Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 31st July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 31st July 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in Summer on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter August and we have been encountering some heavy rain at times resulting in fresh water in the river. The river has been low for quite a period but the rain has brought the river up and it is now dropping back nicely. The lower river levels have not stopped fish running and triggering off reasonable catches, however the increased flows have helped even further. We have had some unsettled conditions in recent times with rain raising the river but that has now settled which hopefully will continue to give more optimism plus a reasonable summer run is in progress. The weather hopefully will remain reasonable to give a greater chance of producing some sport and some summer "Bars of Silver".

On the nature front the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows have are in the skies, Ospreys are being seen, Ducks have their first and second broods of young and Sand Pipers are on the river banks. Wild flowers are in bloom, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay.

Currently the river is at better levels after rain recently and setting back with improving conditions (Just above 2’ on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more summer salmon to run.

The weather has been more settled over the latter part of last week but should continue to settle down in the coming days with some rain forecast in the coming week but hopefully this will not unsettle the river. Some heavy downpours have given the river some water from rain in recent weeks but the river has steadily dropped back to just above summer levels again. This current week looks a bit unsettled with more rain forecast at times. Calmer weather will settle the river back to good levels and make ideal summer fishing conditions. The water temperature is hovering around or just above 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 degrees Celsius last week and should remain at that level in the current weather conditions. These are typical temperatures for this time of year. The temperature has risen encouraging more salmon to run resulting in fish being caught well up the system. The temperature in recent days will encourage salmon to run throughout the system as earlier resulting in fish being caught well up the system depending on water levels. Hopefully there might be a chance of a fresh fish anywhere in the river.

Popular hotels to stay in the area are the Tayside Hotel in Stanley, Ballathie House, The Meikleour Arms, Murrayshall Hotel, Scone and the Royal Dunkeld Hotel.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method will have to be a bit quicker with large lures to catch the elusive Tay Salmon. 20 pounds main line with a 15 pounds leader plus favoured lures include Devons, Toby Salmos, Vision 110’s and Rapalas, for spinning and smaller Temple Dogs, Tubes, normal dressed flies and Monkies for fly fishing. The Tay is a large river but modern lines should make turning over and casting larger flies easier and the fish tend to be near the bank in larger waters. Floating lines and sink tips are now on the agenda as we go over the magical 48 degrees and into summer. Harling is also a favoured method on the river to cover the lies for the less experienced.

Tackle recommendations for fishing the Tay throughout the season.
Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned. In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances.

Fly Lines.
In early season when the water is cold you need to cast larger flies and get them deeper in the water to fish them slowly. There is a tremendous choice on the market nowadays which can be quite confusing to many anglers. Any type of Skagit line that can easily cast a 15 foot sinking leader of various depths is a good choice especially to the less experienced. Iflights and a tip of choice attached are another good bet as these lines enable you to cast a longer line than normal with ease. For more experienced anglers, there are a vast array of shooting heads of different sinking abilities available as well. These tactics can be used in late season as well when the water starts to cool down.
Once the water temperature starts to climb by April then tactics change to mainly floating lines and sink tips with much smaller conventional flies. Again, the choice of lines is incredible from longer belly Spey lines to shooting heads. If you go to shooting heads, then it is important to choose a good shooting backing as line management can be a big issue casting longer lines on a river such as the Tay.

Spinning Rods.
Rods.
You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms.
Line.
A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line.
Baits.
Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective and of course Kynochs are popular for harling.

What flies should I take?
In early season bigger flies such as Tube Flies, Temple Dogs and Monkey type flies up to 2 inches in body length and larger conventional patterns in 4’s and 6’s in lower water are required. A point of note is that a lighter Tube such as an aluminium or plastic body is far easier to cast than brass. Current line technology enables you to get these lighter flies to the correct depths. Ask your ghillie for tip advice on the day.
As river temperatures rise to a more conventional approach then a size range in your box should be from 6 in higher water to 12 in lower water and even smaller on exceptionally low conditions. Cascade type patterns seem to be the most popular and recently feeler flies have come to the fore. It is always worth a go with a Sun Ray type fly with a long wing whether casting normally in colder conditions to stripping it fast in warmer water.

