Lunan Run Starts Early

[Wildfisher]

why was the wier originally put in?

To supply water to drive Boysack Mill Paul.

It's a residential house now. I can never remember that mill working even when I was a kid.

In common  with  all rivers in east and central Scotland there were mills all down its length but all are long gone.

[Wildfisher]

Fred you had a wee go with the time lapse yet !

Some slo-mo here Colin. Best viewed HD720 full screen

lunan run solw

Is the bigger silver fish  a sea trout or a small salmon?

[Fishtales]

Looks like a sea trout Fred.

[hopper]

Just goes to show what could go up all our local burns if only we could get rid of the sea and river mouth netters.

[Wildfisher]

Yes Eric, I often wonder how many sea trout are being pulled out by the nets at Lunan Bay, or perhaps that should be pullerd  out.

[Wildfisher]

Another spate on the river today. I had a quick look this afternoon. Not a lot of fish running but I did see two nice sea trout struggling to get over Boysack Dyke. What a wonderful little river this is. For hundreds of year now it has survived against all the odds. I'm sure  if we could remove the remaining man made obstacles like this dyke  it would go from strength to strength. The stress on these fish from trying to surmount this pointless man made barrier must be considerable.

Best full screen HD 720

sea trout jumping

[superscot]

Both clips excellent and hope  you can catch some of the bigger chaps going up ! Shot from a tripod  Fred!  Canny wait till you get yer Drone and catch the middle of the river action shots.

[Wildfisher]

Thanks Colin. This next video was shot an hour ago  and shows the next and final serious barrier exactly 4KM upstream – as the fish swims – from Boysack Dyke.

This one is a serious problem in that it blocks with debris during spates and prevents the passage of fish. Last year I went in twice with waders to clear it. It's a hopeless, exhausing and dangerous task. Even when not blocked it is a barrier that smaller fish will struggle to surmount. It serves no purpose and if it is not a violation of the WFD I'd be very surprised.

Electro-fishing  has produced some juvenile salmon above it, so some do get past, but I have never, ever  seen a fish trying to ascend this barrier. I doubt very much if many sea trout get past this point and of course if none do then it's not a "home water", so fewer still  will try!  It's a vicious circle. It might be the sea trout struggle to get past Boysack Dyke, so few ever get even this far. That's a shame because the spawning habit on the Vinny is better than the upper Lunan which is a canalised ditch in many places.

Boysack Dyke, these sluices and their slipway should, in my opinion, be removed. They are pointless, redundant remnants of an industrial past and are bad for salmonids.

Best full screen HD 720

Vinny Sluice

[superscot]

Boysack Dyke, these sluices and their slipway should, in my opinion, be removed. They are pointless, redundant remnants of an industrial past and are bad for salmonids.

Was just going to ask the same question as in who controls the water flow, Just something calming in listening to flowing water, could sit and listen to it all day   

[Wildfisher]

Colin,    there is no sluice on Boysack Dyke, only on the Vinny. The land owners appear to adjust them when they remember.