Loch Tay

Loch Tay is the most famous loch within the district and the one from which the River Tay flows. It stretches for around 14 miles from Kenmore in the east to Killin in the west where its principal tributary, the River Dochart, enters.

The Dochart’s headwaters, known as the Cononish Water, rise on the slopes of Ben Lui (3,710 feet), west of Tyndrum. This is considered to be the symbolic source of the Tay, although the River Ba actually rises further west. The rougher Cononish soon flattens out to become known as the Fillan Water and, after passing though lochs Dochart and Iubhair near Crianlarich, finally becomes known as the Dochart. While surrounded by steep hills, including the dominating Ben More, the Dochart itself generally is a gently meandering river over a flat grassy floodplain.

The Dochart is famous for traditionally producing almost unique early running large high sea age salmon. Many of these 3SW fish traditionally had not only entered the Tay well before the angling season opened on 15 January but had already reached Loch Tay, where they gathered until warmer conditions in later spring allow them to enter the Dochart by passing the much photographed Falls of Killin.

While such fish are now much rarer, they still do exist, and the Killin end of Loch Tay is still a major focus for salmon fishing in early spring by trolling lures from boats. Later in the spring and through the summer, given some water, salmon are also caught to some extent right up the River Dochart.

The River Lochay is another tributary which merges with the Dochart as it enters Loch Tay. The Lochay was only made accessible to salmon around 1960 when the Hydro Board installed a fish pass around a large waterfall. There are still issues regarding this river which continue to be worked on.