Finally, you are reminded that the Tay's policy from June to the end of 2017 Season is that
• All hen fish of any size and all cock fish over 10 pounds should be released.
• All coloured and gravid fish to be released.
• No more than one clean fish weighing, where possible, less than 10 pounds should be retained per angler per day.
• Anglers should not use worms in September or October in any part of the district.

Please help preserve both them and the long term future of your sport by following the recommendations. It is vital the river system follows these guides to ensure the draconian rules do not get extended in seasons to come.
When releasing salmon please try to keep the fish in the water as much as possible to give them every chance to recover prior to release. Releasing fish from boats in the river is not recommended. Further information on the policy and good release practice.

The Tay Ghillies Association are continuing their popular FISH OF THE MONTH AWARD to encourage good catch and release practice on the Tay. Each month the winner will receive 2 personalised crystal Whisky glasses engraved with details of the catch and they will automatically be entered into the fish of the year competition for a Stylish Crystal Engraved Decanter. Full details of this initiative.

If you have any news or pictures of catches or experiences on the Tay and you would like to share them please email me on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in the reports.

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 22nd July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 22nd July 2017.

Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is in late July with excellent summer conditions for fishing in warm weather and settling lower water levels plus catches are improving after a slow start to the season with a summer run now in progress. Expectation and optimism are high on the river with summer arriving as spring has disappeared to give everyone a chance of landing a “Bar of Silver”.

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 22nd July)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 9, Waulkmill 3, Lower Redgorton 6, Upper Redgorton 4, Fishponds 3, Benchil 12, Upper Scone 1, Pitlochrie 1, Stobhall 13, Taymount 14, Ballathie 6, Cargill 22, Islamouth 11, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Kercock 4, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 6, Lower Kinnaird 4, Upper Kinnaird 2.
Total: 124 Largest: Benchil 20lbs
SEA TROUT: Lower Redgorton 2, Upper Redgorton 1, Upper Scone 1, Stobhall 1, Taymount 1, Cargill 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Newtyle 1, Edradynate AA 1.
Total: 10 Largest: Lower Redgorton 4lbs

June was steady 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. Settling river levels after rain recently should hopefully continue to improve catches over the next few weeks with a summer run now well in progress. The lack of rain had 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. Recent rain has helped to spice things up. It was a consistent week with around 130 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 20 pounds from Benchil on the fly. Spring is now certainly over for 2017 with hopefully a healthy summer run continuing to build in the coming weeks. 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 more fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with a spread in catches throughout the beats especially at the start of the week as fish run into the river in numbers. The beats at Stanley and below are seeing better sport and the rise in water levels in recent times may just have spiced things up by encouraging summer salmon and sea trout into the river. The very lower part of the river is now producing more fish with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week consistently. Summer salmon are certainly entering the river in numbers with Almondmouth producing 9 in the week including salmon and grilse caught by Arnot McWhinnie, Bill and Sandra Robbins. Waulkmill and Lower Redgorton also had 9 between the beats.

Upper Redgorton and Fishponds had 7 between them with Miceal Bothwell landing a 12 pounds beauty in the Craigs on the fly. Benchil had a superb week with 12 which mostly fell to the fly up to 20 pounds in weight. Alistair Sheach had 4 in the week including 3 on Monday morning up to 17 pounds from the Long Shot.

Ian Muir also had a morning to remember with 3 on Wednesday casting the fly from the boat and losing a further 2 as well. Jamie McCulloch was successful later in the week wading the Long Shot landing a 12 pounds beauty. Sharon Rice had a 14 pounds fish also from the beat on a Toby in the Plain Water. Pitlochrie has been lean however a grilse was landed from Kirkie on the fly on Saturday. Stobhall had a steady week with 13.

Ballathie and Cargill have had consistent weeks recently and that was the same last week until Cargill managed a superb day with 14 fish on Friday with Ian Muir having an excellent day. It was an amazing end to a great week with other successful rods including Graeme Ritchie, Alan Hunter and Alan Thompson. Islamouth had a quieter week with 11. Upper Islamouth and Meikleour were finding it tough as well with only one in the week.

