Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 1st July 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 1st 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 1st July)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 5, Waulkmill 3, Lower Redgorton 6, Luncarty 1, Upper Redgorton 1, Fishponds 4, Benchil 2, Stobhall 15, Taymount 11, Ballathie 8, Cargill 13, Islamouth 16, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 4, Kercock 2, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 1, Glendelvine 6, Murthly 2 3, Newtyle 3, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 2, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 4, Edradynate AA 1, Farleyer Lower 1, Lochlane and Laggan 1, Keithick Mains 1, Portnacraig Pitlochry 1, Ruan Ruarie 2.
Total: 121 Largest: Lower Kinnaird 21lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 4, Lower Redgorton 6, Luncarty 1, Fishponds 1, Benchil 3, Stobhall 7, Taymount 5, Cargill 9, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Delvine Burnbane 2, Glendelvine 1, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 1, Lochlane and Laggan 2.
Total: 45 Largest: Glendelvine 5lbs

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 120 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 21 pounds from lower Kinnaird. This has probably signaled the end of the spring run 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 Stobhall to Islamouth area continuing to be the most productive 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.

Further up Luncarty, Upper Redgorton, Fishponds and Benchil produced fish as well. The most productive area currently is from Stobhall up to Islamouth with several fish being caught in the area last week. Stobhall had 15 for the week with Andrew Wright and his father doing well on one of the days. Ballathie and Cargill continue to produce good catches on a weekly basis.

On Cargill it was an eventful week with fish on most days started off by Martin Wilson with a 16 pounds fish from the Pot Shot. Lawrie Parker caught his first salmon from the Tay in 10 visits but hopefully has laid that to rest.

Tony Clements and David Harrington caught good fish up to 16 pounds and the Drury party enjoyed success with Hillary and Steve both doing well. Islamouth enjoyed their usual weekly success with Arnot McWhinnie, Allan McCaig and Ian Gellatly catching at the end of the week.

Meikleour and Upper Islamouth had 4 in the week which included a brace for Simon Littlejohn.

The middle river is fairing reasonably with rising river temperatures over recent weeks and more water should certainly help. Kercock, Delvine, Murthly and Glendelvine beats all produced fish in the week but this should steadily improve.

Willie Cumming caught the fish at Delvine Burnbane meanwhile John Dewar caught at Glendelvine.

The area above including Newtyle, Dunkeld, Dalmarnock and Dalguise are in the same boat after quiet weeks. On Dalmarnock Andrew Sayers and Gary McFadyen caught fish up to 13 pounds. Paul Hunter and Carol Scott were the lucky rods at Dalguise.

Up at Kinnaird Iain McLaren and Saul MacKay enjoyed success with the fly.
The upper river is seeing steady sport with fish recently caught however there was only odd fish reported from Edradynate and Farleyer last week.

The Tummel is continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club however with only 1 landed last week by Martin Cavanagh and there are now well over 3000 fish through the Dam resulting in fish being recorded in Loch Faskally. There was a couple from the Clubs stretch on the Gary at Ruan Ruarie for Dave Wilson.

The Isla are seeing salmon run up the river and progressing to the Ericht with a fish reported from Keithick Mains.

The Earn has seen a run of salmon and sea trout progress up the river with Lochlane and lagan catching a single salmon and odd sea trout.

The current week has got off to a cracking start maybe signaling the start of a healthy summer run. Monday saw over 25 fish caught as a run progressed up the lower river up to 16 pounds and 9 being caught on the fly at Islamouth.

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