Salmon Fishing Scotland River Tay Spring Salmon Fishing Report for week ending 2nd April 2011.

Salmon Fishing Scotland River Tay Spring Salmon Fishing Report for week ending 2nd April 2011.

River Tay Spring Salmon Fishing Report for week ending 2nd April 2011.
The last few days of March and beginning of April on the Tay was encouraging despite big water in the middle of the week due to heavy rain and snow melting off the hills with higher temperatures. Conditions were difficult at times for spring fishing but reasonable catches were still achieved.

The river was settled at the start of the week, then unsettled on Thursday but by Saturday it was settling nicely and it gave reasonable conditions for the end of the week, which resulted in limited success throughout the river due to another 4 or 5 inch rise on Saturday afternoon. The river temperature climbed to 44 degrees Fahrenheit or 6 degrees Celsius by Saturday.

48 spring salmon were reported last week, with the best spring salmon for a number of years of 35 pounds being landed at Pitlochrie at Stanley on Tuesday by Ghillie Bob White harling in the boat.

On the lower river 24 fresh spring salmon were caught.

The best salmon of the week was a superb 35 pounds spring salmon from Pitlochrie and Benchil, which was caught by Ghillie Bob White on Tuesday from the tail of the Tarr Tank harling in the boat. This was great news for the Tay to know large multi sea winter fish were returning and were in the system. Quoting an article by Arnot McWhinnie in the Daily Mail “It is vitally important that fish like this are not killed so that the genes which help them to grow to that size will be passed on to their progeny. “The last few years have seen the return of bigger and bigger salmon which the Tay was once famous for which is a wonderful thing for the river and augurs well for the future.”
Stobhall and Taymount were again prominent in the catches on the lower Tay this past week. On Monday Keith Greenwell caught a lovely 11 pounds salmon harling on Stobhall and Jimmy Chim had a cracking 12 pounds springer on the Catholes at Stanley on a Devon in the Woodside pool. Also on Stobhall there was a party of Swedish visitors to the Tay for the week. This was their personal account of their week on the Tay.
“ Champagne for everybody! said Jochen, after catching an 18 pound springer at Stobhall last Tuesday. So our company of four merry fishermen from Stockholm and one from Helsinki enjoyed a glass of champagne at that night’s dinner at lovely Horsey Reach Lodge in Stanley. The main subject for our discussions were of course that great springer salmon - while soaking our sore muscles in the hot tub on the lodge veranda overlooking the Pitlochry beat.
The skillfull ghillies Bob Campbell and Ernie Duff guided us right where and how deep we were to present our flies for the salmon. It was very comforting to learn that our ghillies 'seen it all' - in terms of water and weather conditions i e.
We had a fantastic fishing week at Stobhall / Taymount, thanks to our ghillies and our travel arranger Toni Kakkuri. He was able to bring 3 new rods to borrow on the arriving day, when our rods were misplaced at Stockholm airport. Our rods were delivered first after 2 days to Tayside Hotel.
Our dinners at the lodge had a golden touch because the local butcher, Stevensons, provided us with well-hanged sirloins and fine lamb wracks. We would also like to thank the experienced fisherman Toni Kakkuri from Finland, for arranging this excellent fishing trip that will long live in our memories.
Thanks also to the ghillie at the Benchil and Pitlochrie beat, Bob White, for letting us to try out the new Loomis NRX-rods.”
Thank you Jochen for your contribution and haste ye back.
Islamouth had a good day on Thursday despite rising water with Glasgow lawyer and Tay regular John McElroy landing 3 out of the for salmon for the day including one fly fishing. On Saturday Ian Watson from Stirling landed a lovely fresh 8 pounds salmon from Horsey harling at Stanley and

Graham Brooks had a lovely 12 pounds springer on the fly on Finford Head at Taymount.
Hopefully the river will remain settled and clear this coming week, which should make for excellent prospects.

The middle river reported 10. Kercock, Newtyle, Dunkeld house and Dalmarnock all featured. Others on the middle river caught but have not reported.

On the upper river 7 were reported. Lower Kinnaird reported their first salmon of the season, as did Findynate. Pitlochry continue to catch as well.

At Dalguise on Saturday Bob Barclay caught an 18 pounds Salmon in the morning on a flying bucktail in The Otterstone Pool. Then George Inglis caught a 7 pounds salmon on his first visit to Dalguise in the afternoon on a flying Bucktail in the Otterstone Pool.
There has not been anything officially reported from Loch Tay but I understand there have been quite a few spring salmon landed. Hopefully some details will filter through.

The Isla reported 7 all from mostly Coupar Grange and 1from Islabank.


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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