The middle river is disappointing with rising river temperatures over recent weeks and more water not producing good sport however there have been exceptions.

Kercock had 4 with a grilse for James Redmond and

Robert McFarlane caught a 16 pounds cracker. Newtyle and Dunkeld House had a fish a piece meanwhile Dalmarnock had 6 in the week including a Pacific one! The Kinnaird beats continue to have a reasonable time with 6 between the beats.
The upper river was seeing steady sport with fish recently however nothing was reported last week.
The Tummel was continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club and there are now well over 3000 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally.
The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht however again no fish are being reported.
The Earn has seen a run of salmon and sea trout progress up the river.
The 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

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 24th July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 24th July 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in Summer on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter late July and we have been encountering some heavy rain at times resulting in fresh water in the river. The river has been low for quite a period but the rain has brought the river up and it is now dropping back nicely. The lower river levels have not stopped fish running and triggering off reasonable catches, however the increased flows have helped even further. We have had some unsettled conditions in recent times with rain raising the river but that has now settled which hopefully will continue to give more optimism plus a reasonable summer run is in progress. The weather hopefully will remain reasonable to give a greater chance of producing some sport and some summer "Bars of Silver".

On the nature front the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows have are in the skies, Ospreys are being seen, Ducks have their first and second broods of young and Sand Pipers are on the river banks. Wild flowers are in bloom, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay.

Currently the river is at better levels after rain recently and setting back with improving conditions (Just above 1’ on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more summer salmon to run.
The weather has been more settled over the latter part of last week but should continue to settle down in the coming days with some rain forecast later in the coming week but hopefully this will not unsettle the river. Some heavy downpours have given the river some water from rain in recent weeks but the river has steadily dropped back to just above summer levels again. This current week looks better with less rain forecast. Calmer weather will settle the river back to good levels and make ideal summer fishing conditions. The water temperature is hovering around 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 degrees Celsius week and should remain at that level in the current weather conditions. These are typical temperatures for this time of year. The temperature has risen encouraging more salmon to run resulting in fish being caught well up the system. The temperature in recent days will encourage salmon to run throughout the system as earlier resulting in fish being caught well up the system depending on water levels. Hopefully there might be a chance of a fresh fish anywhere in the river.

Popular hotels to stay in the area are the Tayside Hotel in Stanley, Ballathie House, The Meikleour Arms, Murrayshall Hotel, Scone and the Royal Dunkeld Hotel.
As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method will have to be a bit quicker with large lures to catch the elusive Tay Salmon. 20 pounds main line with a 15 pounds leader plus favoured lures include Devons, Toby Salmos, Vision 110’s and Rapalas, for spinning and smaller Temple Dogs, Tubes, normal dressed flies and Monkies for fly fishing. The Tay is a large river but modern lines should make turning over and casting larger flies easier and the fish tend to be near the bank in larger waters. Floating lines and sink tips are now on the agenda as we go over the magical 48 degrees and into summer. Harling is also a favoured method on the river to cover the lies for the less experienced.

Tackle recommendations for fishing the Tay throughout the season.

Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned. In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances.
Fly Lines.
In early season when the water is cold you need to cast larger flies and get them deeper in the water to fish them slowly. There is a tremendous choice on the market nowadays which can be quite confusing to many anglers. Any type of Skagit line that can easily cast a 15 foot sinking leader of various depths is a good choice especially to the less experienced. Iflights and a tip of choice attached are another good bet as these lines enable you to cast a longer line than normal with ease. For more experienced anglers, there are a vast array of shooting heads of different sinking abilities available as well. These tactics can be used in late season as well when the water starts to cool down.
Once the water temperature starts to climb by April then tactics change to mainly floating lines and sink tips with much smaller conventional flies. Again, the choice of lines is incredible from longer belly Spey lines to shooting heads. If you go to shooting heads, then it is important to choose a good shooting backing as line management can be a big issue casting longer lines on a river such as the Tay.

