Salmon Fishing Scotland River Tay Reports and Prospects May 2009.

Salmon Fishing Scotland River Tay Reports and Prospects May 2009.

Tay Reports

Weekly Report for week ending 23rd May 2009.
Last week reported 66 spring salmon which was a reasonable catch for a week despite unsettled water conditions at the start of the week. We had very unsettled river levels with a lot of heavy rain especially on Monday and Tuesday. There were again salmon reported from all over the district which was very positive and the catches improved dramatically at the end of the week with 24 salmon reported on Saturday. There were other fish caught and not reported. Best salmon of the week was a 19lbs salmon off the Cargil beat in the upper part of the lower Tay.
Coupar Grange had 7 in one day on Friday followed by 4 on Saturday and again Portnacraig figured well with 14 salmon for the week. The prospects certainly look good for this coming week with more settled conditions.
The fresh water is encouraging good sport throughout the river.
Sea trout are now being caught on the lower Tay which should encourage a cast in the evenings with a fly rod.

The river temperature is 50/52 degrees Fahrenheit or 11/12 degrees Celsius which should allow salmon to run freely throughout the system and bring on the floating line fishing for fly fishers.

The river is settling back for the week making conditions excellent for spring fishing.

May I remind anglers coming to the Tay about the Catch and Release policy which is that we urgently request you to return all salmon and sea trout caught due to the weak run this spring and to preserve sport for the future.

If you have any news or pictures of catches or experiences on the Tay and you would like to share them please email me on stanley.fishing@ukonline.co.uk
Thank you for the contributions so far.

Duncan Webster with a lovely fresh salmon from Pitlochry club water caught fly fishing from the bank.The salmon was carefully returned.


Bob White with a fresh 13 pounds salmon from the Portnacraig beat at Pitlochry, Perthshire caught fly fishing from the bank. The salmon was carefully returned.

Prospects for the week commencing 25th May 2009.
As of Monday morning the prospects on the Tay look very good after the river settling last week at catches improving dramatically at the end of the week. The weather is reasonably settled for this coming week.
The water temperature is about 50/52 degrees Fahrenheit or 11/12 degrees Celsius which should encourage the progress of salmon up the system. These conditions are certainly benefiting the middle and Upper River.
Salmon fishing has improved in general throughout Scotland this last week so let us hope the runs are strengthening for the coming weeks.
There is good availability throughout the river so why not have a go.

As to methods, the river is settled and at a good height, the most likely method of catching a Springer in the Tay this week will favour all methods with settled water. There will certainly be good conditions for fly fishing with a higher river temperature now encouraging floating lines. Spinning from boat and bank are also favoured. Harling remains a popular method on the Tay.

Finally all anglers are reminded that the Tay's policy for spring 2009 has changed due to the weak spring run and to comply with the other rivers we now recommend that every angler should release all salmon caught each day. Spring salmon are an extremely precious resource. Please do what you can to ensure their numbers are allowed to conserve them and produce more spring salmon for the future.

If you have any news or pictures of catches or experiences on the Tay and you would like to share them please email me on stanley.fishing@ukonline.co.uk

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