Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 9th June 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 9th June 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire is now in June for salmon fishing with disappointing results in recent weeks and now with a far warmer forecast. Expectation is still optimistic on the river for 2018 after a string of better weeks in April, however May was poor but fish are starting to be caught this month after a bit of fresh water from thundery rain. The most positive news has been the multi sea winter fish being landed on the river week in week out which has put the Tay again at the centre of everyone’s attention. Hopefully the weather will remain reasonably settled over the coming weeks and give everyone a chance of landing a “Bar of Silver” and even possibly a fish of a lifetime.

Beat catches reported

(week ending 9th June)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 2, Lower Redgorton 1, Taymount 2, Ballathie 2, Cargill 2, Islamouth 17, Kercock 6, Murthly 1 1, Glendelvine 2, Murthly 2 1, Newtyle 1, Dalmarnock 3, Dalguise 1, Lower Kinnaird 1, Loch Faskally 1.
Total: 43 Largest: Kercock 18lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 2, Lower Redgorton 3, Ballathie 1, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Glendelvine 1.
Total: 8 Largest: Lower Redgorton & Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 3lbs

Spring salmon were landed last week in warmer weather and river conditions were generally excellent although a few may have complained about the bright sun at times and the dirty water coming down the whole river from a landslide above Pitlochry. The river has been settled and at lower levels now due to the lack of rain. The numbers were again disappointing with just over 40 fresh salmon recorded last week making it a poor week for the time of year. The spring season is in its later stages now and frustratingly only small runs are coming into the river but fluctuating weather can make fishing difficult however as the fish travel slowly upriver most beats are catching. Some of the fish that have been caught remain truly memorable as typical Tay specimens due to their size and depth. Hopefully there will be a lot more of them to come. 

The Lower river saw its share of catches last week after the dirty water started to clear on Wednesday especially at Islamouth where the influence of the Isla has an undoubted benefit and with now lower river levels the beat is consistently leading the way. The very lower part of the river is now seeing odd fish with Lower Redgorton and Almondmouth both catching last week. Taymount had a couple in the week then just upstream Ballathie and Cargill shared 4. 

On Ballathie Ian Bowler and Chris Loftus’s team enjoyed success with a couple. 

On Cargill Nigel Russell and 

Euan Darroch caught good fish on fly and spinner. At Islamouth is was another good week despite dirty water early in the week. Ian Muir’s party finally got going on Wednesday with 7 landed up to 17 pounds on fly. 

Chris Wall caught the fish at 17 pounds from the Ash Tree and Ian Muir, Jonny Muir and John Bell all caught with the Long Head being the most productive pool. The last three days in the week saw John McElroy’s party have consistent days with 10 fish.

Neil Tong did well with several fish but others were caught by John McElroy and John Campbell up to 13 pounds.  

The Middle river enjoyed excellent water conditions with exception of the dirty water early in the week and despite some bright days throughout and fish continued to appear in modest numbers as they moved steadily up stream especially on Saturday when catches were achieved on most middle beats. 

On Kercock it was a much better week with 6 fish landed including 4 on Saturday. 

Jim Lamb, Scott Sykes, 

Kenny Milne and 

Paul Quigley all caught fish on fly up to 18 pounds. The Murthly and Glendelvine beats had a quieter time with 4 fish between them with Jim Ferrie having success on the top beat. Newtyle had one for the week but Dalmarnock had a better week with 3. 

Dalguise had one fish caught by Brian Walker from the Bridge pool and a single fish was caught on Lower Kinnaird. Sadly, there were no others reported on the middle stretches. 

The Upper area has featured recently as fish moved up the system giving everyone hope of landing one of these memorable fish, however no fish were recorded from the area last week probably due to the lack of water. 

The Lyon has been seeing a run of spring salmon recently, however there was no news form the area.  

Loch Tay is also seeing sport but nothing was reported last week. 

The Tummel was also seeing sport recently form the Pitlochry Angling Club stretch at Portnacraig however there were no reports last week but on a positive note there are now around 1000 plus fish have ascended the ladder with temperatures rising. A single fish was reported from Loch Faskally.

The spring salmon are now going up the Isla with fish caught recently and on the lower Ericht the Blairgowrie Angling Club water has been reporting fish however the lower water levels will be curtailing sport especially on the Ericht. 

The Earn is starting to see salmon and sea trout arrive in the last few weeks but nothing was reported last week. 

The Tay is certainly the place to come to for the chance of a fish of a lifetime. The sheer size of the river produces very powerful large salmon and the possibility of a 40 pounds fish must be on the cards now. The food source for Atlantic salmon is moving further away from our shores with sea temperatures rising and salmon are spending longer away in the ocean before they are returning making the possibility of much bigger fish finding its way back. The fish that are being caught now is further evidence of that phenomenon. 

These are encouraging signs in the past week or so however the sheer class of the fish caught continues to be outstanding and with hopefully a settled river in the coming weeks should see improved catches with a settled forecast as well.  

The Spring Salmon fishing was slow as we saw out May. It has been a quiet start but let us hope the season lives up to every one’s expectations over the coming weeks and months and when you visit the Tay you catch a fish of a lifetime. Tight lines!

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