Spinning Rods.
Rods.
You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms.
Line.
A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line.
Baits.
Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective and of course Kynochs are popular for harling.

What flies should I take?
In early season bigger flies such as Tube Flies, Temple Dogs and Monkey type flies up to 2 inches in body length and larger conventional patterns in 4’s and 6’s in lower water are required. A point of note is that a lighter Tube such as an aluminium or plastic body is far easier to cast than brass. Current line technology enables you to get these lighter flies to the correct depths. Ask your ghillie for tip advice on the day.
As river temperatures rise to a more conventional approach then a size range in your box should be from 6 in higher water to 12 in lower water and even smaller on exceptionally low conditions. Cascade type patterns seem to be the most popular and recently feeler flies have come to the fore. It is always worth a go with a Sun Ray type fly with a long wing whether casting normally in colder conditions to stripping it fast in warmer water.
Finally, you are reminded that the Tay's policy from June to the end of 2017 Season is that
• All hen fish of any size and all cock fish over 10 pounds should be released.
• All coloured and gravid fish to be released.
• No more than one clean fish weighing, where possible, less than 10 pounds should be retained per angler per day.
• Anglers should not use worms in September or October in any part of the district.
Please help preserve both them and the long term future of your sport by following the recommendations. It is vital the river system follows these guides to ensure the draconian rules do not get extended in seasons to come.

When releasing salmon please try to keep the fish in the water as much as possible to give them every chance to recover prior to release. Releasing fish from boats in the river is not recommended. Further information on the policy and good release practice.

The Tay Ghillies Association are continuing their popular FISH OF THE MONTH AWARD to encourage good catch and release practice on the Tay. Each month the winner will receive 2 personalised crystal Whisky glasses engraved with details of the catch and they will automatically be entered into the fish of the year competition for a Stylish Crystal Engraved Decanter. Full details of this initiative.

If you have any news or pictures of catches or experiences on the Tay and you would like to share them please email me on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in the reports.

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 15th July 2017.

Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire has seen out June with improving conditions for fishing in milder weather and settling lower water levels until recently as more water has arrived plus catches are improving after a slow start to the season with a summer run now in progress. Expectation and optimism are high on the river with summer arriving as spring has disappeared to give everyone a chance of landing a “Bar of Silver”.
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 15th July)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 7, Waulkmill 4, Lower Redgorton 8, Upper Redgorton 2, Fishponds 6, Benchil 9, Upper Scone 2, Stobhall 11, Taymount 3, Ballathie 10, Cargill 2, Islamouth 10, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 8, Kercock 3, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 4, Murthly 2 5, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 7, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 6, Upper Kinnaird 1, Farleyer Upper 2, Farleyer Lower 3, Portnacraig Pitlochry 1.
Total: 118 Largest: Dalmarnock 24lbs
SEA TROUT: Lower Redgorton 1, Upper Redgorton 1, Fishponds 1, Upper Scone 2, Stobhall 1, Cargill 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Lochlane and Laggan 3.
Total: 11 Largest: Lochlane and Laggan 3lbs


June was steady 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. Settling river levels after rain recently should hopefully continue to improve catches over the next few weeks with a summer run now in progress. The lack of rain had 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 was forecast again which has helped to spice things up. It was a much better week with around 130 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 24 pounds from Dalmarnock. Spring is now certainly over for 2017 with hopefully a healthy summer run to build in the coming weeks. 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 more fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with a spread in catches throughout the beats especially at the start of the week as fish run into the river in numbers. The beats at Stanley and below are seeing better sport and the rise in water levels in recent times may just have spiced things up by encouraging summer salmon and sea trout into the river. The very lower part of the river is now producing more fish with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week consistently. Summer salmon are certainly entering the river in numbers with Almondmouth producing 7, Lower Redgorton with 8 and Waulkmill with 4 fish. Further up Fishponds and Upper Redgorton had similar scores. Just above there Benchil had a good week with 11 fish being caught off the beat mostly on fly up to 20 pounds. Perth and District anglers managed a couple in the week with Upper Scone however the Stanley rods had 2 good days of 4 fish on the fly from Long and Little Shot with beat Ghillies

Bob White and

Gordon Pollock landing fish up to 20 pounds on fly. Stobhall had a productive week as well with 11 fish.

