The conditions last week were good on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland with much milder weather and a falling river until Friday when heavy rain caused a large spate on Saturday however superb catches were maintained during the week filling everyone with continued optimism for the coming weeks. The weather is now much milder again and there is a good forecast for this week that hopefully will continue to give us great prospects and will maintain early spring sport on this marvelous river and spread it throughout the whole river.
The Spring Salmon fishing is never easy but when settled conditions prevail the sport can be magical as has proved this season so far with some outstanding catches and numerous spring salmon registered in the Tay system above expectation. This past week sport was again superb with good catches. The catches have been heartening mainly due to the cold weather but there is certainly a feeling now that there has been a far better run. Could this be down to most anglers’ efforts to return spring salmon over the past few seasons? Spring salmon were caught all week up to 27 pounds in weight and throughout the river as temperatures rise, which was tremendous news. The catches for April have increased dramatically this year to just over 700 for the month which is a staggering 126% up on last year and the season catch has increased by 73% up to the end of April. It is simply amazing news for 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 and temperatures have now risen hopefully to encourage more salmon to run the river and spread out. 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.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 4th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Lower Redgorton 2, Catholes Summer and Autumn 1, Upper Redgorton 1, Fishponds 1, Benchil and Pitlochrie 3, Catholes 2, Burnmouth 2, Stobhall 8, Taymount 9, Ballathie 1, Cargill 3, Islamouth 6, Lower and Upper Islamouth 10, Upper Islamouth and Meikleour House 2, Kercock 2, Glendelvine 3, Murthly 2 19, Newtyle 8, Dunkeld House 2, Dalmarnock 6, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 2, Upper Kinnaird 3, Coupar Grange 17, Portnacraig Pitlochry 18.
Total: 133 Largest: Newtyle 27lbs
SEA TROUT: Cargill 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Cargill 4lbs
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 just below 30 odd pounds, which is superb news. The Upper reaches are now encountering more fresh salmon as warmer conditions appear. The Upper river registered 3 spring salmon all from Upper Kinnaird. Mark Cockburn from Fishpal enjoyed great success on Friday despite a rising river landing 2 cracking springers.
The Tummel system registered 18 spring salmon. Currently the Tummel is fishing very well with superb conditions and a build up of fish at the Dam. All the salmon came from the Pitlochry Angling stretch at the Dam but other spring salmon were caught on the Tummel system but not registered. The Portnacraig beat at the Dam had a superb week with several salmon landed despite some unwelcome water height fluctuation due to the hydro station. Monday was superb with 7 salmon landed. Local anglers Davie Stewart and Les Dargie showed the way catching fish up to 16 pounds all fly fishing. Gordon Nichol also had success.
Jim Fisher landed a cracking 18 pounds beauty on Wednesday evening fly fishing off the town bank and it was good to see Ross Gardiner catching an 11 pounds fish on a Toby.
Patrick Hammond caught with the fly. At the end of the week life became a lot more difficult with cold weather and water height problems due to the hydro but first time visitor Curtis Brunker landed a superb 18 pounds fish on a Rapala a Bob White on a busman’s holiday from Stanley caught an 11 pounds fish fly fishing. On Friday Rodger Collins caught a cracking 21 pounds salmon on a tube fly from the Portnacraig bank and despite more water from heavy rain Stuart McArther landed a good fish on Saturday. The Angling Club’s Sawmill stream was accounting for a few fish during the week with Calum McRoberts and Innes Smith catching. West Haugh, East Haugh and the Lower Tummel have also been catching and not reporting.
On the Middle river 46 spring salmon were caught this past week, which was a continuation of a marked improvement as temperatures came up and salmon ran after the big water.
At Dalguise there were 2 spring salmon landed by Walter Alexander’s party on Friday, a 14 pounds fish for Walter from the boat and an 8 pounds fish caught fly fishing by Mike Beamish on the bank on a Willie Gunn. On Dalmarnock Chris Hart enjoyed success with 2 lovely spring salmon up to 16 pounds on Thursday.
Saturday was an even better day on the beat with 4 salmon landed as a spate ran off. Gordon and Janet Smith certainly had a day to remember catching 2 fish a piece on fly and spinner with the aid of Gordon Pollock.
On Dunkeld Mark Caswell caught a lovely 11 pounds fish on his birthday on Saturday.
Newtyle had another good week with several spring salmon landed including a superb long tailed sea liced 27 pounds beauty for Ian Shaw spinning in the Steps pool. Farquar Murray caught his first ever Atlantic salmon fly fishing from the Cotter pool weighing 14 pounds.
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Norrie McLeod caught the beats 30th spring salmon for April again on the fly. Later in the week Vaila Legget landed a 9 pounds salmon and Roddy Potter caught 2 on the fly up to 10 pounds. Murthly 2 had a superb week with 19 salmon landed. Further downstream Kercock had success with Jim Dornan landing an 8 pounds salmon on the fly and Jim McEwan caught a superb 22 pounds fish on a Toby in Boatlands.
The Lower River had good catches as the tremendous run continued through the beats with 49 spring salmon for the week despite loosing Saturday to a big dirty spate fron heavy rain. Hopefully the catches will be maintained these coming weeks as most of the boats come off the river below Stanley for the summer. Islamouth had a good week as salmon hesitate at the mouth of the Isla. Ballathie and Cargill struggled in the bigger water but Ballathie still accounted for a superb 25 pounds beauty. Stobhall and Taymount had reasonable weeks with 17 salmon from the beats. On Taymount Philip and Corine Roberts enjoyed success along with Richard Bulgin landing fish up to 13 pounds early in the week. Gail Jones landed her first springer and Jonathan Burchell caught 2 fish up to 13 pounds.
Nick Lansen caught a cracking 19 pounds beauty for his first ever salmon in Finford head from the boat with his partner Rosie which naturally made their day. The lower parts from Stanley downwards have still been catching despite the boats coming off. 3 salmon came off the Catholes during the week with Ian Bennett landing 2 up to 7 pounds and birthday boy, Roddy Styles caught a 9 pounds fresh fish on the fly in the Black Stones.
James McKay caught an 8 pounds salmon from Pitlochrie pool on Saturday evening after the spate died down and the water started to clear. On Benchil George McKinlay and Mark Johnston caught salmon up to 12 pounds from the Long Shot.
The Isla registered 17 salmon all from Coupar Grange for the week. Jim McKay had 5 for two days on Monday and Tuesday. Charlie Hammond caught a 15 pounds beauty on Friday on the fly in Pat’s pool then by nightfall the water came up 5 feet, by Saturday lunch time it was starting to fall off and prospects should be good this week.
It was certainly another superb spring week to remember with some great stories, at last some warmer weather and springers caught with good conditions but now as we entering May with warmer weather and good river levels the spring catches will hopefully be maintained over the coming weeks assuming the run continues and spread throughout the entire system. Please maintain the Catch and Release code for the river to protect our 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 robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in the reports.
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