Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is about to see out May with improving conditions for fishing in milder weather and settling lower water levels plus catches are improving after a slow 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 late May and June to give everyone a chance of landing a spring “Bar of Silver”.
On the nature front the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows are all over the skies, Ospreys are being seen, Ducks have their first broods of young and Sand Pipers are on the river banks. Blue bells a coming out in the woods and the Loopins are starting to bloom as well as all the other wild flowers, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay.
Beat catches reported
April saw improvements with more salmon landed in milder weather and river conditions have improved as the weeks have gone 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 saw out March but we are seeing an improvement with more consistent catches and settling river levels which hopefully will continue over the next few weeks. The lack of rain has dropped the river to summer levels however salmon are still running due to the Tay’s sheer size as you fish another river within it. Rain is forecast at long last which can only help and spice things up. It was a slower week especially towards the end with around 50 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 16 pounds from Portnacraig at Pitlochry. 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 as the run develops further.
This past week saw a few fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with Islamouth area again proving the best beat as fish hesitate at the mouth of the Isla. The beats at Stanley and below are seeing limited sport but the small spate last weekend may just spice things up by encouraging Sea Trout into the river. The very lower part of the river did not report any salmon but odd sea trout are now making an appearance in the returns. Stobhall saw fish caught on 4 days in the week but there was a slowdown in the Ballathie area as river levels came up slightly moving fish on. Islamouth still produced despite the water unsettling with another impressive 18 fish week. At the end of the week Angus Johnson’s party did well with 10 fish including 5 on Saturday despite high temperatures.
The middle river is fairing much better with rising river temperatures over recent weeks. The Murthly and Glendelvine beats continue to fish reasonably well. Kercock had a single fish. Newtyle had 4 in the week.
The upper river is seeing steady sport with fish recently caught however there was nothing reported from the beats last week.
The Tummel is continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club with 5 landed last week and there are now well over 2400 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally. It was a better week at the Dam with fish caught throughout the week.
The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht with 2 fish being reported last week from Keithick Mains.
The Spring Salmon fishing season has had a quiet start but has started to show signs of picking up with improving catches and some outstanding fish landed so far 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
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