Ballathie also did well with 10 fish including a lovely 14 pounds beauty for Roy Spiers.

Cargill also had fish with Victor Frost landing a super fish. Islamouth had a quieter week with 10 meanwhile Upper Islamouth and Meikleour had a better week with 9 fish which included a good day for Chris Barbour with a 15 pounds beauty early in the week.

The middle river is faring reasonably with rising river temperatures over recent weeks and more water should certainly help. Kercock, Delvine, and Glendelvine beats all produced odd fish in the week but this should steadily improve. The Belchers enjoyed success on Kercock with a salmon and a grilse in a day. The Murthly beats fared better with 9 off the beats with good fishing at the end of the week.

Dunkeld House had a single fish caught by Adam Joseph weighing 10 pounds. Dalmarnock had a reasonable week with 7 fish up to 24 pounds with Remo Mocciocia being the lucky recipient of the big fish. Dalguise had a couple and 7 came from the Kinnaird beats.

The upper river is seeing steady sport with fish recently caught and 5 fish reported from the Farleyer beats last week.

The Tummel is continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club with 1 fish reported last week caught by

Saul MacKay and there are now well over 3000 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally. A further monster was also caught on the clubs Sawmill stretch weighing 24 pounds by Martin Timmins caught on the fly. He also caught a grilse a night later as well.

The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht however again no fish are being reported.

The Earn has seen a run of salmon and sea trout progress up the river.

The current week has got off to a cracking start maybe signaling the continuation of a healthy summer run despite some very hot weather.

Monday saw over 16 fish caught as a run progressed up the lower river up to 20 pounds with a greater spread of catches.

Currently there is a superb opportunity for top quality fly fishing with superb heavy summer salmon waiting to take your fly!

The 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

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 17th July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 17th July 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in Summer on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter mid-July and we have been encountering some heavy rain at times at long last resulting in fresh water in the river. The river has been low for quite a period but the rain has brought the river up and it is now dropping back nicely. The lower river levels have not stopped fish running and triggering off reasonable catches, however the increased flows have helped even further. We have had some unsettled conditions in recent times with rain raising the river but that has now settled which hopefully will continue to give more optimism plus a reasonable summer run is in progress. The weather hopefully will remain reasonable to give a greater chance of producing some sport and some summer "Bars of Silver".

On the nature front the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows have are in the skies, Ospreys are being seen, Ducks have their first and second broods of young and Sand Pipers are on the river banks. Wild flowers are in bloom, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay.

Currently the river is at better levels after rain recently and setting back with improving conditions (around 1 ½’ on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more summer salmon to run.

The weather has been more settled over the latter part of last week but should continue to settle down in the coming days with some rain forecast later in the coming week but hopefully this will not unsettle the river. Some heavy downpours have given the river some water from rain in recent weeks but the river has steadily dropped back to just above summer levels again. This current week looks better with less rain forecast. Calmer weather will settle the river back to good levels and make ideal summer fishing conditions. The water temperature is hovering around 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 degrees Celsius week and should remain at that level in the current weather conditions. These are typical temperatures for this time of year. The temperature has risen encouraging more salmon to run resulting in fish being caught well up the system. The temperature in recent days will encourage salmon to run throughout the system as earlier resulting in fish being caught well up the system depending on water levels. Hopefully there might be a chance of a fresh fish anywhere in the river.

The Tay in Perthshire is a prime spring salmon fishing destination so why not give it a go?

Popular hotels to stay in the area are the Tayside Hotel in Stanley, Ballathie House, The Meikleour Arms, Murrayshall Hotel, Scone and the Royal Dunkeld Hotel.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method will have to be a bit quicker with large lures to catch the elusive Tay Salmon. 20 pounds main line with a 15 pounds leader plus favoured lures include Devons, Toby Salmos, Vision 110’s and Rapalas, for spinning and smaller Temple Dogs, Tubes, normal dressed flies and Monkies for fly fishing. The Tay is a large river but modern lines should make turning over and casting larger flies easier and the fish tend to be near the bank in larger waters. Floating lines and sink tips are now on the agenda as we go over the magical 48 degrees and into summer. Harling is also a favoured method on the river to cover the lies for the less experienced.

