However putting aside all the legal aspects, politics and administration of the Club I'm not entirely sure that our Club is heading in the right direction.
There are a few reasons for the decline of a once vibrant Hillend Loch and its renowned free rising fish.
No trout can thrive in the Loch in its present condition.
Over a number of years the decreasing and fluctuating water levels has certainly impacted on the eco-system of the Loch.
However some people at the club do not appear to be concerned about the critical state the Loch is in at present.
Incredibly the Club continue to heavilly stock trout into the shallow filthy Loch which at present looks like an abandoned industrial wasteland on a weekly basis with no consideration for the welfare of the fish.
No doubt as we head into the warmest and driest months of the year the situation is only going to get worse.
Several areas of the Loch are now unfishable such as the Big Moss, The Wee Moss and the Narrows which are undoubtedly down right dangerous too due to the silt and mud etc that is now exposed. Other areas such as the North Shore and the back of the woods are affected too and as such fishing areas are reduced and limited.
The water levels were at a very worrying level even before the trout season started this year.
The reason given for the low levels was that Scottish Canals who lease the Loch to our Club were carrying out Dam repairs and they had to release water from the Loch to enable them to do so.
We were informed that these repairs would conclude at the end of March.
The Club issued a statement in May informing the members there was still minor repairs ongoing but the good news was that no further water was required to be released however as I type this the water level is still decreasing.
We are now almost into July and nothing has been resolved.
I can only assume that the club are in regular dialogue with Scottish Canals and must be well aware of the knock on effects and damage the repairs are causing to the habitat and angling possibilities at Hillend this season and beyond.
June has always traditionally been the best time of the year for flyfishing at Hillend however I cannot bring myself to fish in such attrocious conditions.
I just haven't got the enthusiasm to walk around the Loch in its present state.
Never has the old angling cliche, "Theres more to fishing than catching fish" rang so true.
Another very disappointing aspect of the current situation is that people who should know better are insulting the intelligence of club members with condescending comments and remarks on the official club social media page regarding members genuine concerns about the current situation.
Ive been a member at Hillend for the best part of 30 years, I'm no expert however it doesnt take a genius to work out that the spawning burns and gravel beds for the few, if any, indigenous trout that still exist are impacted by low levels as well as the life cycle of the aquatic insects that Inhabit the Loch. Collectively this is all detrimental to the longterm sustainability of Angling at Hillend.
I'm now at a stage where I'm seriously thinking of giving up my membership and moving onto pastures new.
Contrary to the view of some at Hillend I believe there is something not quite right at my club just now and I just cant put my finger on it!
