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