Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 6th May 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 6th May 2017.

Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire has now seen out April 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 April to give everyone a chance of landing a spring “Bar of Silver”.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 6th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Lower Redgorton 1, Benchil 1, Stobhall 4, Taymount 3, Ballathie 7, Cargill 7, Islamouth 24, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 2, Kercock 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Glendelvine 2, Murthly 2 2, Newtyle 7, Dunkeld House 2, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 1, Upper Kinnaird 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 1, Coupar Grange 12, Portnacraig Pitlochry 5, Loch Faskally 1, Ruan Ruarie 1.
Total: 87 Largest: Portnacraig Pitlochry 21lbs
SEA TROUT: Taymount 1, Keithick Mains 1, Coupar Grange 3.
Total: 5 Largest: Keithick Mains 8lbs

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. Around Ninety fresh spring salmon were recorded last week and the class of fish being caught continues to be outstanding with 20 odd pounds or so being common and even a superb 21 pounder coming from Portnacraig on the Tummel 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 spring run develops further.

It has been another reasonably productive week on the river with a spring run continuing to develop and progress up the river with most beats getting into the action. On the Lower river, it has been a quiet week below Stanley mainly due to the warmer river temperatures.

On Benchil Gordon LaFortune enjoyed a couple of days fly fishing culminating in a fresh 7 pounds beauty from the Little Shot. There was a single fish from Lower Redgorton. Stobhall had 4 in the week.

Alistair Sheach caught a beauty on Taymount ably supported by Callum King. Ballathie and Cargill shared 14 fish between them with Robert Booth enjoying success with Ballathie early in the week.

The fly proved popular in the low water with Iain Gray, Gary Bruce and John Fyffe all catching mostly from the Bridge Stream. On Cargill the fly was extremely successful as well with good fish landed up to 20 pounds during the week.

David Maxwell kicked the week off with a beauty in the Cradle.

Charlie and Richard Bond both had some cracking fish and Stuart McArthur landed a couple from the Bridge stream casting the fly from the boat to end a good week. The stand out beat continues to be Islamouth with another superb week grassing 24 fish. Ian Mitchells party enjoyed success at the end on the week with Neil Tong again being successful. Meikleour and Upper Islamouth had 2 in the week with Mr Sykes landing a 6 pounds fish from the Tunnel Hole.

The middle river is producing more fish now as the run progresses up river. Larger fish are being caught on a regular basis as these bigger fish have more energy in their tank enabling them to travel further before a rest. This is certainly evident again last week as water temperatures start to climb further and sea liced fish are being seen in the observation chamber at Pitlochry dam. The lower water levels and bright days have not being helping sport with Kercock, Delvine Burnbane, Glendelvine and the Murthly beats just landing odd fish.

Alex McHattie had the fish from Burnbane on the fly from the tail of Sparrowmuir. Newtyle had a better week with 7 fish and

Dunkled House had a couple with both fish falling to the fly in the Cathedral Stream for Messer’s Broughton and Caswell. Dalmarnock, Dalguise and the Kinnaird beats had a fish a piece.

The upper river has been seeing a bit of action but nothing was reported last week probably due to the lower water levels.

The Tummel saw some action as well with fish coming off the lower beats but not being reported. At the Dam in Pitlochry fish are starting to ascend the ladder with over 850 being the current latest count and fish are now being caught in Loch Faskally. Last week saw 5 fish landed on the Portnacraig beat below the dam and further fish landed from the Sawmill Stream at the bottom of the town.

Peter Fitzpatrick and Alistair Hamilton got things underway with fish up to 13 pounds on fly and spinner. The fly was then the answer as Roy Longair and

Alun Williams both caught fish up to 12 pounds on Wednesday. The week was capped off by Martin Wilson catching a cracking 21 pounds fish on the fly from the town bank on Saturday. Further fish came from the Sawmill stream in the week for Ally Gowans, and Gordon Nichol. Fish were also caught at Loch Faskally and Ruan Ruarie with Dave Wilson being successful as fish sprint further in the system.

Loch Tay continues to fish reasonably well with fish running through the system with Fish n’ Trips recording a fish last week. Other fish are being caught on the loch but not being reported.

Another example of fish running the system has been fish caught on the Isla at Coupar Grange with 12 grassed last week.

The current week has got off to a steady start with a good few fish being registered on Monday.

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