Short Days, Good Sessions: Five Trossachs Bank Trips for Winter
Winter in the Trossachs is not the time for heroic all-day sessions. The light is short, the wind is cold and the best fishing often comes in a narrow window. That is fine. A well-planned four-hour bank session can be worth more than a damp slog from dawn to dusk. Here are five accessible options for winter 2026, with realistic time plans and the practical details you need before you go.
1. Loch Venachar: south-shore drop-off
Loch Venachar is a good winter starting point because there is plenty of bank access and several places where the bottom drops away quickly. The south shore has laybys and pull-ins, but park considerately and keep clear of gates. Permits are required; check the current issuer before you travel, as arrangements can change.
Likely species: pike, perch and, where permitted, brown trout outside the closed season. For pike, a deadbait on a float-leger rig or a slow-retrieved soft plastic along the drop-off is a simple approach. Fish from about 10am to 2pm, moving once or twice if nothing shows. Take a flask and a headtorch in case you stay later than planned.
2. Loch Ard: sheltered bays near Kinlochard
Loch Ard offers a bit of shelter when the wind is up, and the bays around Kinlochard are a sensible bet for a short day. Access is from the B829, with parking in the village area and a short walk to the water. Check the current permit details and any seasonal restrictions before you go.
Pike and perch are the main winter targets. A small deadbait fished near a weed edge or a jigged soft plastic around the bay mouths will cover most situations. Plan a 9.30am to 1.30pm session. The loch is big enough to feel wild but small enough that you can fish a couple of marks without wasting daylight.
3. Loch Chon: small water, quick fix
Loch Chon is a compact loch with a straightforward bank and a real sense of isolation. Access is via the forestry roads, and parking is limited, so arrive early and keep to marked spaces. Permits are required; confirm the current rules before setting off.
This is a good choice for pike and perch when you want to travel light. One rod, a handful of lures and a couple of deadbaits will do. Fish from 9.30am to 1pm, concentrating on the edges of weed beds and any wind lane. Because the loch is small, you can move easily if a mark goes quiet.
4. Loch Achray: weed edges and wind lanes
Loch Achray is one of the most accessible Trossachs lochs, with parking off the A821 and plenty of bank to explore. Permits are required, and the current 2026 rules should be checked with the estate or local angling association.
Pike are the main draw, with perch and trout also present. For a short winter session, fish a deadbait close to dying weed or work a slow soft plastic along the edge of a shallow bay. A realistic plan is 8.30am to 12.30pm, using the first couple of hours to find a windward bank and the rest to fish it properly.
5. Loch Drunkie: forest drive and small-water pike
Loch Drunkie sits in the Three Lochs Forest Drive and feels a bit more adventurous than the roadside lochs. The forest drive has seasonal opening times, so check access before you go. Parking is in the forest drive area, and you may need to walk a short distance to the bank. Permits are required; confirm the current details.
Pike and perch are the likely targets. Small deadbaits and lures work well in this relatively shallow water. Plan a 10am to 1pm session, and allow extra time for the walk in and out. Because daylight is short, do not overcomplicate it: pick one bay, fish it thoroughly and enjoy the quiet.
Making the short day count
A winter session in the Trossachs should be built around the light you have, not the light you wish you had. Arrive with a plan, fish the middle of the day when the water has had a chance to warm slightly, and keep moving if a mark is dead. Carry a permit, wear warm layers, take a headtorch and tell someone where you are going. And remember that access and permit arrangements can change; check the current 2026 rules before you travel. Short days do not have to mean short-change sessions.
