The salmon fishing season on the Tay in Perthshire is now in Summer although the weather is not ideal but a run is developing and catches are improving in July after another steady June if we could only get some settled conditions. The river has had fresh water and is hovering around or just above summer levels despite some heavy localized rain giving reasonable conditions at times for fishing plus warming temperatures are seeing catches maintained. Expectation is high on the river for 2016 with now over 2000 fish recorded so far and after successful springs in 2015, 2014 and 2013 plus hopefully settled weather will continue with an improving run in July to give everyone a chance of landing a Tay “Bar of Silver”.
Salmon and now odd grilse were landed throughout last week with more unsettled weather and catches have continued to spread with higher river temperatures. It was another steady productive week with around 100 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was around 20 pounds on several beats. Spring has now transferred into summer and steady runs are coming into the river plus better weather is making fishing easier with lower water and a bit of fresh water last week may have encouraged more fish to run the river as the summer run develops. The fish that have been caught so far have been superb quality and of a good size overall and now summer awaits.
On the nature front the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows are all over the skies, Ospreys are being seen, Ducks have broods of young, Sand Pipers are on the river banks and Kingfishers dart past. Many wild flowers are in bloom but a good few are now past their best for another year, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay.
Beat catches reported (week ending 23rd July)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 11, Waulkmill 1, Lower Redgorton 2, Upper Redgorton 2, Fishponds 2, Benchil 4, Upper Scone 2, Pitlochrie 3, Stobhall 15, Taymount 12, Ballathie 2, Cargill 5, Islamouth 7, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 3, Kercock 4, Murthly 1 3, Murthly 2 5, Newtyle 2, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 4, Lower Kinnaird 4, Farleyer Upper 1, Ericht Fishing 2, Portnacraig Pitlochry 4, Loch Faskally 2, Ruan Ruarie 1.
Total: 105 Largest: Fishponds 21lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 1, Lower Redgorton 2, Fishponds 1, Taymount 1, Dalmarnock 1.
Total: 6 Largest: Lower Redgorton 4lbs
The majority of the salmon were caught in the lower river in early spring, 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 fish from Loch Tay, Loch Faskally and beyond now as fish spread in the system. The middle river is now the barometer for the runs as water temperatures rise to around 60F, however more fish are now starting to be caught in the lower river with the start of a summer run.
This past week saw a more fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats encouraging everyone as a summer run starts to develop in earnest. The beats at Stanley and below are seeing improving sport as a summer run enters the river and towards the end of the week earlier run fish have started to drop back towards their final destinations of Almond, Shochie and Ordie which can only help sport on the lower beats. The area just above the tide has started to produce fish on a regular basis with Almondmouth, Lower Redgorton and Waulkmill catching around 20 fish between them. This figure would have been a lot higher had it not been from a very dirty spate on Thursday from a landslide further up the system. Saturday saw Bill and Sandra Robbins have a good morning on Almondmouth with 3 fish between them. Fishponds also saw success on Saturday with a couple of fish including a superb 21 pounds fresh cracker.
The middle river has slowed down with rising river temperatures over recent weeks but the recent rain must help in the weeks to come. Kercock had a quieter week with 4 fish which included the odd grilse. The Murthly beats had 8 between them. The Dunkeld area is much quieter with 2 on Newtyle, 1 from Dunkled and 1 off Dalmarnock.
The upper river was seeing sport with a fish caught on the Farleyer beat and recent fresh water should improve activities in the weeks to come.
The Tummel is continuing to see limited sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club with 4 landed last week and there is now over 5000 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally and fish are running the Garry. This is a high figure in recent years caused by the temperature coming up quickly earlier in May and encouraging the fish to run. Recent water saw success for Gary Waugh, Brian Joseph and Martin Wilson had a couple on the fly from the Pitlochry beat but there has not been a lot of rods fishing recently. Further success was achieved on the Ruan Ruarie beat on the Garry for Dave Wilson on a spinner. Loch Faskally also reported a couple of fish in the week including an 8 pounds fish for James Hyslop on a Toby.
The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht with 2 fish being reported last week from the lower Ericht.
Fish have been reported running the Lyon as well but low water levels have curtailed sport. No news from that part of the river last week.
Fish have also been running the Earn but no fish were reported.
The Spring Salmon fishing season is now over as we enter into July and expectation of a summer run. Last week’s catches were again heartening and more fish are running with warmer weather and some fresh water. Let us hope this is a sign of an upturn in catches as we go into July. It has been a reasonable start with well over 2000 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
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