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.
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.
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
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