The conditions last week were again superb on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland with ideal conditions especially for the lower and middle river with cold weather and improved returns increased from the previous week filling everyone with more optimism for the coming weeks. The good news for this week is that we have colder settled conditions giving us great prospects with an even colder weather forecast for the latter part of the week, which will maintain early spring sport on this marvelous river especially on the lower and middle river.
The Spring Salmon fishing is never easy but when settled conditions prevail the sport can be magical as proved this past week with some outstanding catches with nearly 80 spring salmon registered in the Tay system. This was a marked improvement on the previous week and superb for the river. Spring salmon were caught all week up to 23 pounds in weight and throughout the river. The Tay is fishing currently very well and is certainly a good destination to catch your first spring salmon of the season. The river offers a variety of possibilities for all standards of anglers with ghillies only too keen to teach the novices and this mighty river can produce a memorable salmon for the keen fly fisher. Levels have dropped and the pools can be easily covered from bank and boat with modern technology. Why not have a go and sample this magical river. The fishing is supreme and the scenery is not bad either.
Beat catches reported
(week ending 16th March)
SALMON & GRILSE: Upper Redgorton 6, Benchil and Catholes 3, Upper Scone 4, Pitlochrie and Catholes 6, Burnmouth 4, Stobhall 6, Taymount 11, Ballathie 5, Islamouth 4, Lower and Upper Islamouth 1, Meikleour House 1, Murthly 1 2, Murthly 2 6, Newtyle 3, Dunkeld House 3, Dalmarnock 2, Lower Kinnaird 1, Upper Kinnaird 2, Farleyer Upper 2, Coupar Grange 4, Portnacraig Pitlochry 2.
Total: 78 Largest: Taymount 23lbs
SEA TROUT: Upper Redgorton 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Upper Redgorton 2lbs
Spring salmon have been caught throughout the system this past week encouraging everyone and there has also been the emergence of some larger multi sea winter spring salmon up to 23 pounds, which is superb news. The Upper reaches have encountered fresh salmon again, as fish have been keen to run with good water levels earlier in the month despite cold temperatures. The Upper river registered 6 spring salmon with Upper Farleyer landing 2 spring salmon in the week and Upper Kinnaird also catching. Warmer weather will help the upper areas in the next few weeks as temperatures inevitably will rise and catches will swing to this part of the Tay.
On the Middle river 18 spring salmon were caught this last week. When the water starts to warm up the middle river will fair even better.
Dalmarnock had a couple of spring fish in the week with Munro Reid catching a superb 14 pounds beauty on a flying C in the Inch Stream.
Dunkeld house also had a few with Paul Gamba catching a memorable 12 pounds beauty in the Lady pool fly fishing in inclement weather in highland Perthshire.
Newtyle had spring salmon during the week with Brian Lumsden catching a superb 9 pounds beauty on the fly at the Deans burn. The Murthly beats continue to do well with salmon landed up to 18 pounds. At Kercock quite a few fish were hooked but the guests couldn’t seem to keep them on, that will change shortly when the fish slow down.
The Lower River dominated the catches understandably with colder conditions and a dropping water with 50 spring salmon for the week. Islamouth had the odd success during the week with Patrick Gordons party fairing reasonably at the end of the week.
Ballathie and Cargill caught during the week. Stobhall and Taymount continued to fair well during the week catching several spring fish. Taymount did particularly well landing 11 salmon during the week.
Amongst the successful anglers was Bill Robbins with a superb 23 pounds cracker, Alan McCaig, Greig Thomson, Davie Farmer, Gavin and Roddy Potter. It was a birthday celebration for Gavin Potter on Friday with his first ever spring salmon and to keep it in the family Roddy landed a lovely 10 pounds beauty fly fishing in Stank End. Further down stream on Catholes John Bennett faired well on Tuesday landing 2 fresh salmon at 12 pounds. Derek Strachen also landed 2 beauties from the same beat on Wednesday from the Gean Tree pool.
Jamie Turner had a day to remember on Friday landing his first ever spring salmon on his birthday. On the Pitlochrie beat at Stanley Archie Peddie celebrated his first ever salmon, caught on a harled fly from the boat, a cracking 12 pounds springer having successfully bid for the day in the Atlantic Salmon Trust auction recently. Not a bad reward. Earlier in the week Jamie McCaig did well on the same beat under the guidance of Upper Scone landing 2 springers including one fly fishing in Horsey. Fishpals Mark Cockburn also landed a springer from the boat in Horsey. Euan Clark had a memorable Saturday landing a superb 17 pounds beauty form Horsey fly fishing in very inclement weather proving perseverance in these conditions can bring large rewards. Further down river Dr Andy Bywater landed a superb 16 pounds on Benchil on the same day. Down on Upper Redgorton the fly proved very successful this past week. Ross McGregor landed a superb 18 pounds beauty fly fishing from the bank and on Saturday Greggor Nimmo landed a 19 pounds salmon on the harled fly. The colder conditions for this coming week should prove successful for the lower river again.
It was certainly another superb spring week to remember with some great stories springers caught with good conditions but now as we enter the second half of March with more settled weather and river levels the spring catches should improve further over the coming weeks assuming the run continues.
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.
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