Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 30th April 2016.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 30th April 2016.

Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is entering May after another successful April equaling last year’s totals. The river is falling back after weekend rain to lower levels giving excellent conditions for fishing plus warming temperatures later in the week is seeing catches improving rapidly. Expectation is high on the river for 2016 with now 1000 fish recorded so far and after successful springs in 2015, 2014 and 2013 plus hopefully settled weather will continue with an improving run in May 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 despite a cold end to the week. It was by far the best week of the season so far with 161 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 23 pounds caught on Islamouth. Spring is disappearing but improving runs are coming into the river and better weather is making fishing easier with lower water last week and a bit of fresh water 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 30th April)
SALMON & GRILSE: Benchil 1, Upper Scone 3, Pitlochrie 3, Stobhall 7, Taymount 7, Ballathie 5, Cargill 11, Islamouth 25, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 6, Kercock 4, Delvine Burnbane 2, Glendelvine 2, Murthly 2 25, Newtyle 10, Dunkeld House 3, Dalmarnock 5, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 4, Upper Kinnaird 5, Edradynate 1, Findynate 2, Farleyer Upper 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 9, Portnacraig Pitlochry 12, Loch Faskally 6.
Total: 161 Largest: Islamouth 23lbs
SEA TROUT: Cargill 1, Murthly 2 1, Loch Faskally 1.
Total: 3 Largest: Cargill & Loch Faskally 4lbs

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. This week has seen the boats come off the lower river below Stanley with summer bank fishing now available. 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. Benchil produced a fish for Ed Salven on Saturday fishing a Devon from the bank in the Little Shot.

At Stanley Danny Fulton caught 3 fish in the week on the fly from the Woodside while Upper Scone had success in the Woodside as well on the Pitlochrie beat. Taymount and Stobhall shared 14 fish between them in the week.

Ballathie caught 5 in the week with 3 falling on the same day.

Cargill had a good week with 11 fish which included Paul Vernons party having a good day. Neil French and Roger Worth had fish on the fly in the week as well. Islamouth had an outstanding week with 25 fish up to 23 pounds in weight.

Neil Tong, Charlie Martin, Martin Ferrie, Andy Hindhaught and

Mick Miller all had success on the fly with

Ian Mitchell catching the 23 pounds fish from Donnets at the top of the beat.

Meikleour and Upper Islamouth had a much better week with 6 fish. Included in this was a 12 pounds fish caught by Malcolm Anderson from the Castle Stream. Bigger water levels now should see more success for the beat in the coming days.

The middle river is fairing much better with rising river temperatures over recent weeks. Kercock had 4 in the week. Delvine and Burnbane had 2 in the week with Ian Tulloch landing a 15 pounds fish and Jim Ferrie catching a 12 pounds fish in Sparrowmuir on a Vision. Glendelvine and Murthly 1 managed a couple of fish a piece but Murthly 2 had a sperb week with 25 fish.

Stenton have also been having success with Roger Worth landing a cracker on the fly.

Newtyle had another good week with 10 fish. Successful rods included John Oliver and Glyn Hall with a 14 pounds fish. Saturday saw 4 fish landed with Derek Bachen landing 2 fish on the fly from the Lairds Bank and Robert Brown landing an 8 pounds fish from the Fiddlers on the fly.

Dunkled House had 3 in the week which included Andrew Cameron with a fish of 9 pounds, John Campbell with a 10 pounder John Cranston with a 14 pounds fish from the Mouse Trap. Dalmarnock are seeing more sport with 5 grassed in the week. Simon Lewis’s party had a good day with 2 fish up to 8 pounds and on Friday 3 fish were caught with Ian Willis and Pete O’Brien catching on the fly while Michael O’Brien got a 14 pounds fish from Clachantaggart on a flying C. Dalguise caught a couple in the week and the Kinnaird beats managed 9 between them.

This included Oscar Florell from Sweden catching on the fly.

The upper river is starting to see improved sport with fish caught on Edradynate, Fyndynate and the Farleyer beats. 9 fish were reported from the Loch this past week from Fish n’ Trips up to 17 pounds caught by one boat on Saturday.

Successful anglers included Ali MacDonald, Andy McMahon, Eddie Johnson, Will Hogan and Ben Tregoning catching fish up to 17 pounds.

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 300 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally. On the club stretch Steve Watt caught fish up to 13 pounds on fly and spinner at the start of the week. The fly seemed to be the most successful method with fish landed for Roy Longair, Neil MacLellan, Les Dargie up to 15 pounds and Jim Fisher had an excellent day landing 3 on Thursday.

Jim caught a further fish later in the week as well on the fly. 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 that included fish caught up to 15 pounds by Ian Jones.

The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht but no fish have been reported last week.

Fish have been reported running the Lyon as well but low water levels have curtailed sport. Water has now appeared so watch this space!

The Spring Salmon fishing season is now in May and expectation remains very high after previous good springs. Last week’s catches were heartening and more fish are running with more water and warmer weather. Let us hope this is a sign of an upturn in catches as last May proved. It has been a reasonable start with 1000 fish recorded 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