The conditions are improving slowly on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland with better weather; slightly lower water temperatures, rain showers, the river is low and catches have been maintained again this past week but it must be said it has not been easy for many beats. The weather is now better with an autumnal feel and a forecast for this week of sunshine and showers will hopefully encourage better sport on this marvelous river and spread it throughout the whole river. Most people are now looking for a big spate to clean the river out and trigger off better sport but that will not happen this current week.
Summer is still here with autumn fast approaching but with cooler river temperatures and some rain hopefully making settled conditions to improve sport as has proved this season so far with some outstanding catches and numerous spring salmon registered in the Tay system above expectation, let us hope the sport can be maintained for the remainder of the season then it will certainly be one to remember in years to come. The Tay is currently fishing reasonably well with improving conditions after low warm water; salmon run this mighty river every day of the year due to its vast volume of water and is certainly a good destination to catch a salmon. Cooler temperatures and recent rain have spiced up the river and helped encourage more salmon to run, however it must be said everyone has to work extremely hard to gain results under the current conditions. The salmon gods are hopefully going to bless us with a improved run of grilse and autumn salmon. 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 now risen and temperatures dropped to hopefully 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. Currently the nature along the river is tremendous with numerous wild flowers. Ospreys visit the river on a daily basis but should be disappearing shortly and you could see an Otter or a Kingfisher darting past while you are in mid cast! It is true what they say, “ a salmon is a bonus!”
The Tay Foundation Summer Lunch and Auction took place at the picturesque setting of Derculich on the Upper Tay on Sunday. The event replaced the annual dinner and was a tremendous success raising a provisional £25,000 plus (final figure still to be given) for the Tay Spring Salmon Restoration Appeal.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 24th August)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 20, Waulkmill 6, Lower Redgorton 5, Luncarty Summer and Autumn 1, Upper Redgorton 5, Fishponds 5, Benchil and Pitlochrie 4, Upper Scone 4, Burnmouth 1, Stobhall 8, Taymount 9, Ballathie 19, Cargill 16, Islamouth 9, Lower and Upper Islamouth 13, Upper Islamouth and Meikleour House 4, Meikleour House 4, Kercock 12, Murthly 1 1, Glendelvine 4, Murthly 2 5, Newtyle 4, Dunkeld House 4, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 4, Lower Kinnaird 6, Farleyer Lower 1, Islabank 2, Keithick Mains 1.
Total: 178 Largest: Lower Redgorton 28lbs
SEA TROUT: Dunkeld House 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Dunkeld House 2lbs
Salmon have been caught throughout the system this past week encouraging everyone after continued rain showers and cooler river temperatures.
The Lower River had 127 salmon for the week following improved conditions and more fish running. There was steady action at Isalmouth during the week with several salmon caught. Ballathie and Cargill continue to have the best catches in the river as salmon have packed into the beat with the low water conditions and have landed 35 salmon between them for the week up to an impressive 27 pounds caught by Chris Gibson. Taymount and Stobhall caught on most days throughout the week. On Upper Scone and Stanley the fishing was not easy however
William McAlistair caught his first ever salmon from the Woodside on the Pitlochrie beat on a Toby and John Watt caught an impressive 18 pounds beauty on a Toby fishing with the Muir Group and the Erne and Quibelle party had success with the Daves on Scone. Upper Redgorton caught with Mike Hay hooking 2 in the boat at once on Friday but unfortunately one got off prior to landing. Fishponds also caught during the week. Waulkmill started to catch, as did Lower Redgorton but not in the numbers usually caught for the time of year.
The high point was a superb 28 pounds salmon caught on Goldcastle by Ashley Cox on a size 14 Genie fly that was carefully returned. Almondmouth had a steady week with 20 salmon.
Salmon are also being caught down on the Stormont Angling Club water with Jason Stratton catching a fresh grilse from the Woody hole on Saturday. Other salmon were landed during the week.
On the Middle River 50 salmon were caught this past week and continues to fish well after a freshen up from recent rain.
Lower Kinnaird had a reasonable week catching most of their salmon fly fishing with Stan Conway landing a 14 pounds fish on the fly in the famous Ash Tree pool.
On Dalguise Mel Thompson and Harry McCombie caught grilse on the fly earlier in the week and Charlie McCabe caught a 12 pounds salmon up streaming a Toby Salmo.
On Dalmarnock Rory Campbell caught a cracking 12 pounds salmon on the fly on Saturday. On the Dunkeld House beat a young Max Moore caught his first salmon and then his father Vernon caught a grilse also plus Mark English caught a 4 pounds grilse on the fly from the Ivy Tree pool.
At Newtyle Michael Henderson caught a lovely fresh grilse from the Cotter earlier in the week. Saturday saw 3 salmon landed with Gary Waugh catching 2 grilse and Robert McFarlane landing a 9 pounds salmon from the Steps pool. Murthly and Glendelvine worked away to catch their share for the week but there was a special moment recently for ghillie Tony Black with 4 year old Hayden Ritchie landing his first Tay salmon. Great stuff. Kercock had 12 fish for the week with Billy Mcinnes, Andrew Menzies, James Lang, Craig Punton, Mrs Sam Datta, Sandy Datta and Sue Tandall all catching. Sue had her first fish on the fly. Jackie Taylor had a Grilse then she hooked a big fish playing it for 20 minutes before it escaped. Norrie Mcloud got a 10 pounds fish then hooked a big fish, which he played for half an hour only to loose it. It was an eventful week, thanks Gary for your input.
The Upper reaches are now struggling for salmon after prolonged low water levels. The Upper River registered 1 salmon last week from Farleyer.
The Tummel system registered 0 salmon. The Tummel has struggled with bright weather and low water. Salmon are still running through the Dam in numbers. Currently there is now approaching 5000 salmon through the ladder, which is now a good increase on last year.
The Isla registered 3 salmon but the recent water has made fish run and this figure does not reflect the truth. The salmon were registered from Islabank and Keithick Mains.
It was certainly a hard week with good conditions and a reasonable catch, the river must hope for yet more cooler weather and some rain with lower river levels to encourage salmon to run over the coming weeks 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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