well, had an excellent day, landing 14 fish before 2pm, losing 4 and missing plenty more. His tactics included Diawl Bach on a midge tip and cheese egg under the bung.
- Craig also managed a double hook-up and landed both fish, which is a fine achievement in its own right and usually enough to make the heart rate do something unhelpful.
- The sluice area fished particularly well for Craig, while the lagoon was quieter on the day.
The key message this week is movement. Fish are active, visible and feeding, but anglers still need to adapt. The evening rise has been excellent, but some fish are coming short, so presentation, scale and patience still matter.
Best Tactics and Flies
This is now proper late-spring fishing. Fish are moving confidently, but not every fish is taking the same way. Some are chasing, some are lifting, and some are just having a half-hearted swipe to keep everyone honest.
Daytime tactics
- Diawl Bachs on a midge tip
- Buzzers and small nymphs fished with good contact
- Cheese egg under the bung where fish are holding at the right depth
- Washing-line tactics when fish are sitting higher in the water
Evening tactics
- Small dries when fish are showing confidently
- CDC patterns, Shuttlecock Buzzers and emergers when fish are coming short
- Light nymphs and Diawl Bachs when fish are moving but not fully committing to the surface
- Keep disturbance low, watch the water, and do not charge in with the fly box like a man trying to fix a boiler with a hammer.
How to play the day
- Start by watching the water for five minutes before changing flies.
- If fish are moving high, stay high in the water column.
- If fish are showing but not taking, scale down and slow down.
- If the wind gets up, a midge tip with Diawl Bachs or buzzers remains a very sensible place to be.
- Cover ground and rotate properly. The fishery rewards anglers who move and think.
Stocking and Water Management
The water is in excellent condition. Visibility is superb, the loch is holding cool for the time of year, and the fish are clearly comfortable.
Weed and Lake Shadow: Lake Shadow is working well. What we are seeing now is the weed growth being checked and held back. The lesser pondweed and Canadian pondweed have been stunned rather than allowed to run away, which is exactly what we wanted.
Just as importantly, we are now seeing more of the right kind of natural aquatic plant life returning in the margins. This is not problem weed. It sits at the edges, supports natural food life, gives fish cover, and improves the overall balance of the loch without interfering with casting or fly lines.
That is the goal. Not a sterile bowl. A healthy, fishable loch.
The grass carp have also been putting on a bit of a show, basking in the sun and catching anglers’ attention as they move past. These fish are probably over 10lb now, and when they see you at close range it is difficult to know who gets the bigger fright, the angler or the carp. Either way, it is good entertainment.
Fluff Flingers Visit
We were delighted to welcome back Blair and Euan from Fluff Flingers Fly Fishing.
For anyone who has not come across them yet, Fluff Flingers are two cousins from Scotland who travel around the UK finding good fishing spots, having a laugh and showing the real experience. That is the key point. They are not trying to be polished TV presenters or make every cast look like a masterclass. They show fishing as it actually is, and that is why people enjoy them.
They had visited Wormit before, but this time we wanted them to see the fishery in spring, when the place is right at its best. They fished through to dark, had serious action and have put together a cracking feature on the fishery.
Their latest Wormit video has already had more than 4,000 views, and the line that means a lot to us is that they described Wormit as somewhere they genuinely think could be one of Scotland’s best fisheries or fishing spots.
That sort of comment matters, especially from anglers who are out there visiting different waters and showing the real experience.
You can watch their Wormit feature here:
Watch the Fluff Flingers Wormit feature on YouTube
You can also follow their wider channel here:
Fluff Flingers Fly Fishing on YouTube
Angler Reminders
- Peg rotation: 6 fish or 90 minutes per peg, then move on and miss the next peg. This is non-negotiable and keeps the fishery fair for everyone.
- Discarded nylon: please take all leader and tippet trimmings home. Even a short length on the bank can be lethal for birds and wildlife. Put it in a pocket, not on the grass.
