Salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire is in early September with changeable summer conditions for fishing in warm weather and reasonable water levels from rain at times plus catches are steady with autumn arriving. The temperatures should start to drop soon with expectation and optimism still high on the river with summer slowly disappearing and autumn arriving to give everyone a chance of landing a good Tay salmon.
On the nature front as autumn arrives and the leaves start to turn the Sand Martins, Swifts and Swallows are in the skies, Ospreys are being seen but shall soon depart for warmer climes, Ducks have their broods of young growing up steadily and Kingfishers dart past on the river banks. Odd wild flowers are still in bloom, it is truly magical to be salmon fishing in Perthshire on the banks of the silvery Tay where a salmon is now a bonus.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 9th September)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 5, Waulkmill 7, Lower Redgorton 1, Fishponds 1, Benchil 1, Upper Scone 2, Pitlochrie 1, Stobhall 5, Taymount 15, Ballathie 6, Cargill 7, Islamouth 10, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 4, Kercock 2, Murthly 1 1, Glendelvine 1, Newtyle 1, Dalmarnock 3, Dalguise 1, Lower Kinnaird 3, Edradynate AA 1, Findynate 1, Upper Aberuthven 1, Portnacraig Pitlochry 1.
Total: 81 Largest: Islamouth & Upper Aberuthven 25lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 1, Lower Redgorton 1, Taymount 1, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Delvine Burnbane 1.
Total: 5 Largest: Waulkmill & Taymount & Meikleour and Upper Islamouth & Delvine Burnbane 3lbs
July was the rivers best month so far and August was steady 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 now 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 a good few fish landed and the biggest one recorded was 25 pounds from Islamouth with a fish of the same size also being reported on the Earn at Aberuthven. Spring is now a distant memory for 2017 and Summer has disappeared as we move into 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 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 sport and the rise in water levels in recent times may just have spiced things up by encouraging salmon into the river however the catches do not reflect that. The very lower part of the river is producing consistent catches with Almondmouth, Waulkmill and Lower Redgorton all catching in the week but in disappointing numbers for the time of year. The beats further up are not fairing any better as everyone hopes for some form of autumn run. Stobhall and Taymount have done better with 20 fish in the week. Ballathie and Cargill continue to work away with 13 fish.
Cargill saw a few fish landed in the week up to 18 pounds with
The middle river continues to be extremely disappointing with rising river temperatures over recent weeks and more water not producing good sport however there have been odd exceptions. Odd fish came from Kercock, Murthly, Glendelvine, Newtyle, Dalmarnock and Dalguise. Mike Massie caught an 11 pounds fish from the Steps on the fly from Newtyle.
The upper river was seeing steady sport with fish recently caught and reported last week at Edradynate and Findynate.
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. A fish was reported from the club water caught by Stephen Dunstan on the fly weighing 11 pounds.
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 however there was a 25 pounds fish recorded at Upper Aberuthven.
The current week has got off to a much better start with over 50 fish recorded already up to an impressive 24 pounds.
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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