Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 26th August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 26th August 2017.

Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is in late August with changeable summer conditions for fishing in warm weather and reasonable water levels from rain at times plus catches are steady with autumn approaching. Expectation and optimism are high on the river with summer slowly disappearing and autumn arriving 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 26th August)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 10, Waulkmill 6, Lower Redgorton 5, Luncarty 5, Fishponds 4, Benchil 2, Upper Scone 4, Pitlochrie 1, Stobhall 3, Taymount 9, Ballathie 13, Cargill 10, Islamouth 8, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 5, Kercock 5, Murthly 1 3, Glendelvine 1, Newtyle 3, Dalmarnock 2, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 3.
Total: 104 Largest: Lower Redgorton 23lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 1, Lower Redgorton 1, Lower Kinnaird 1.
Total: 3 Largest: Lower Kinnaird 4lbs

July was the rivers best month so far with more salmon landed in warmer weather and river conditions have improved as the weeks have gone with plenty of fresh water. Settling river levels after rain recently should hopefully continue to improve catches over the next few weeks with autumn soon underway. 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 100 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 23 pounds from Lower Redgorton. Spring is now a distant memory for 2017 and Summer is disappearing as we move nearer to Autumn. Some of the fish that have been caught are memorable as typical Tay specimens due to their size and depth with only a few grilse caught so far. Hopefully there will be a lot more of them to come in the last month and a half of the season.

This past week again saw fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with a spread in catches. 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 salmon into the river. The very lower part of the river is now producing consistent catches with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week. Almondmouth had another reasonable week due to more fish dropping back from upriver to the Almond. Luncarty saw a few fish with the Wangert party having success. Fishponds caught as well with 4 in the week as did Upper Scone with Swiss rods enjoying sport. The high light on Benchil was Mungo Ingleby landing a superb 18 pounds fish on the fly from the Long Shot. Mark Newton caught his first salmon, a small grilse from Pitlochrie pool on a Toby. Further upstream Ballathie and Cargill had a consistent week with 23 between them. On Ballathie, John Milligan caught on fly earlier in the week then Jim Ferrie and Simon Furniss’s party had success at the end of the week. Meanwhile Cargill had a steady week with fish landed up to 21 pounds.

Robert Dawson, Steve Curnow and Ian Jardine were amongst the successful rods. Islamouth finished with 10 in the week with Ian Muir, Kath and Brian Giles all catching. Upper Islamouth and Meikleour had 5 which included Lloyd Thomas landing his first two ever salmon and Scott Sykes landing a lovely grilse from the Castle pool on the fly.

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

Kercock had 5 for the week with Ernie O’Donnell landing a good fish on the fly weighing 18 pounds. Further upstream fish came from Murthly, Glendelvine, Newtyle, Dalmarnock, Dalguise and Kinnaird.

On Newtyle the Miller family all caught with Stewart, Sara and Steven landing fish up to 15 pounds.

The upper river was seeing steady sport with fish recently caught 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 is now nearly 4000 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 with a good few fish caught in the system over recent weeks but by beats that do not report.

The Salmon fishing season 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 28th August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 28th August 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in late Summer with Autumn looming on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter late August and we have been encountering some heavy rain at times resulting in fresh water in the river. The river has been a bit unsettled for quite a period with regular rain showers 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 dropping back after rain recently and settling with improving conditions (Just below 3’ on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more salmon to run.

The weather has been unsettled over the latter part of last week but settled again with a much better forecast in the coming days with little rain forecast which hopefully will not upset the river at all. 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 continues to look more unsettled with some 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 below 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 19th August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 19th August 2017.

Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is in mid August with changeable summer conditions for fishing in warm weather and reasonable water levels from rain at times plus catches are steady after a slow start to the season with a summer run now in progress and hopefully an autumn one to follow. Expectation and optimism are high on the river with summer slowly disappearing and autumn arriving 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 19th August)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 23, Waulkmill 7, Lower Redgorton 4, Luncarty 3, Upper Redgorton 5, Fishponds 4, Benchil 7, Upper Scone 6, Stobhall 8, Taymount 11, Ballathie 6, Cargill 22, Islamouth 11, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 5, Kercock 7, Delvine Burnbane 1, Glendelvine 3, Murthly 2 2, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 4, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 4, Upper Kinnaird 1, Farleyer Upper 2, Farleyer Lower 4, Lochlane and Laggan 1.
Total: 154 Largest: Waulkmill 22lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 5, Lower Redgorton 1, Upper Scone 3, Stobhall 2, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 3, Delvine Burnbane 1, Lower Kinnaird 3, Upper Kinnaird 1, Lochlane and Laggan 2.
Total: 21 Largest: Lochlane and Laggan 5lbs

July was the rivers best month so far with more salmon landed in warmer weather and river conditions have improved as the weeks have gone with plenty of fresh water. 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 150 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 22 pounds from Waulkmill. Spring is now a distant memory for 2017 with hopefully a healthy summer run continuing to build in the coming weeks as we move nearer to Autumn. Some of the fish that have been caught are memorable as typical Tay specimens due to their size and depth with only a few grilse caught so far. Hopefully there will be a lot more of them to come as the run develops further.

This past week again saw fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with a spread in catches. 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 into the river. The very lower part of the river is now producing consistent catches with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week. Almondmouth had a better week due to more fish dropping back from upriver to the Almond. Luncarty saw a few fish with the Wangert party having success.

Fishponds caught as well with Julie Ibbotson landing a superb 14 pounds fish. A Swiss party enjoyed a few fish with Upper Scone from Benchil and the Stanley rods had similar success from the same beat.

On Monday Ian Muir and Charles Savage had fish up to 17 pounds from the Long Shot on fly and spinner. Chris Blandford also caught and Alan Forward with colleague Ray Gardiner caught good fish up to 17 pounds from Benchil. Stobhall had 8 in the week and Ballathie caught 6. Cargill had a good week with 22 fish landed up to 20 pounds.

Ben Watkins had a great day landing 5 fish up to 17 pounds.

Other success was gained by Marc Whalen and Graham Ritchie had a superb 14 pounds sea licer. The week was finished well with 7 on Saturday.

Islamouth caught 11 in the week with Kelly Caton landing the beats 400th fish of the season on the fly from the prolific Long Head pool. The beat has certainly been the Tay’s jewel in the crown this year again.

Meikleour and Upper Islamouth finished up with 5 for the week which included a great day for Simon Littlejohn landing 3 fish up to 15 pounds on fly and John Cameron catching a 5 pounder from the Pumphouse Croy pool.

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 7 for the week with the beats above getting odd fish.

Delvine, Glendelvine, Murthly and Newtyle all had fish in the week with Robbie Nicholson landing his first ever fish on Newtyle from the Steps pool.

Up at Dunkeld House a honeymoon couple from Oslo in Sweden both caught with Espen and Thea Jansen catching fish up to 12 pounds on spinners making their trip to Scotland.

Another 18 pounds fish fell on the beat to Mathew Findlay on a rapala. Dalguise and the Kinnaird beats caught in the week as well.

The upper river was seeing steady sport with fish recently caught with Farleyer beats reporting a fish last week.

The Tummel was continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club and there is now nearly 4000 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 with a single fish recorded at Lochlane and Laggan.

The Salmon fishing season 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 21st August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 21st August 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in late Summer with Autumn looming on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter mid 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 dropping back after rain recently and settling with improving conditions (Just above 3’ on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more summer salmon to run.

The weather has been unsettled over the latter part of last week but settled again however may unsettle in the coming days with some more rain forecast in the coming week but hopefully not upset the river too much. 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 continues to look more unsettled with some 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 below 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.
Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 12th August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 12th August 2017.

Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is in early August with changeable summer conditions for fishing in warm weather and reasonable water levels from rain at times plus catches are steady after a slow start to the season with a summer run now in progress and hopefully an autumn one to follow. Expectation and optimism are high on the river with summer slowly disappearing and autumn arriving 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 12th August)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 15, Waulkmill 7, Lower Redgorton 5, Luncarty 1, Fishponds 3, Benchil 5, Upper Scone 8, Stobhall 23, Taymount 14, Ballathie 10, Cargill 14, Islamouth 11, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 4, Kercock 4, Delvine Burnbane 1, Glendelvine 4, Murthly 2 1, Newtyle 1, Dalmarnock 1, Lower Kinnaird 2, Upper Kinnaird 1, Edradynate AA 1, Lochlane and Laggan 1.
Total: 137 Largest: Benchil 23lbs
SEA TROUT: Upper Scone 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Lower Kinnaird 1, Lochlane and Laggan 1.
Total: 4 Largest: Upper Scone & Delvine Burnbane & Lower Kinnaird & Lochlane and Laggan 2lbs

July was the rivers best month so far with more salmon landed in warmer weather and river conditions have improved as the weeks have gone with plenty of fresh water. 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 140 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 23 pounds from Benchil on the fly. Spring is now distant memory for 2017 with hopefully a healthy summer run continuing to build in the coming weeks as we move nearer to Autumn. Some of the fish that have been caught are memorable as typical Tay specimens due to their size and depth with only a few grilse caught so far. Hopefully there will be a lot more of them to come as the run develops further.

This past week again saw fish from the lower river scattered throughout the beats with a spread in catches. 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 consistent catches with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week but in low numbers which hopefully will change in the weeks to come to signal the start of an Autumn run. Benchil has been fishing well with Upper Scone rods producing good fish up to 18 pounds on fly and spinner. Stanley also had 5 from the beat in the week mostly on fly up to 23 pounds.

Anne Emsens started the week off with a fine 12 pounds fresh fish from the Long Shot casting the fly from the boat.

David Martin continued that with a similar fish from the White Craigs and then 2 superb fish fell to Ian Muir and Chris Wall on Friday weighing 16 and 23 pounds respectively again on fly cast from the boats.

Benchil has fished well this summer with outstanding fly fishing over several weeks. Stobhall had a good week for the Hart party with 23. Ballathie and Cargill continue to be consistent with 24 between them. Cargill had a steady week with the fly proving the popular method of success.

Andrew Martin had his first ever fish from the Tay,

Ian Muir caught on fly and Graham Raffan landed a couple. Later in the week apprentice ghillie Dyllan Dunbar had success and other fish were landed. Islamouth had 11 in the week with John McElroy’s party having a reasonable 3 days earlier in the week.

Upper Islamouth and Meikleour managed 4 for the week with Simon Littlejohn landing a grilse on the fly then

American visitors Matt Kreminski, Jason Tuthill and Callum Conner fished the beat successfully landing a grilse from the Cormorant tree pool.

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 along with Glendelvine. Peter Atkin caught a grilse on Delvine and Burnbane from Sparrowmuir.

Up at Newtyle Andrew Gough caught his first ever salmon on fly, a small grilse under the tutelage of Andy Gunn. Dalmarnock had a single fish and the Kinnaird beats mustered 3.

The upper river was seeing steady sport with fish recently caught with Edradynate reporting a fish last week.

The Tummel was continuing to see sport from the Port-na-Craig beat administered by Pitlochry Angling Club and there is now nearly 4000 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 with a single fish recorded at Lochlane and Laggan.

The Salmon fishing season 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 14th August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Prospects for Tay, Perthshire w/c 14th August 2017.

The Salmon fishing season is now in late Summer with Autumn looming on the mighty Tay in Perthshire, Scotland as we enter mid 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 dropping back after rain recently and settling with improving conditions (Just above 1’ 6 on the Ballathie gauge) to hopefully encourage more summer salmon to run.

The weather has been settled over the latter part of last week but may unsettle in the coming days with some rain forecast in the coming week but hopefully not upset the river to much. 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 more unsettled with some 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