The conditions remained difficult on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland with continued good weather; slightly lower water temperatures, rain showers, a low river but catches have improved this past week with around 350 salmon registered but it must be said it has not been easy for many beats. The summer like weather continued but with an autumnal feel and a more unsettled 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 still looking for a big spate to clean the river out and trigger off better sport and hopefully the weekend storm may have helped that.
Autumn is here 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 an improved run of 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!”
Early Autumn Salmon fishing on the Tay, Perthshire, Scotland. Salmon caught fly fishing on the lower Tay, glimpses of Otters fishing in the river and Ospreys prior to their long journey south for the winter.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 14th September)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 57, Waulkmill 14, Lower Redgorton 19, Upper Redgorton 13, Fishponds 17, Benchil and Pitlochrie 6, Upper Scone 14, Stobhall 18, Taymount 32, Ballathie 25, Cargill 55, Islamouth 8, Lower and Upper Islamouth 11, Meikleour House 8, Kercock 9, Murthly 1 4, Glendelvine 4, Murthly 2 12, Newtyle 4, Dunkeld House 11, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 4, Lower Kinnaird 1, Upper Kinnaird 2, Farleyer Upper 1, Farleyer Lower 1, Islabank 4, Portnacraig Pitlochry 1.
Total: 356 Largest: Cargill 26lbs
SEA TROUT: Taymount 2, Cargill 2, Lower Kinnaird 1.
Total: 5 Largest: Cargill & Lower Kinnaird 4lbs
Salmon have been caught throughout the system this past week encouraging everyone after occasional rain showers and cooler river temperatures.
The Lower River caught approximately 300 salmon for the week. There was steady action at Isalmouth during the week with several salmon caught. Ballathie and Cargill continue to have excellent catches in the river again this week with continued low water as salmon have packed into the beat and have landed 80 salmon between them for the week up to an impressive 26 pounds. Cargill had an outstanding week reporting the spinner was doing well but the fly also worked well. Successful anglers included
Kenny Craig with a fish of 26 pounds, Steven Gamlen, Andrew Wright, John Chrichton, John Stirling and Andy Gunn.
Ballathie also had a good week with Pam and Michael Sly enjoying a good week catching mainly on the fly with good contributions from Phil Birnham and Peter Creswick catching fish up to 18 pounds. Stobhall and Taymount faired well during the week catching several salmon with John Derry landing a 23 pounds beauty and young
Dougie Owen catching a superb 22 pounds fish from Kilmo on Taymount. At Stanley fish were a bit more difficult to catch but regulars on Upper Scone did reasonably well for the week with great effort.
On Stanley there was a first on the fly for Mark Proudfoot from the Long Shot on Benchil. Upper Redgorton also had the Sly party and caught on most days with the fly.
Fishponds also had a reasonable week with Richard Labadie fairing well. Lower Redgorton and Waulkmill caught their share but not as expected for the time of year. Almondmouth had a better week with 57 salmon. Salmon are also being caught down on the Stormont Angling Club water.
On the Middle River 55 salmon were registered and are desperate for more water to encourage more salmon to run and liven sport up. Salmon are lying in most of the pools throughout the beats but are proving difficult to tempt, rain and more water would change that.
Lower Kinnaird has been typical of the middle areas with success hard to come by but Gordon Pollock managed to use all his skills to produce a superb 24 pounds salmon form the famous Ash Tree pool. On Dalguise there was a fantastic start to the week with 3 salmon added to the book for the Jim Bryant Party. The first fish a 4 pounds Grilse, caught by Jason Bryant from the Top of the Island on a Black Flying C, the second a 12 pounds salmon caught by Chris Milburn from the Bridge Pool on a Silver Toby. Finally, the third an 8 pounds fish caught by Stewart Fleming in the Tail of the Bridge Pool. Colin Burton added another later in the week. Dalmarnock saw John Cole catching a lovely 6 pounds grilse on the fly from the Stepps pool. Dunkeld House had a busy week with students from the University College of North Trondeleg sampling the fishing, visiting the Hatchery to see the revolutionary Kelt reconditioning project and also seeing the Dunkeld Smokehouse. Earlier in the week John Hay had a good day catching on the fly up to 8 pounds, being the successful bidder of the Dunkeld House lot in the recent dinner. Also successful on the beat were Nick Tomasso from Washington in the USA and his companion Jason Hodgson.
Lastly but not least Lindsay McLeod from the Isle of Lewis caught her first salmon, an 11 pounds fish from the Ivy Tree pool on a Toby Salmo on her first wedding anniversary. Her husband Kevin wasn’t so lucky!
On Newtyle fish were caught on a regular basis up to 13 pounds. Successful anglers included Stewart Thomson, John Stamp catching his first ever salmon, Jon Wood and Andy Kerr. The Murthly and Glendelvine beats have also been catching their share with days up to 5 landed. On Kercock Norrie Mcloud, Stuart Oglesby, Mark Thomson and Mark Torrance all caught. Tom Ohlsson from Sweden caught a fish also from the beat to complete a MacNab that is great by anyone’s standards and not that easy these days. Well done.
The Upper reaches are now struggling for salmon after prolonged low water levels. The Upper River registered 4 salmon last week from Farleyer and Upper Kinnaird.
Mark Proudfoot caught his first ever salmon from the Upper Kinnaird beat earlier in the week them fished further down the river later in the week and caught his first ever fly caught salmon on Benchil on the lower Tay.
The Tummel system registered 1 salmon from Portnacaig. Brian Joseph continued his successful season on Tay and Tummel with a fish around 12 pounds from Portnacraig bank on a Black Flying C. The Tummel has struggled with bright weather and low water. Salmon are still running through the Dam in numbers. Currently there is now over 5200 salmon through the ladder, which is now a good increase on last year.
The Isla registered 4 salmon from Islabank and are praying for water to encourage salmon to run.
It was certainly a hard week with good conditions and a reasonable catch, the river must hope for yet more 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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