Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 23rd April 2016.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 23rd April 2016.

Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is well into April with the river falling off to lower levels with excellent conditions for fishing in slightly colder weather 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 late 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 another equaling best week of the season so far with 114 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 18 pounds. It is early yet but improving runs are coming into the river and better weather is making fishing easier with lower water last week which 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 23rd April)
SALMON & GRILSE: Lower Redgorton 1, Upper Redgorton 1, Fishponds 2, Benchil 1, Catholes 2, Upper Scone 2, Burnmouth 1, Stobhall 4, Taymount 3, Ballathie 4, Cargill 4, Islamouth 12, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 2, Kercock 1, Glendelvine 1, Murthly 2 15, Newtyle 12, Dunkeld House 5, Dalmarnock 2, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 2, Upper Kinnaird 7, Edradynate 2, Findynate 1, Farleyer Upper 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 3, Keithick Mains 2, Ericht Fishing 1, Portnacraig Pitlochry 12, Loch Faskally 6.
Total: 114 Largest: Kercock & Portnacraig Pitlochry 18lbs
SEA TROUT: Keithick Mains 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Keithick Mains 2lbs

The majority of the salmon have been caught in the lower river up to recently, which is understandable with the cold conditions but that has changed with warmer water allowing fish to run further giving improving results up the river including odd fish from Loch Tay and Loch Faskally now as fish start to spread in the system. The middle river is now the barometer for the runs as water temperatures rise to the late 40’s.

This past week saw a few fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with Islamouth proving the best beat as fish hesitate at the mouth of the Isla. Lower Redgorton, Upper Regorton and Fishponds all reported fish. John Douglas caught a superb 12 pounds fish from the Little Shot on the fly from Benchil and another one was lost on Saturday in the same pool by Alex Graham. Upper Scone had a couple in the week from the Pitlochrie beat.

Catholes produced a couple as well with Ed Slaven landing a small fish on a Toby from the Black Stones and Bob White catching a 10 pounds fish in the Black Stones on the fly. A few other fish were hooked on the fly as well but lost as fish bolt through the lower river. Burnmouth managed one and 7 fish came off the combination of Stobhall and Taymount.

Ballathie and Cargill managed 4 each with Di Ibbotson showing the way earlier in the week with 2 lovely fish from the boat in the Bridge Stream and Rumbling Stone. Later in the week Nicky Sheddon had a cracking 9 pounds fish and her husband David hooked a good fish in the Cradle which unfortunately fell off near landing. On Cargill Emilio Suarez caught a lovely 7 pounds fish from the Bridge Stream and Steve Curnow had success on the Cradle. Islamouth had a good week with 12 fish caught. Later in the week John McElroy and Gordon Fleetwood’s team had success most days all on fly. Upper Islamouth and Meikleour managed 2 in the week and could do with a bit more water to improve sport. Justin Szymborski was successful with the fly in the Castle pool landing a 9 pounds fish on the fly.

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

Kercock had 1 in the week with Barry Cranstoun landing a superb 18 pounds fish. Glendelvine also had a fish but the Murthly beats fished well again last week with several fish landed. Murthly 2 ended up with 15 in the week and Murthly 1 had a good few as well with Ian Scrutons party doing well with fly and spinner. Paul Dawson had a superb 15 pounds fish on the fly carrying sea lice.

Newtyle had a good week with 12 which included a red letter day of 7 on Tuesday with Ronnie Fraser showing the way with 5 to his own rod up to 13 pounds all caught on the fly. He ended up with 8 fish for his 3 days fishing.

Other successful rods catching fish up to 14 pounds were Glyn Hall,

James Emery, Jon Amos and Andy Donald.

The Dunkeld and Birnam Angling club stretch has been producing fish as well with Billy Davidson catching 3 in a day on Fly.

Dunkled House had another consistent week with 5 fish landed. Paul Mitchell caught a 14 pounds fish early in the week from the boat and Peter Sprouston had success throughout the week with fish up to 14 pounds. Dalmarnock saw a couple of fish caught in the week with Simon Munro catching a 9 pounds fish on the fly from Clachantaggert. Dalguise also had a couple as did the Lower Kinnaird beat. The Upper Kinnaird beat had an excellent week with 7 fish landed.

Included in this catch was Chris Blandford with 2 lovely fish in a day.

The upper river is starting to see improved sport with fish caught on Edradynate, Fyndynate and the Farleyer beats. 3 fish were reported from the Loch this past week from Fish n’ Trips up to 17 pounds caught by one boat on Saturday.

The Tummel is also seeing improved sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club with 12 landed last week and there are now over 200 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally.

On the club stretch Steve Watt caught throughout the week on fly and spinner. The fly seemed to be the most successful method with fish landed for Jimmy Ross, Les Dargie, Iain McLaren, Stuart Humphreys,

Jim Fisher and Russell Boyd up to an impressive 18 pounds. Pat Phelan also had a 9 pounds fish on a spinner for good measure. Fish are now being caught throughout the Tummel with West Haugh and East Haugh fishing well. Steve Watt had a memorable day on West Haugh and Dunfallandy with 3 cracking fish up to around 12 pounds on the fly. Loch Faskally are now seeing fish with 6 recorded last week.

The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht with 1 fish recorded in the week. Back on the Isla Keithick Mains recorded 2.

Fish have been reported running the Lyon as well but low water levels have curtailed sport.

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