Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 5th August 2017.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 5th 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. 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 5th August)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 8, Waulkmill 7, Lower Redgorton 10, Luncarty 3, Upper Redgorton 3, Fishponds 7, Benchil 2, Upper Scone 4, Stobhall 10, Taymount 5, Ballathie 4, Cargill 5, Islamouth 10, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 6, Kercock 4, Delvine Burnbane 1, Glendelvine 1, Murthly 2 11, Newtyle 2, Dunkeld House 2, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 3, Lower Kinnaird 1, Upper Kinnaird 1.
Total: 111 Largest: Cargill 30lbs
SEA TROUT: Lower Redgorton 2, Upper Redgorton 1, Upper Scone 1, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 2, Delvine Burnbane 2, Murthly 2 1, Dunkeld House 1, Lochlane and Laggan 1.
Total: 11 Largest: Murthly 2 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 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 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 110 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 30 pounds from Cargill. 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 more 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 more fish with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and lower Redgorton all catching in the week consistently but in low numbers but hopefully that will change in the weeks to come to signal the start of an Autumn run. On Lower Redgorton Ian Muir’s party enjoyed a good week with several fish caught on fly. Ian and son, Johnny landed good fish plus Tom Clinton caught his first ever salmon on the fly. Upper Redgorton, Luncarty and Fishponds were in a similar vein with odd fish caught throughout the week.

Fishponds had a good day on Saturday with 4 plus Mr Gittins caught a superb 24 pounds fish on the fly earlier in the week.

Luncarty saw 3 fish landed on Saturday for Tim Greenfields party with David Golding landing a 9 pounds fish on the fly and Peter Thomas caught 2 in the boat in the afternoon. Upper Scone had 4 in the week with Gary Perk catching all of them up to 12 pounds. At Stanley Tim Greenfields party had a couple of fish from Benchil with Tim catching a grilse on the fly in the Little Shot and John Colin landing a fish on a flying c. Stobhall had 10 in the week and further upstream Ballathie and Cargill had quieter weeks.

Cargill saw a 30 pounds fish caught by Frank Wardale from the boat and other good fish caught by Steve Curnow and Jeremy Neville. Islamouth had 10 in the week and

Upper Islamouth and Meikleour had 6 which included a day of 3 up to 6 pounds for Ariel Rychlik and John Cameron caught a 12 pounds fish in the March Pool.

On Saturday a delighted Isabella Proby caught her very first salmon casting a spinner from the boat at the mouth of the Isla.

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 with a good fish for Douglas McIntosh on the fly. Glendelvine and Delvine had a fish each. Murthly 2 had a good week with 11.

Newtyle and Dunkeld House caught a couple each with Mr Tansey and Bob Higgins catching fish up to 7 pounds. Dalmarnock had 1 then just a bit up stream Dalguise caught 3 with Trevor Nicholson and Craig Hood having a fish apiece up to 12 pounds. The Kinnaird beats had 2 between them.

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.

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