Tackle recommendations for fishing the Tay throughout the season.
Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned. In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances.
Fly Lines.
In early season when the water is cold you need to cast larger flies and get them deeper in the water to fish them slowly. There is a tremendous choice on the market nowadays which can be quite confusing to many anglers. Any type of Skagit line that can easily cast a 15 foot sinking leader of various depths is a good choice especially to the less experienced. Iflights and a tip of choice attached are another good bet as these lines enable you to cast a longer line than normal with ease. For more experienced anglers, there are a vast array of shooting heads of different sinking abilities available as well. These tactics can be used in late season as well when the water starts to cool down.
Once the water temperature starts to climb by April then tactics change to mainly floating lines and sink tips with much smaller conventional flies. Again, the choice of lines is incredible from longer belly Spey lines to shooting heads. If you go to shooting heads, then it is important to choose a good shooting backing as line management can be a big issue casting longer lines on a river such as the Tay.
Spinning Rods.
Rods.
You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms.
Line.
A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line.
Baits.
Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective and of course Kynochs are popular for harling.
What flies should I take?
In early season bigger flies such as Tube Flies, Temple Dogs and Monkey type flies up to 2 inches in body length and larger conventional patterns in 4’s and 6’s in lower water are required. A point of note is that a lighter Tube such as an aluminium or plastic body is far easier to cast than brass. Current line technology enables you to get these lighter flies to the correct depths. Ask your ghillie for tip advice on the day.
As river temperatures rise to a more conventional approach then a size range in your box should be from 6 in higher water to 12 in lower water and even smaller on exceptionally low conditions. Cascade type patterns seem to be the most popular and recently feeler flies have come to the fore. It is always worth a go with a Sun Ray type fly with a long wing whether casting normally in colder conditions to stripping it fast in warmer water.

Finally, you are reminded that the Tay's policy from June to the end of 2017 Season is that
• All hen fish of any size and all cock fish over 10 pounds should be released.
• All coloured and gravid fish to be released.
• No more than one clean fish weighing, where possible, less than 10 pounds should be retained per angler per day.
• Anglers should not use worms in September or October in any part of the district.

Please help preserve both them and the long term future of your sport by following the recommendations. It is vital the river system follows these guides to ensure the draconian rules do not get extended in seasons to come.
When releasing salmon please try to keep the fish in the water as much as possible to give them every chance to recover prior to release. Releasing fish from boats in the river is not recommended. Further information on the policy and good release practice.

The Tay Ghillies Association are continuing their popular FISH OF THE MONTH AWARD to encourage good catch and release practice on the Tay. Each month the winner will receive 2 personalised crystal Whisky glasses engraved with details of the catch and they will automatically be entered into the fish of the year competition for a Stylish Crystal Engraved Decanter. Full details of this initiative.

If you have any news or pictures of catches or experiences on the Tay and you would like to share them please email me on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in the reports.


Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 8th July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 8th July 2017.

Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire has seen out June with improving conditions for fishing in milder weather and settling lower water levels until recently as more water has arrived plus catches are improving after a slow start to the season with a summer run now in progress. Expectation and optimism is high on the river with summer arriving as spring has disappeared to give everyone a chance of landing a “Bar of Silver”.

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 8th July)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 13, Waulkmill 9, Lower Redgorton 12, Upper Redgorton 5, Fishponds 3, Benchil 2, Stobhall 2, Taymount 8, Ballathie 7, Cargill 1, Islamouth 34, Kercock 2, Delvine Burnbane 1, Glendelvine 1, Murthly 2 9, Newtyle 2, Dunkeld House 3, Dalmarnock 8, Dalguise 3, Farleyer Lower 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 1.
Total: 127 Largest: Murthly 2 25lbs
SEA TROUT: Lower Redgorton 2, Upper Scone 2, Stobhall 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 2 3, Dunkeld House 1.
Total: 10 Largest: Lower Redgorton & Murthly 2 & Dunkeld House 3lbs


