Loch Rannoch in Perth and Kinross: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Loch Rannoch is a Perth and Kinross water, Scotland side. The sea is 26 miles distant. Around 7.2 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. Some 21 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. Few waters listed in Perth and Kinross are bigger. Aberfeldy sits 17 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Beyond it, Pitlochry at 21 miles and Comrie at 25 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Loch Rannoch

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Perth and Kinross include brown trout, Atlantic salmon, European eel and northern pike. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. On Loch Rannoch that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 12°C on average, February about 2°C. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. It is not guaranteed from one year to the next. February into May fishes hardest as the water warms. That shapes the year on Loch Rannoch. Rain lifts the level and moves fish about.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Loch Ericht is 9.2 miles off. The position on Loch Rannoch is worth confirming on the day.