Rotary Club of Perth - Angling Section
Letham Quaich: 2009 On Friday 25th September the Letham Quaich was fished for in the annual match at Butterstone Loch. The winner was John McEwan with two fish for 3lbs 13ozs, runner up was Harry Robertson with one fish for 2lb 5 0zs. The fishing was dour and difficult and only one other fish was caught by the four competitors, but John persevering caught his second and winning fish with only minutes of the 8 hour competition left. Well done John McEwan.
Scottish Rotary Annual Championships: Harry Rankin Trophy - 2009
Monday 1
st June The first leg of the Rotary Scottish Championships, was held at the
Lake of
Menteith. In very adverse conditions, (too hot for the fish to rise), John McEwan caught two fish for over 4lbs to win, he was accompanied by Harry Robertson, Murdo MacKenzie and Iain MacLean from the Club.
Scottish Rotary Annual Championships: Harry Rankin Trophy - 2008
The second leg of the Scottish Rotary Clubs Championships went very well, there were some 17 clubs competing from all over Scotland for the Harry Rankin Trophy. Steve Mannion won the Second leg and a crystal tankard with five fish (the limit) for 12lb 4ozs, but since he had not been able to fish in the first leg he came third overall. Gordon Hay, returning to fly fishing after a 25-year absence, had two fish for over 5lbs including the second heaviest fish of the day, just missing out by three ounces, while Iain Maclean had three fish for over 7lbs. While we did not win the Harry Rankin Trophy, members represented the Club well.
Letham Quaich: 2008
On Thursday 10th July 2008, six anglers from the club fished for the Letham Quaich on Butterstone Loch following a club meeting. Fishing from 3pm to 10pm they caught a total of 26 trout weighing 53 lbs 15 ozs. The winner Steve Mannion had six fish (the limit) for 12lb 14ozs, second was Harry Robertson with five fish for 11lb 10ozs and third was John McEwan with six fish for 11lbs 7ozs. Iain Maclean had the heaviest fish at 3 lbs 11 ozs. Steve Mannion retained the Letham Quaich
Letham Quaich: 2007
The Club Championship was held at Butterstone Loch on Monday 23 July between 9am and 5pm. The winner was Steve Mannion with six fish for 11lbs 8 ozs and runner up was Iain Maclean with four fish for 8lbs 9 ozs.
Letham Quaich: 2006
The Club Championship was held as part of the Scottish Rotary Championships at Loch Fitty on 7th June 2006. The winner was Sandy Dow with three fish for 6lb 2 ozs. Runner-up was Steve Mannion with two fish for 5lbs 4 ozs. Steve also won the Scottish Rotary Competition for the heaviest fish for one of 3lb 5ozs.
History:
It is certain that within the Rotary Club of Perth there has always been an interest in angling, specifically fly fishing for salmon and trout. This is not surprising given the proximity of the world famous River Tay flowing through the Fair City. Add to that the abundance of smaller rivers and freshwater lochs in the County of Perthshire and you have an angler’s paradise. Club members fish both rivers and lochs, for both Salmon and Trout.
Scottish Rotary Annual Championships:
Held over two dates, a day in May or June and another in September, again on a Scottish Loch, and fly fishing for trout from a drifting or anchored boat, this competition for the Harry Rankin Trophy is open to all Scottish Rotary Clubs. Additional prizes are awarded for the runner-up and the heaviest fish on each day. This event is organised by the Rotary Sports Officer for the three Scottish Rotary Districts.
Members of the Rotary Club of Perth are regular competitors in this event and two members have won the Harry Rankin Trophy in recent years, in addition to the subsidiary prizes. Iain Maclean won the trophy in 1999 and Steve Mannion won it in 2004.
Club Championship - The Letham Quaich:
Presented in 1944 by Past President Alf Brown as a fishing trophy for annual competition, the Quaich, a two handed Scottish drinking bowl, has been keenly contested. Members fish for trout from a drifting boat on one of the lochs in a style now known throughout the world as ‘loch style fishing.’ The competition lasts a day, usually in June or July, and the winner of the coveted trophy is the angler with the heaviest basket of trout, six fish maximum.
Letham Quaich 2007: Winner Steve Mannion with John McEwan, Iain Mclean and Harry Robertson.