Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 13th February 2016.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Report for W/E 13th February 2016.

Spring salmon fishing on the Tay in Perthshire has now into the middle of February with improving conditions for fishing in colder weather and settling water levels and catches are improving. Expectation is high on the river for 2016 after successful springs in 2015, 2014 and 2013 and hopefully settled weather will continue with an improving run in February to give everyone a chance of landing a spring “Bar of Silver”.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 13th February)
SALMON & GRILSE: Fishponds 1, Catholes 3, Upper Scone 3, Pitlochrie 1, Burnmouth 3, Stobhall 2, Taymount 15, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Glendelvine 1, Dunkeld House 4, Upper Kinnaird 2, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 2.
Total: 39 Largest: Upper Kinnaird 34lbs
SEA TROUT: Stobhall 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Dunkeld House 1, Upper Kinnaird 1.
Total: 4 Largest: Dunkeld House & Upper Kinnaird albs

Spring salmon were landed throughout last week with colder weather and fortune favoured those who braved the elements in some cases. The week was a marked improvement on the previous with 39 fish landed and the biggest one recorded was a massive 34 pounds fish from Upper Kinnaird. It is early yet with only small runs coming into the river and very cold weather is not making fishing easy. The spring fish that have been caught so far have been superb quality and of a good size.

The majority of the salmon have been caught in the lower river, which is understandable with the cold conditions and a few fish have been running giving improving results further up the river including odd fish from Loch Tay now. The beats around Stanley traditionally lead the way in these conditions in early spring and should be a barometer for the runs. Fishponds continued their fortune from last week with a fresh run 8 pounds fish. The Stanley beats were the most productive with the Linn pool being the hot spot especially for the Taymount rods.

Stuart Voce and his party had a tremendous week landing several fish mostly from the pool up to 20 pounds but also had a 13 pounds fish from Stank End on the top beat.

Stobhall also had salmon from the Linn pool with Andrew Wright landing a 14 pounds beauty. Further downstream Burnmouth had 3 in the week with Steve Watt landing 2 one day from the boat and Jason Stratton landing a 10 pounds fish on Saturday just above the Catholes Weir.

Catholes was also fairly productive with Stuart McArther catching a superb 14 pounds fish from the tail of the Woodside on a Toby Salmo on Saturday.

Earlier in the week Dennis Robb landed a good fish in the Little Head and

Derek Strachan caught an 11 pounds salmon in the Back Dam on a Devon.

Pitlochrie pool featured during the week as well with Ian Kettles landing an 8 pounds fish while Steven Patterson caught a fresh beauty on Saturday with Upper Scone.

Arnot McWhinnie was also successful on the Pitlochrie beat with a 15 pounds cracker out of Horsey in the boat.
Further upriver there was a cracking 24 pounds fish caught on Meikleour and Upper Islamouth from the boat. Delvine and Burnbane got off the mark with a fresh fish in the week.

Willie Thornton caught a superb 10 pounds fish from the boat on Glendelvine. Dunkeld House saw 4 fish caught last week with Stan Nicol landing a 12 pounds fish from the boat in the Cutty. The largest fish of the week came from Upper Kinnaird weighing an impressive 34 pounds.

Loch Tay reported a couple of fish from Fish n Trips with James Armstrong landing a 24 pounds beauty.

The Spring Salmon fishing season has now entered February and expectation is very high after previous good springs. Last weeks catches were heartening after the slow start and bad weather. Let us hope this is a sign of an upturn in catches as last February proved.

The Spring Salmon fishing was well and truly underway after all the excitement of opening day’s celebrations. It has been a reasonable start so let us hope the season lives up to every ones expectations over the coming weeks and months. Tight lines!

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White