River Tay Spring Salmon Fishing Report for week ending 19th March 2011.
The third week of March on the Tay was encouraging despite some horrible weather in the middle of the week that made the river very coloured as the snow melted off the low ground. Conditions were difficult at times for spring fishing but catches were still achieved especially at the end of the week.
The river was fine on Monday then unsettled on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday but settled nicely at the end of the week, which resulted in success throughout the river. The river temperature remained at 38 degrees Fahrenheit or 3 degrees Celsius, which still meant fishing large spinning lures and flies slowly and at depth.
35 spring salmon were reported last week with the best salmon of 21 pounds being landed at Portnacraig on the Pitlochrie Angling Club stretch. The number of unspent fish being caught seems to be dropping away at last, suggesting that the high water of recent weeks may have signaled the beginning of the end as far as spawning goes. However, it's worth remembering that any kelts, baggots or rawners encountered should be treated with the same amount of care as we would a fresh fish when returning them to the water.
On the lower river 22 fresh spring salmon were caught. The best salmon of the week was a 18 pounds salmon from Upper Scone. Most of the lower beats contributed to the catch despite loosing 3 days to dirty water. Upper Scone had an excellent day on Friday as conditions improved catching 3 in the day. Allan McCaig and Arnot McWhinnie both caught 11 pounds salmon in the morning from the boat on the Pitlochrie beat at Stanley.
Arnot then landed an 18 pounds beauty last thing at night from the famous Pitlochrie pool making him late for his dental appointment.
The middle river reported 7. Meikleour, Kercock and Newtyle all reporting and Dalmarnock had their first fish on Saturday. Ian Marshall caught a 12 pounds Springer which was landed in the Ram's Horn Pool, on a copper salmo at Dalmarnock. There have been the odd other fish from this area not reported, notably from Delvine where spring salmon of 20 and 25 pounds were caught this week. Hopefully some pictures will follow.
On the upper river 4 were reported with the spring salmon coming from mostly the Portnacraig beat in front of Pitlochry dam and one from Dalguise. On the Pitlochry Angling stretch local angler Innes Smith caught again this week and improving the weight of last weeks salmon with a lovely 21 lbs fish on a Monkey, fly fishing from the bank. On Saturday 2 spring salmon were landed at Portnacraig.
The Isla reported 2 all from Coupar Grange including a 16 pounds spring salmon.
Many thanks for all the pictures everyone sent me of spring salmon and all who have sent me their individual fishing experiences this and last season on the river.
I would be most grateful if you to do the same this season by emailing me at
robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in this report.
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