Stillwater · Mixed · Perthshire

Butterstone Loch

Butterstone Loch terrain map
Terrain map

A famous competition venue on the eastern edge of Dunkeld, tucked into the woods just off the A9.

Fair · Trout
Kate McLaren · 12-14
Fairlive now
Good drifting conditions on Butterstone Loch
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
60% confidence
What moved it
  • WindW 9 km/hLight breeze
Today’s fly
Kate McLaren
Kate McLaren12-14
Retrieve, in the film
Conditions on the water
Live gauge
Wind
Light breeze
W 9 km/h
N
W
from the west
WaveRipple
Water temp—
Air temp15°C
CloudClear
Pressure—
Rain · recent0.0 mm

Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.

How to fish it · for trout
When
The damsel nymph is on. Murrough may also come into play as the day warms. The ripple is helpful — fish should move onto the feed and a slow-drifted team or single wet will cover water well.
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A

Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.

Plan B

If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.

Watch for

Murrough should come on through the afternoon as the water warms.

Boat — drift

A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.

Through the year
0–3 scale · July highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Daphnia SwarmHatch
2
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
2
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Trout fly box
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Condition match
78%
Cloud25%
Wind100%
Temp100%

A good match for this venue — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.

Other water nearby · 5
Ledyatt Fishery
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Lindores Loch (Golden Loch Fishery)
33 km
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Orchill Fishery
37 km
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Frandy Fishery
39 km
Rainbow trout · Brown trout
About this water

A famous competition venue on the eastern edge of Dunkeld, tucked into the woods just off the A9. Stocked rainbow and brown trout, boat and bank, fly only, and a long track record of producing Scottish international team selections. Butterstone had a difficult period in 2018–19 with an IHN disease outbreak that forced closure and a complete restock, but it has been back and stable since then, and as of 2026 it is once again holding competitions and fishing properly. The loch is small and sheltered by comparison with the Pentland reservoirs — closer in feel to an English competition stillwater than a Highland loch — and the fish behave accordingly: wary, technical, and capable of making a good angler look foolish twice in the same drift.

  • Loch
  • Mixed
Why this score
  • Wind conditions (ripple) closely match what this water fishes best in.
  • Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
  • Damsel Nymph is in its seasonal window, boosting the chance of targeted feeding.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 April → 31 October
Related guides
Scotland Playbookloch & river fishingSmall Stillwater Playbookstillwater tacticsThermal Layers & Troutreading depth and temperature
Booking & contacts