Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 25th February 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 25th February 2017.

Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is now fast approaching March with improving conditions for fishing in colder weather and settling water levels however catches have been slow since the start to the season. Expectation is high on the river for 2017 after 4 successful springs and hopefully settled weather will continue with an improving run in February to give everyone a chance of landing a spring “Bar of Silver”.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 25th February)
SALMON & GRILSE: Catholes 1, Upper Scone 1, Stobhall 1, Taymount 1, Ballathie 1, Islamouth 3, Glendelvine 1, Murthly 2 1, Dalguise 2, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 1, Portnacraig Pitlochry 1.
Total: 14 Largest: Catholes 25lbs
SEA TROUT: Upper Scone 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Upper Scone 1lbs

The third week in February has seen a few salmon landed in milder weather and river conditions have improved as the week went on favouring those who braved the elements in some cases. It is early yet but considering the conditions the results so far have been disappointing as we enter late February and with increased river levels we should see improvements over the next few weeks. Fourteen fresh spring salmon were recorded last week and the class of fish being caught was good with 20 pounds or so being common. It is early yet with only small runs coming into the river and fluctuating weather can make fishing difficult. Some of the fish that have been caught are memorable as typical Tay specimens due to their size and depth. Hopefully there will be a lot more of them to come. There seems to be fish already running hard up the river after unseasonably mild weather. Two salmon were recorded well up the system in Loch Tay and Port-na-Craig on the Tummel last week.

Saul MacKay had success under the Pitlochry Dam landing a superb 12 pounds fish on the fly from the Port-na-Craig beat on the Green Bank. Grant Tigwell caught the fish on Fish n’ Trips weighing approximately 8 pounds. Other fish are being caught in the Loch as well but not being recorded. The rest of the fish came from the lower and middle river.

The fish of the week fell to Danny Fulton on the Catholes on Saturday weighing an estimated conservative 25 pounds.

Danny was fishing the fly on the famous Slap pool just under the Catholes weir on his own when he hooked a true Tay springer on the now much talked about Blue Angel tube fly invented by legionary ghillie Jimmy Last. He had an incredible fight to land the powerful fish but all his experience saw the fish beached momentarily prior to release. He measured the fish at 40.5 inches long and typically it was an incredibly deep Tay specimen. Danny is a regular Stanley angler and a fish of this magnitude is well deserved. It was a lean week altogether on the river with just odd fish dotted about on a few beats. Upper Scone, Stobhall, Taymount and Ballathie all produced fish.

Mark Fairley landed a 14 pounds springer from Ballathie with the Jolly party.

Islamouth have produced fish each week and last week saw 3 fish landed including Ian Moulton catching a 7 pounds beauty from Sandyford. Further upstream again only odd fish were landed from Glendelvine, Murthly and 2 came off Dalguise.

Ross Haynes caught a 17 pounds springer from the boat in the Guay Pool and Moray MacFarlane caught a 15 pounds fish as well.

The current week has got off to a quiet start as well as the weekend spate clears off.

Monday saw Simon Littlejohn land a 10 pounds fish from the Castle pool on the Meikleour and Upper Islamouth beat. Burnmouth and Stobhall both had fish on Tuesday.

Jonathan Dent had a day to remember on Catholes on Wednesday with 2 fish weighing up to 11 pounds. Firstly he caught on the fly casting from the boat in the Back Dam and then later in the morning he caught a 10 pounds beauty on a Toby in the Little Head.

The Spring Salmon fishing was well and truly underway after all the excitement of opening day’s celebrations. It has been a quiet start but has started to show signs of picking up so let us hope the season lives up to everyone’s expectations over the coming weeks and months. Tight lines!

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White