Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 16th April 2016.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 16th April 2016.

Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is well into April with the river falling off to give excellent conditions for fishing in slightly colder weather and settling water levels last week plus catches are improving. Expectation is high on the river for 2016 after successful springs in 2015, 2014 and 2013 and hopefully settled weather will continue with an improving run in April to give everyone a chance of landing a spring “Bar of Silver”.

Spring salmon were landed throughout last week with better weather and catches have spread with higher river temperatures. It was the best week of the season so far 116 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 20 pounds. It is early yet but improving runs are coming into the river and better weather is making fishing easier with milder weather and some fresh water last week may have encouraged more fish to run the river as the run strengthens. The spring fish that have been caught so far have been superb quality and of a good size overall.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 16th April)
SALMON & GRILSE: Lower Redgorton 1, Upper Redgorton 3, Benchil 3, Upper Scone 3, Pitlochrie 1, Burnmouth 7, Stobhall 1, Taymount 7, Ballathie 1, Cargill 4, Islamouth 6, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 3, Kercock 4, Glendelvine 4, Murthly 2 13, Newtyle 5, Dunkeld House 4, Dalguise 1, Lower Kinnaird 1, Upper Kinnaird 4, Edradynate 1, Findynate 3, Farleyer Upper 1, Farleyer Lower 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 4, Keithick Mains 4, Coupar Grange 16, Ericht Fishing 2, Portnacraig Pitlochry 8.
Total: 116 Largest: Glendelvine & Murthly 2 & Findynate 20lbs
SEA TROUT: Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 2, Keithick Mains 1.
Total: 3 Largest: Keithick Mains 3lbs

The majority of the salmon have been caught in the lower river, which is understandable with the cold conditions but that is now changing with warmer water allowing fish to run further giving improving results further up the river including odd fish from Loch Tay now as fish start to spread in the system. The beats around Stanley traditionally lead the way in early spring and should be a barometer for the runs but that is now moving to the middle river. This past week saw Lower Redgorton get their first fish on the season on Tuesday. Upper Redgorton had a good day on Saturday with 3 fish landed up to 9 pounds. Allan Green caught 2 from the bank on Fly and spinner. Benchil also landed 3 fish on Saturday with Ed Slaven catching 2 on a Devon from Todd Holes and the Little Shot up to 15 pounds in Weight. David Russell caught a 6 pounds fish on a Toby from the Plain water.

The Upper Scone beat had 3 in the week with Stephen Paterson and Neil Gordon both catching on the fly from Horsey and Pitlochrie pool respectfully. It was lean pickings on Catholes and Pitlochrie last week with only one fish landed by Danny Fulton on the fly in Horsey but there were also several other fish lost on both beats mostly on fly as the fish start to move quicker through the lower beats now. Burnmouth had a good week with 7 fish as did Taymount and Stobhall had one. Ballathie and Cargill caught 5 between them. On Ballathie Jonathan Fildes caught a cracking 10 pounds fish from the boat.

On Cargill fish were landed by James Kirkcaldy, Graham Ritchie and Mike Howells mostly from the boat. Islamouth finished with 6 in the week with Patrick Gordons party having a fish a day at the end of the week. Tony Wells was one of the successful rods with a 7 pounds fish out of the Ash Tree on the fly.

Meikleour and Upper Islamouth had 3 in the week including Dan Heathcote landing his first ever salmon weighing 12 pounds. A further fish was landed in the Castle pool by Eric Marzol.

The middle river is fairing much better with rising river temperatures over recent weeks.

Kercock had a 4 in the week with Jim Lamb and Darren Kaye landing fish up to 12 pounds. The Murthly and Glendelvine beats have been fishing very well with 13 off the Murthly 2 beat alone up to 20 pounds in weight. Newtyle had a better week with 5 fish.

Fish were caught up to 15 pounds with Sandy Datta and Howard Jackson doing well earlier in the week. Later Ken and Nicky O’ Donnel had success with Mike Bowsher also landing a 9 pounds fish on the beat.

Dunkeld House had 4 in the week with a father and son combination accounting for a 17 pounds beauty in the Mouse Trap as well as a 15 pounds fish in the Cathedral stream. Neil Mitchell and John Cranston had further fish during the week. Dalguise had one in the week meanwhile just upstream the Kinnaird beats accounted for 5 between them.

One of the Upper Kinnaird fish was caught by a delighted Clark Harris all the way from California.

The upper river is starting to see improved sport with fish caught on Edradynate, Fyndynate and the Farleyer beats. Up on the Loch Fish n’ Trips had four in the week including a superb 15 pounds fish for Martin Hogg.

The Tummel is also seeing improved sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club with 8 landed last week and there are now 4 fish through the Dam. Fish were caught early in the week by Steven Watt and Willie Johnstone then Jussi Ramo from Finland caught 2, a 6 pounds fish and a 10 pounds beauty both on the fly. The fly was the answer on Friday with Ally Gowans landing 2 up to 17 pounds and a further one fell to Martin Wilson.

Saturday saw Russell Boyd land a superb 15 pounds beauty. Fish are now being caught throughout the Tummel with West Haugh and East Haugh fishing well. Ian Wilson had a fish on East Haugh on Friday on a spinner.

The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht with 2 fish recorded in the week. Back on the Isla Coupar Grange caught 16 in an excellent weeks fishing and Keithick Mains recorded 4.

Fish have been reported running the Lyon as well with Crispin Rodwell and last year’s winner on the Malloch Trophy having a good day recently landing 3 fish up to 16 pounds.

The Spring Salmon fishing season is now in April and expectation remains very high after previous good springs. Last weeks catches continued to be heartening after the slow start and bad weather. Let us hope this is a sign of an upturn in catches as last April proved. It has been a reasonable start so let us hope the season lives up to every one’s expectations over the coming weeks and months. Tight lines!

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White