June was steady 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. Settling river levels after rain recently should hopefully continue to improve catches over the next few weeks with a summer run now in progress. The lack of rain had 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 was forecast again which has helped to spice things up. It was a much better week with around 130 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 25 from Murthly 2. Spring is now certainly over for 2017 with hopefully a healthy summer run to build in the coming weeks. 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 more fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with a spread in catches but Islamouth continuing to be the most productive beat especially at the start of the week as fish hesitate before the mouth of the Isla. The beats at Stanley and below are seeing better sport and the rise in water levels in recent times may just have spiced things up by encouraging summer salmon and sea trout into the river. The very lower part of the river is now producing more fish with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week consistently. Summer salmon are certainly entering the river in numbers with Almondmouth producing 13 fish then just upstream Lower Redgorton and Waulkmill fishing well with the fly being successful. Local anglers had good success with Steven Watt, Hugh and Ian Law all catching good summer salmon. Upper Redgorton had fish as well with Carriona and Keith Swaffer enjoying success, Catriona had a 12 pounder from Benchil Green and Keith landed a lovely 11 pounds beauty on the fly from the Fire Shot.

On Benchil beat owner Francis Jennings enjoyed success on the fly with fish up to 16 pounds landed in the week. Ballathie had another good week finishing with 4 on Saturday and achieving their 100th fish of the year with Peter Sproston and Fred Harrison having success with fish into the teens in weight. Cargill had odd fish with John Campbell landing a 12 pounds beauty. Islamouth had a superb week with over 30 fish on the fly which were mostly good summer salmon and very few grilse. This seems to be the same on most beats with the quality of fish being caught exceptional. Long may it continue.

The middle river is fairing reasonably with rising river temperatures over recent weeks and more water should certainly help. Kercock, Delvine, and Glendelvine beats all produced odd fish in the week but this should steadily improve. The Murthly beats fared better with 9 off the No 2 beat including a 25 pounds beauty.

Newtyle had a couple with Cameron Henderson landing a 13 pounder from the Steps. Dunkeld House had a good day last Monday with 3 caught by Russell and John Hendren with fish up to 16 pounds. Dalmarnock had a good week with 8 fish from all over the beat. Further up Dalguise caught 3.

The upper river is seeing steady sport with fish recently caught however there was only odd fish reported from Farleyer last week. A fish was also reported from the Loch at Fish n’ Trips.
The Tummel is continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club however nothing was reported last week and there are now well over 3000 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally.

The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht however again no fish are being reported.

The Earn has seen a run of salmon and sea trout progress up the river.

The current week has got off to a cracking start maybe signaling the continuation of a healthy summer run. Monday saw over 25 fish caught as a run progressed up the lower river up to 20 pounds with a greater spread of catches.

The 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

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 10th July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 10th July 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in Summer on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter July and we have been encountering some heavy rain at times at long last resulting in fresh water in the river. The river has been low for quite a period but the rain has brought the river up and it is now dropping back nicely. The lower river levels have not stopped fish running and triggering off reasonable catches, however the increased flows have helped even further. We have had some unsettled conditions in recent times with rain raising the river but that has now settled which hopefully will continue to give more optimism plus a reasonable summer run is in progress. The weather hopefully will remain reasonable to give a greater chance of producing some sport and some summer "Bars of Silver".
On the nature front the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows have are in the skies, Ospreys are being seen, Ducks have their first and second broods of young and Sand Pipers are on the river banks. Wild flowers are in bloom, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay.

Currently the river is at better levels after rain recently and setting back with improving conditions (around 1 ½’ on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more summer salmon to run.

The weather has been more settled over the last week but should continue to settle down in the coming days with some rain forecast but hopefully this will not unsettle the river. Some heavy downpours have given the river some water from rain in recent weeks but the river has steadily dropped back to just above summer levels again. This current week looks better with less rain forecast. Calmer weather will settle the river back to good levels and make ideal summer fishing conditions. The water temperature is hovering around 60 degrees Fahrenheit or 15.5 degrees Celsius week and should remain at that level in the current weather conditions. These are typical temperatures for this time of year. The temperature has risen encouraging more salmon to run resulting in fish being caught well up the system. The temperature in recent days will encourage salmon to run throughout the system as earlier resulting in fish being caught well up the system depending on water levels. Hopefully there might be a chance of a fresh fish anywhere in the river.

