The traditional opening ceremony at Kenmore attracted one of the largest crowds for years with a couple of hundred anglers following the MacNaughton’s Vale of Atholl Pipe Band through the village to the river.

There, botanist and TV personality Dr David Bellamy “blessed” the first boat out with a quaich of whisky, supplied by the local distillery, Dewars.

With anglers lining the banks it wasn’t long before a large baggot, an unspawned fish, was landed by a visitor from Ardnamurchan.

Earlier, Mr Andrew Mactaggart, Laird of Taymouth Estate, gave the assembled anglers a report on the progress being made in the efforts to restore salmon numbers.

These range from the buying-off of the Northumbrian drift-nets, which should result in 30,000 more salmon reaching Scottish east coast rivers, to the Tay District Board’s new hatchery.

At the Killin end of the loch, anglers also took part in opening day ceremonies before venturing out in pursuit of an elusive springer.