The conditions last week were again superb on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland with cold weather and low water all week producing excellent catches which filled everyone with more optimism for the coming weeks. The good news for this week is that we have similar conditions giving us great prospects, which will maintain early spring sport on this marvelous river especially on the lower and middle river.
The Spring Salmon fishing is never easy but when settled conditions prevail the sport can be magical as proved this past week despite arctic temperatures with some outstanding catches and 150 spring salmon registered in the Tay system. This was a continual improvement on the previous week giving us the best week of the season and superb for the river. Last March the river produced 250 spring salmon but this year that has increased to 350 mostly due to the cold conditions. That is nearly a 30% increase! Spring salmon were caught all week up to 22 pounds in weight and throughout the river. The Tay is fishing currently very well and is certainly a good destination to catch your first spring salmon of the season. The river offers a variety of possibilities for all standards of anglers with ghillies only too keen to teach the novices and this mighty river can produce a memorable salmon for the keen fly fisher. Levels have dropped and the pools can be easily covered from bank and boat with modern technology. Why not have a go and sample this magical river. The fishing is supreme and the scenery is not bad either.
The Tay Board held it’s first public meeting at Birnam near Dunkeld and were encouraged by the large turn out. Chairman Bill Jack and David Summers gave presentations that were well received and I am sure a positive outcome can come from these meetings to progress the river for the future.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 30th March)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 2, Lower Redgorton 2, Luncarty Spring Only 6, Upper Redgorton 5, Fishponds 5, Benchil and Catholes 7, Upper Scone 3, Pitlochrie and Catholes 19, Burnmouth 6, Stobhall 16, Taymount 15, Ballathie 14, Cargill 2, Islamouth 15, Lower and Upper Islamouth 3, Upper Islamouth and Meikleour House 1, Kercock 4, Glendelvine 6, Murthly 2 3, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 3, Lower Kinnaird 1, Farleyer Upper 1, Coupar Grange 8, Portnacraig Pitlochry 2.
Total: 150 Largest: Stobhall 22lbs
SEA TROUT: Coupar Grange 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Coupar Grange 5lbs
Spring salmon have been caught throughout the system this past week encouraging everyone and there has also been the emergence of some larger multi sea winter spring salmon up to 22 pounds, which is superb news. The Upper reaches have encountered fresh salmon again, as fish have been keen to run with good water levels earlier in the month despite cold temperatures. The Upper river registered 3 spring salmon with Portnacraig registering two fish and the other coming from Upper Farleyer. Barry and Terry Newport caught two liced fish of 12 pounds and 9 pounds respectively. Both were caught on Flying C.
On the Middle river 19 spring salmon were caught this last week. When the water starts to warm up the middle river will fair even better. Alan Grant landed a 16 pounds cracker on the Ash Tree pool at Kinnaird fly fishing.
At Dunkeld House Dave Mellor enjoyed success as did Brian Joseph with a 10 pounds beauty from the Gauge pool on the Toby salmo.
At Newtyle Joe McNabb caught his first ever salmon from the Deans Burn weighing 10 pounds fly fishing from the bank. Murthly and Glendelvine continue to work away catching on a regular basis.
At Kercock 9 year old Jamie Milne caught a lovely 9 pounds springer with his dad Kenny and this was the first fish for the local Perth boy.
Jim McEwan also had a 12 pounds beauty from the beat.
The Lower River dominated the catches understandably with colder conditions and a dropping water with 120 spring salmon for the week.
Islamouth had better catches this week with regulars capitalising at the end of the week. John McElroy, Neil Tong and Charlie Martin being successful using various methods. Ballathie had an outstanding week with Rayan Bunyan contributing with a 9 pounds beauty in a day of 5 spring salmon landed. Scott Rutherford took 6 rods to Cargill on Friday where they had a fantastic day. Robert Lessels from East Kilbride managed an 11 pounds fresh fish. Two others were lost; one of them would have been about 12 to 15 pounds easily which caused great excitement. Thanks Scott for your report. Stobhall and Taymount had superb weeks with several spring salmon landed. On Taymount Steve Marshall caught his first ever salmon weighing 10 pounds. Bob Hughs landed 2 on a salmo on Thursday up to 13 pounds. On Saturday 5 were landed on the beat with Dougal Hamilton enjoying some great sport with Dan Crawford. The beat passed 50 for the season. Further down stream the Stanley beats enjoyed further success due to the cold conditions and are having their best catches in 20 years. The Catholes is producing spring salmon every day with 2 days this past week with 5 salmon landed and mostly fly fishing from bank or boat. Billy Davidson from Bankfoot enjoyed a superb day on Monday landing 3 springers on the fly up to 14 pounds. On Friday John Shaw caught the Pitlochrie/Catholes 50th fish of the season, a superb 19 pounds cracker from the Catholes stream. Several salmon came from the Catholes stream on the fly during the week with Jason Stratton landing 2 on Saturday afternoon on consecutive casts. On the Pitlochrie beat Stuart Howie caught a cracking salmon on Tuesday with Steven Watt landing one as well fly fishing from the bank, them last turn of the boat Arnot McWhinnie caught his first of the season on a Kynoch weighing 14 pounds. Euan Clark was again amongst the salmon landing a kelt and a fresh salmon from the boat at the same time! John Morrison kicked his season off with 2 in a day up to 8 pounds fly fishing from the bank and Sandy Watson enjoyed success on Saturday.
Benchil has been fishing well in the low water with John Bennett, Alan Young and Dave Barwick landing good salmon on the fly. Fishponds and Upper Redgorton have also done well last week as did Luncarty. Fishponds had 4 salmon on Saturday up to 18 pounds and on Upper Redgorton Sandy Harrison enjoyed a 13 pounds beauty on the fly amongst others caught in the week. John Lessels had a great day at Luncarty on Tuesday landing 3, then Alan Greene and Michael Kirkpatrick had success on Saturday. The continued colder conditions for this coming week should prove successful for the lower river again.
The Isla registered 8 salmon from Coupar Grange.
It was certainly another superb spring week to remember with some great stories, very cold weather and springers caught with good conditions but now as we enter with more settled weather (hopefully!) and river levels the spring catches should improve further over the coming weeks assuming the run continues.
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 robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in the reports.
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