The Tay in Perthshire is a prime spring salmon fishing destination so why not give it a go?

Popular hotels to stay in the area are the Tayside Hotel in Stanley, Ballathie House, The Meikleour Arms, Murrayshall Hotel, Scone and the Royal Dunkeld Hotel.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method will have to be a bit quicker with large lures to catch the elusive Tay Salmon. 20 pounds main line with a 15 pounds leader plus favoured lures include Devons, Toby Salmos, Vision 110’s and Rapalas, for spinning and smaller Temple Dogs, Tubes, normal dressed flies and Monkies for fly fishing. The Tay is a large river but modern lines should make turning over and casting larger flies easier and the fish tend to be near the bank in larger waters. Floating lines and sink tips are now on the agenda as we go over the magical 48 degrees and into summer. Harling is also a favoured method on the river to cover the lies for the less experienced.

Tackle recommendations for fishing the Tay throughout the season.
Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned. In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances.
Fly Lines.
In early season when the water is cold you need to cast larger flies and get them deeper in the water to fish them slowly. There is a tremendous choice on the market nowadays which can be quite confusing to many anglers. Any type of Skagit line that can easily cast a 15 foot sinking leader of various depths is a good choice especially to the less experienced. Iflights and a tip of choice attached are another good bet as these lines enable you to cast a longer line than normal with ease. For more experienced anglers, there are a vast array of shooting heads of different sinking abilities available as well. These tactics can be used in late season as well when the water starts to cool down.
Once the water temperature starts to climb by April then tactics change to mainly floating lines and sink tips with much smaller conventional flies. Again, the choice of lines is incredible from longer belly Spey lines to shooting heads. If you go to shooting heads, then it is important to choose a good shooting backing as line management can be a big issue casting longer lines on a river such as the Tay.

Spinning Rods.
Rods.
You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms.
Line.
A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line.
Baits.
Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective and of course Kynochs are popular for harling.

What flies should I take?
In early season bigger flies such as Tube Flies, Temple Dogs and Monkey type flies up to 2 inches in body length and larger conventional patterns in 4’s and 6’s in lower water are required. A point of note is that a lighter Tube such as an aluminium or plastic body is far easier to cast than brass. Current line technology enables you to get these lighter flies to the correct depths. Ask your ghillie for tip advice on the day.
As river temperatures rise to a more conventional approach then a size range in your box should be from 6 in higher water to 12 in lower water and even smaller on exceptionally low conditions. Cascade type patterns seem to be the most popular and recently feeler flies have come to the fore. It is always worth a go with a Sun Ray type fly with a long wing whether casting normally in colder conditions to stripping it fast in warmer water.
Finally, you are reminded that the Tay's policy from June to the end of 2017 Season is that
• All hen fish of any size and all cock fish over 10 pounds should be released.
• All coloured and gravid fish to be released.
• No more than one clean fish weighing, where possible, less than 10 pounds should be retained per angler per day.
• Anglers should not use worms in September or October in any part of the district.

Please help preserve both them and the long term future of your sport by following the recommendations. It is vital the river system follows these guides to ensure the draconian rules do not get extended in seasons to come.
When releasing salmon please try to keep the fish in the water as much as possible to give them every chance to recover prior to release. Releasing fish from boats in the river is not recommended. Further information on the policy and good release practice.

The Tay Ghillies Association are continuing their popular FISH OF THE MONTH AWARD to encourage good catch and release practice on the Tay. Each month the winner will receive 2 personalised crystal Whisky glasses engraved with details of the catch and they will automatically be entered into the fish of the year competition for a Stylish Crystal Engraved Decanter. Full details of this initiative.

If you have any news or pictures of catches or experiences on the Tay and you would like to share them please email me on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com to be included in the reports.


Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White