Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 29th June 2020.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 29th June 2020. 

There were no salmon caught last week on the beats. Unfortunately there were 3 salmon lost on the fly on Tuesday and there after the river was not settled due to rain and daily hydro rises. The weekend saw heavy rain on Saturday and the river has now risen to around 4 feet which may just kick start the summer salmon run in the river.

The boats are now back on the river and with the lockdown easing we are certainly open for business. July is normally a good month on the lower river and there is certainly an air of optimism for the coming weeks. We now have a lower price bank rod only on our Pitlochrie and Benchil beats for July at £75 plus VAT with a higher price of £125 plus VAT for the use of the boat as well.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method is permitted to catch the elusive Tay Salmon but we encourage fly fishing as we have some of the nicest streams and pools to fish on any part of the river.

Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned.  In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances. 

Fly Lines.

We are now in Summer therefore conventional floating lines with tips would be the best choice. 

Spinning Rods.

You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms. 

Line. 

A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line. 

Baits.

Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective. 

The Stanley beats are steeped in history and this year we have reduced the available rods to 4 giving you far more opportunity and value for money. We are fly fishing friendly as well. Look forward to seeing you on the beats. Feel free to contact us direct on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com or 07979528134/01738827416.

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 22nd June 2020.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 22nd June 2020.

It has been a quiet week at Stanley with only one salmon landed on Tuesday night by James McKay from the Skellies. There was a little fresh water on Thursday from a heavy thunder shower up country turning the river dirty for a couple of days. It was fine by Saturday plus the water had dropped back to 7 inches but despite some good effort there was nothing reported. This recent period may have signalled the end of the spring run and we await with anticipation of a good summer run in the next few weeks. In the last few years this has been the most productive time certainly on the lower river, so let us hope it lives up to expectation.

Conditions remain good with water levels around 1 foot but there is a bit of rain in the forecast so it may fluctuate during the week. This is the last week of Stanley bank only reverting back to both banks and alternate days between Pitlochrie and Benchil. The boats will be going back onto the beats this week and hopefully the lockdown rules will lift further to enable us to get back to normal if that is possible.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method is permitted to catch the elusive Tay Salmon but we encourage fly fishing as we have some of the nicest streams and pools to fish on any part of the river.

Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned.  In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances. 

Fly Lines.

We are now in Summer therefore conventional floating lines with tips would be the best choice. 

Spinning Rods.

You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms. 

Line. 

A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line. 

Baits.

Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective. 

The Stanley beats are steeped in history and this year we have reduced the available rods to 4 giving you far more opportunity and value for money. We are fly fishing friendly as well. Look forward to seeing you on the beats. Feel free to contact us direct on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com or 07979528134/01738827416. 

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 15th June 2020.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 15th June 2020. 

It has been another good week for the Stanley beats with an improvement in catches for June. We do not normally catch that many for this time of year but now 5 in a couple of weeks is encouraging for Benchil in particular with only a few people fishing. Our 5 year average is 2 for the beat and our total so far beats any catch in the last 5 years! Hopefully more to be added in the next couple of weeks and with more relaxation of lockdown should see a bit more effort. The catches tend to favour the middle and upper river currently but give it another couple of weeks their season slows and emphases turns to the lower river. July and August should be good with us and i am really optimistic we will do well this year.
Back to this week, I caught a lovely 10 pounds fish on Monday night at the very tail of the Little Shot on the fly and lost another one at the head of the Long Shot.

Then 2 nights later I landed another one of about 8 pounds from the tail of the Long Shot eventually landing it in the Little Shot after a titanic battle. 

On Friday evening Jonny Muir caught a lovely Sea Trout and on Saturday James McKay caught a fish of about 10 pounds in the Skellies on a Flying C to complete the week. 

Conditions could not be better with low water below 1' and salmon travelling through the beats every day, I am sure catches will only improve as we get nearer July. 

Please note we are observing the distance ruling and it will only be available for local people to the area. This may change this week with a further announcement to come from the first minister on Thursday.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method is permitted to catch the elusive Tay Salmon but we encourage fly fishing as we have some of the nicest streams and pools to fish on any part of the river.

Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned.  In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances. 

Fly Lines.

We are now in Summer therefore conventional floating lines with tips would be the best choice. 

Spinning Rods.

You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms. 

Line. 

A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line. 

Baits.

Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective. 

The Stanley beats are steeped in history and this year we have reduced the available rods to 4 giving you far more opportunity and value for money. We are fly fishing friendly as well. Look forward to seeing you on the beats. Feel free to contact us direct on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com or 07979528134/01738827416. 

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 8th June 2020.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Stanley beats, Tay, Perthshire Report and Prospects for W/C 8th June 2020. 

It has a reasonable week on the river at Stanley primarily down at Benchil. Water levels are perfect for the beat and for fly fishing. There have not been many rods out due to the regulations limit on distance people can travel however a few local rods did have a go and there were fish caught. We recorded 2 cracking summer salmon and a couple of Sea Trout. There have not been many showing but fish are obviously travelling through the lower beats which is encouraging.

The salmon action came on Saturday with myself having a cast in the morning for a couple of hours! I landed a Sea Trout in the Little Shot fly fishing then went back in to hook and land a lovely fresh salmon of about 12 pounds on the next cast! I called it quits after that!

In the afternoon James McKay from Perth caught an impressive 14 pounder in the Skellies at the top of the beat on a flying C. Both fish were released 

The prospects for the coming week look good for the beats, especially Benchil that suits low water. There are certainly fish running in the river and we are coming into a good period for summer salmon fishing. Currently the river is running just over 1 foot at Ballathie and just about 60F/15.5C.Fishing is bank only from the Stanley bank until July.
Please note we are observing the distance ruling and it will only be available for local people to the area.

As to methods, in settled conditions fishing by any method is permitted to catch the elusive Tay Salmon but we encourage fly fishing as we have some of the nicest streams and pools to fish on any part of the river.

Fly Rods.
The Tay is a large river especially when running at a normal level and even in lower levels you are fishing another river within the mighty one so therefore a 15 foot fly rod for a 10 weight line is certainly minimum requirement for much of the season. Do not come under gunned.  In some parts of the river where it is especially wide even longer rods are used. It should be noted however that it is better to cast a shorter controlled line than try to cast out with your capabilities and have the lines end up in a mess and decrease your chances. 

Fly Lines.

We are now in Summer therefore conventional floating lines with tips would be the best choice. 

Spinning Rods.

You should have a minimum of a 10 foot rod for casting baits of 20gm to 60gms. 

Line. 

A main line of 20 pounds in nylon or 30 pounds in braid. You should use a lesser poundage far a cast such as 15 pounds so if you get caught up on the bottom you do not lose a large part of your main line. 

Baits.

Tobies from 18gm upwards. Toby Salmos are very popular in 30gms. Conventional weighted Devon’s are good especially in the Spring. Rapalas and Vision 110’s are very effective. 

The Stanley beats are steeped in history and this year we have reduced the available rods to 4 giving you far more opportunity and value for money. We are fly fishing friendly as well. Look forward to seeing you on the beats. Feel free to contact us direct on robert.salmonfishing@googlemail.com or 07979528134/01738827416. 

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White