“Goldenloch” Fishing Report 2021
email: john@john-nicol.co.uk
Phone; 01337840355, or 07968006367
Water Temp up 4 to 6.6 Degrees – Secchi is 4ft and Clearing
“The Goldenloch”
March-01-03-2021, Fishery Blog, Week 09.
Been closed since the 5th January, to be honest with the way covid-19 was in the community, just then after Christmas, I am really glad we took that decision when we did, however restrictions are still in place that will affect clients from Kinross shire and Dundee, But Perthshire is good to go, as we are within 5 miles of the county boundary (4.95mls ) so we are open to Fife and Perthshire, The Cormorants, there are plenty about, haven’t been such big a problem on the loch this year, they visit us but don’t land, due to our visual and noise deterrents, which were in place till the gales ripped them apart, still using a rifle as well, but with my eyesight the way it is, hitting one would be a miracle, we have had some guest fishermen lately, just to see how its fishing, its really good, plenty fish as we stocked in January, so the fish are definitely acclimatised, results so far are 6, 7, 6, 6, 4, 0, 0, 5, 10, 10+, these were the amount caught and returned, plus many fish lost ( two zeros, it was bitter cold and very windy), so boat preparation is not going on very well, as of Saturday today, 7 boats washed, but 6 need new floors, I have the wood, just not the energy,12 new ash oars, they need matched up to the boats, however it is early March, I really don’t expect to be that busy, More important is that the Argulus traps are to be lifted this week, put down in July 2020, they consist of a float tied to a square Black plastic down pipe, dropped into areas we know are where there is / was lice, we have done different methods since 2006, this one definitely works the best, however this year, I expect a bit of a downturn in eggs laid, I genuinely think I have cracked the Argulus / Lice threat, last year during lockdown, I removed from the loch floor dozens of large boulders, all with the tell-tale Lice eggs strings, also round the loch margins large boulders were covered with soil and unnecessary weed / reedy areas sprayed with roundup, all to reduce lice breeding / egg laying, it really works and from a heavy infestation 2 years ago in 2018, we have this past year 2020 had virtually no fish with serious lice on them, Next week I will explain what I did during 2020, as I consider it to be a game changer as far as the Argulus Threat for fisheries goes, having done, read, treated, just about every thing there is to know, what I have done is completely of my own accord, it worked well here, Fifteen good anglers that knew what they were looking for, inspected over a two month period hundreds of fish caught, two guys found only a few fish with two or three juvenile’s lice in October.
I wrote this next piece in “2018” whilst I was experimenting with my own ongoing Argulus trials, a contractor was employed to treat the water with a product that is now since 2021 been made illegal, (Brexit) also due to UK pesticide rules, but what I am doing myself, is still allowed, now I feel it will be a complete game changer, dozens of fisheries could benefit from this system, using it will be freely available, as far as I am aware has no restrictions on it.
Goldenloch Fishing Report 2018
Email:john@john-nicol.co.uk Phone; 01337840355 , 07968006367
Goldenloch
August 08th-Week-31-2018
An over reaction is not necessary, but we think it is better to inform, rather than allow rumours to grow arms and legs.
It looks like we have again a light infestation of Argulus foliaceus, this is freshwater lice, it is a parasite, if the infestation goes unchecked, it can basically kill fish, light infestations are not uncommon, in stocked waters, also waters with heavy pike or perch populations, if it is left to spread and multiply the fish can become heavily invested, the following statement is the biology of the louse,
{The common fish louse lives in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments.[5] All life stages of both sexes are parasitic. It attaches to its host, usually a fish, via its suction cups, pierces the skin with its sharp stylet, and feeds on blood. It may live in the gills. A heavy infestation causes inflammation of the skin, open haemorrhaging wounds, increased production of mucus, loss of scales, and corrosion of the fins. The wounds are often infected with bacteria and fungi, which further degrade the skin layers. The fish can become anaemic. During feeding, the louse also injects digestive enzymes into the flesh. Infested fish may exhibit loss of appetite and slowed growth, and behavioural signs such as erratic swimming and rubbing up against aquarium walls. The damage and infection cause stress and mortality.}
At the Goldenloch we have had this threat hanging over us for 30+ years, ever since Lindores Loch, a very close neighbour, basically became one of the heaviest invested waters in Europe, eventually it was forced to close to trout fishing because of the lice infestation, recently being the last six or so years, various individuals, clubs groups have restocked Lindores Loch, for trout fishing, all failing and walking away from the Loch, this allowed the broken chain to reconnect, thus completing the cycle that has allowed the parasite to breed again, I am pretty certain that the Argulus has again managed to multiply into vast numbers, as it can in warm water very quickly grow from thousands to billions, birds such as ducks, swans, Osprey etc spread it, but it needs fish to be the host, now fortunately there are some things that can be done and there are some remedies and things that can be done to reduce the infestation
Our bio security here is probably unrivalled and is the best there is, for 20 years we have operated disinfectant tubs, rinse nets and motors, which I must congratulate anglers for using, as pretty much 100% of clients use them, and it is vital that this continues, we have supplied nets for the same time, they are located around the loch at various points and we urge anglers to use our nets, Other lochs need to do likewise or they too will suffer this fate, so we have here a moderate infestation and today or rather tonight, 7 fish were closely examined, no lice were found, yet fish were caught at the weekend with Argulus attached but they very quickly fell off , at this stage these lice present no threat to the fish or humans, or the fishing, it is when the fish are severely infected which cause secondary infections, help us eradicate these fish, in each boat there will be Heavy Duty bin bags, if you think you have caught an infected fish, please bin it and tell us, if there a problem, at this moment in time no there isn’t, however Marine Scotland have been notified and we wait a reply, there are a few other infected waters around and anglers must declare or rinse there equipment in the disinfectant tanks as a dry net can have thousands of live eggs on it, remember the infected lochs in the 1990s were Lindores, Loch Fitty, being the worst, Argulus lives in pike, eels, or perch other smaller places were also infected however there were five key areas in Fife
Here simplified is the problem, the adult louse lay strings of eggs, thousands which are 0.01 mm in size, they are very sticky and attach themselves to anything i.e. a trout or an engine / electric motor / net / line / flies even when dried out they are still live eggs, transported to another water say equipment or birds feet they can very quickly attach themselves to another fish or even just the water and the next cycle begins, the louse get on the fish and as the fish go for cover on bright days the sticky eggs are rubbed off on vegetation awaiting hatching once that happens they swim around attaching themselves to a new host,
Disinfectant and the proper type is the only way that anglers can combat this so dipping nets / equipment is vital, places without dip tanks just don’t get it or they don’t care, this is a problem that is here to stay and there are many places already infected that do very little to prevent further spread of Argulus, Please be aware and help to control this parasite its not going to go away. Proper approved disinfectant must be used as they contain the vital ingredients, jiff or pine just don’t cut it disinfecting now is really good as this is when the lice lay their eggs, but there are many other things that can be done that are much more successful,