Gatehouse and Kirkcudbright Angling Association
Just over 2 months of the season to go now. Catches have been steady throughout the season so far with an average of over 2 fish per rod. September and October often fish well, and there are a good number of blues in at present, which tend to fight strongly.
Trolling Electric Motors. We now have permission to use electric trolling motors with a boat on both lochs. ETMs are specifically for boat fishing giving a slow, 4-5mph steady speed. No other type of electric motor may be used and no petrol/diesel motor may be used.
It is a club rule that when using an ETM oars must be taken as well in case of motor failure.
Please bear in mind that there is a short walk from car parking to the boats at both lochs and electric motors are heavy.
Bag Limit. At each loch, the first 4 fish caught may be kept (10” and over for brown trout). You may continue to fish by catch and release but this must be with barbless hooks.
It is always nice to see youngsters enjoying fishing. Here is Violet Carlaw, age 11.​
Violet has been fishing at Lochenbreck with her Dad, Stuart, and this is her first ever trout.
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Loch Lochenbreck.
Lochenbreck usually fishes well. There are 6 boats available. Over the course of last season there was an average catch of 2.4 fish per rod, with an average kept weight of 2.3lb. The biggest fish was caught by Smithy, at 9lb 2oz.
Anglers are welcome to take up to their first 4 fish, but in the last few years there has been an increasing trend to catch and release, with just over 50% of fish caught last season being returned.
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Loch Whineyon.
Our wild brown trout loch has beautiful fish mainly in the 6-8oz range. But there are larger fish, and occasionally a 2lb+ fish is caught. Last season, Victor Roberts had the best brownie at 1lb 4oz.
As below, we have 1 boat at Whineyon but we hope to increase to 3 boats as the season goes on.
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Fishing is by fly only at both lochs. This may include dapping but trolling is strictly forbidden.”
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Boats.
For the 2024 season, boats will be available from Spar in Gatehouse, and Thomson's in Kirkcudbright as usual, one boat key for Lochenbreck will be held by Chris Rigby, club chairman. His home is Craig Croft, Laurieston, DG7 2PT and about 1 mile from the loch, so this may help those anglers approaching from areas such as New Galloway, Castle Douglas. You can contact Chris on 07796 207173. He will also be able to provide visitor day tickets.
We now have one boat available for fishing at Loch Whineyon. The key for this is held at Thomson's in Kirkcudbright.
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If you catch a good fish at either loch and would like a photo to go onto the website please get in touch.
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August 2024.
History of the Club
Gatehouse Angling Association was founded in 1927 when 6 trustees were granted the fishing rights on Loch Whinyeon and the lower River Fleet by the Cally Estates. In 1958 these rights were withdrawn following the resignation of the last surviving trustee. The Association then acquired the fishing rights on Lochenbreck and Woodhall. The rights on Woodhall were given up in 1966. Loch Whinyeon was leased to the Association for 50 years in 1965 with the lease being renewed in 2019 for a further 50 years. At the A.G.M. of 1965, the Gatehouse and Klrkcudbright Angling Association was formed.​
Lochenbreck was stocked with Brown Trout until 1969, when Rainbow Trout were introduced. After a 70s experiment with Brook Trout Rainbows were re-introduced in1989, since when they have been stocked regularly throughout each fishing season.
Our season runs from March until the end of October when the boats are taken off, although members can fish from the bank until the end of November. Whinyeon remains a Brown Trout only fishery, with fishing from the bank or by boat.
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This comparison of catches at Lochenbreck makes interesting reading:
1973: total fish caught=1142
average weight 2.56oz.
number over 4 ozs. 162
number of rods 221
Finally, as the season approaches, if you have never fished but would like to start, or have forgotten how, please get in touch and we will find someone to help. See Contact Us under the More Pages tab.