- Litter: take it home or use the car park bin. Keeping the fishery spotless is everyone’s responsibility.
- Fish care: barbless or de-barbed hooks only. Keep fish wet, unhook quickly, photograph in the net where possible, and release gently.
- Online booking only: all permits must be booked online. Please do not turn up expecting to pay on the bank.
- Want featured? Send your catches, flies, tactics and a short note about your day to fishery@salmoscotland.co.uk or text 07727 360428.
Weather Forecast
A mild, mixed and very fishable outlook. The forecast shows cloud, breeze, showers at times and a shifting pressure pattern rather than hard, flat high pressure. With the water still holding cool, the trout should remain comfortable. The key will be adapting between dries, buzzers, nymphs and bung tactics depending on light, wind and movement.
- Fri 29 May: 19°C / 10°C, mainly cloudy with showery rain possible, brighter towards the east coast. Pressure 1015mb. Sunrise 04:33, sunset 21:44. Around 17 hours 15 minutes of daylight.
- Sat 30 May: 21°C / 12°C, cloud building with rain later, possibly heavier in spells. Pressure 1018mb. Sunrise 04:32, sunset 21:46. Around 17 hours 18 minutes of daylight.
- Sun 31 May: 19°C / 11°C, scattered showers and mild. Pressure 1009mb. Sunrise 04:31, sunset 21:47. Around 17 hours 21 minutes of daylight.
- Mon 1 Jun: 18°C / 11°C, further rain likely, but still fishable between spells. Pressure 1005mb. Sunrise 04:30, sunset 21:49. Around 17 hours 23 minutes of daylight.
- Tue 2 Jun: 18°C / 10°C, light showers, cloud and brighter breaks. Pressure 1003mb. Sunrise 04:29, sunset 21:50. Around 17 hours 25 minutes of daylight.
- Wed 3 Jun: 17°C / 10°C, light showers and cloudy spells. Pressure 997mb. Sunrise 04:28, sunset 21:51. Around 17 hours 27 minutes of daylight.
- Thu 4 Jun: around 13°C, cooler and breezier with showers possible. Pressure 1000mb. Sunrise around 04:27, sunset around 21:52. Around 17 hours 25 minutes plus of daylight.
With sunset now heading towards 22:00, the evening sessions are becoming a serious part of the week. The last hour of light has been especially good when the surface settles and fish start moving properly.
Advice
Fish the conditions, not your habits. That remains the most useful line in the report.
- Watch before you cast. There are fish moving, bow waves showing and proper activity across the loch. The water will tell you more than your fly box will.
- Use the midge tip well. Diawl Bachs and buzzers on a midge tip are a strong daytime option, especially when fish are moving but not fully on top.
- Do not ignore the bung. Cheese egg under the bung has produced well, particularly where fish are sitting at a set depth.
- Scale down in the evening. If fish are showing but coming short, move to smaller dries, emergers, Shuttlecock Buzzers or light nymphs.
- Use the weather. Cloud, breeze and light showers can be your friend. Bright flat calm spells may need more care, longer leaders and less disturbance.
- Respect the rotation. 6 fish or 90 minutes, then move and miss the next peg. The anglers who rotate properly nearly always find more fish.
Bookings
The loch is in superb form, the water is clear, the fish are moving and the evenings are now a major part of the fishing week. Book early for the weekend, and do not overlook mid-week sessions. They can be every bit as good, sometimes better.
Day rods: £32.50 Catch and Release, dawn until dusk. Maximum 12 rods on the water, no exceptions.
Evening rods: £25 Catch and Release, 5pm until dusk. Released at 2pm on the day, online only, subject to availability and only where they do not interfere with day rods.
🎯 Book Day or Evening Tickets Online
🎁 Gift Vouchers
Phone bookings: 07727 360428. Email: fishery@salmoscotland.co.uk.
Tight lines,
Greig, Wormit Fishery
