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