Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 24th March 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 24th March 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire has now in the last week of March for salmon fishing with higher expectation and we have had a cold weather pattern generally although slightly milder last week however winter is still biting with a return to colder conditions towards the end of the coming week but certainly not as extreme witnessed from three weeks ago. Expectation has gone up on the river for 2018 after a string of successful springs over the last 5 years, fish are starting to be caught in greater numbers plus the fantastic news of a 35 pounds fish being landed on the river recently and continuing larger fish being caught week in week out 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 spring “Bar of Silver” and even possibly a fish of a lifetime.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 24th March)
SALMON & GRILSE: Upper Redgorton 4, Benchil 1, Catholes 1, Stobhall 1, Taymount 6, Ballathie 2, Islamouth 1, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 3, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 1, Glendelvine 4, Murthly 2 2, Newtyle 1, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 1, Edradynate 1, Findynate 2, Farleyer Upper 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 4, Portnacraig Pitlochry 2.
Total: 41 Largest: Glendelvine 25lbs
SEA TROUT: Delvine Burnbane 1.

Spring salmon were landed last week in continuing greater numbers in relatively cold weather and river conditions favouring those who braved the elements in most cases. The river has been unsettled especially on the lower river yet again from melting snow on low ground sending coloured water from the burns and Isla making fishing extremely difficult, however colder nights made the river above the Isla drop back giving good conditions last thing on Saturday and with a return to colder weather it should be a good week coming. The numbers were heartening with over forty fresh spring salmon recorded last week but it must be said that could have been a lot higher if the lower area had been more fishable loosing at least 3 days. It is early yet with only small runs coming into the river and fluctuating weather can make fishing difficult. 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 a few fish being landed earlier in the week giving everyone a boost before the water coloured from heavy rain and snow melt on Thursday and Friday before clearing late on Saturday. Fish have now been caught below Stanley with Upper Redgorton going on a roll with 4 fish in three days earlier in the week. 

The week for Mike Hay got off to a flyer with Alan Robertson landing a 13 pounds long tailed lice fish on Monday, it was soon followed by fish landed by George McKinlay and 

Greggor Nimmo up to 14 pounds from the boat. It was not until the Saturday when the river was clearing on the Stanley beats that 

Alistair Mitchell caught a lovely fresh 9 pounds fish casting the fly in Aitken Head on the Benchil beat and Frank Muller landed a 7 pounds fresh fish in the Back Dam on the Catholes beat. Further upstream Taymount got their week off to a great start with 3 fish followed by another 3 over Tuesday and Wednesday. 

Stobhall only had a single fish in the week however it was 24 pounds beauty caught by lady angler Grace Van Beek. 

Ballathie had a couple in the week with a 20 pounder caught by the Yorke party on Monday then defying the odds on Friday before the water coloured Peter Kellock landed a lovely fresh fish from the boat. Islamouth had one on Tuesday but would prefer much lower water to gain more success. 

Upper Islamouth and Meikleour managed 3 for their week with Graeme Leslies party enjoying success, Bob Crawford and Peter Stewart-Baker both landing fish up to 9 pounds.

The Middle river enjoyed good water conditions mostly throughout the week and fish continued to appear. The area around Murthly continues to fish reasonably well with both Murthly beats and Glendelvine having success. Murthly 2 had a couple early in the week and the lower beat had a fish on Wednesday meanwhile 

Glendelvine fishing on the opposite days on the bottom beat had a good end to the week with 4 fish including a superb 25 pounds fish from that famous lie in the Garth pool where the 35 pounds monster came from earlier in the season. 

Up at Newtyle Brandon Bryant enjoyed success on the fly from the Cotter landing a 9 pounds fish on Saturday. Dalguise had a couple in the week with fish landed on Monday and Thursday. Lower Kinnaird also had a single fish.

The Upper area has featured last week as fish moved up the system giving everyone hope of landing one of these memorable fish, 2 fish were landed on Findynate with a 12 pounds fish caught by Perth and District Angling Club secretary Bob Mason. Further fish came from the Edradynate and Farleyer  beats. 

Loch Tay is also seeing sport with Fish n’ Trips recording 4 last week which included good fish up to 21 pounds for John Struzik, Graham Armstrong and Jamie Cannon. There has also been news of a 36 pounds monster caught in a private boat by the "Lomond boys" Robert Ramage, Sid and Fraser Garth. 

The Tummel was also seeing more sport with a couple reported last week form the Pitlochry Angling Club stretch at Portnacraig. 

Alan Wales caught a 19 pounds fish on the fly and later in the week Colin Fiargrieve caught a similar sized fish on a spinner. Steve Watt also had a fish from the Clubs Sawmill stream weighing 16 pounds on a Vision. 

Just down stream on the West Haugh and Dunfallandy beat 4 salmon were landed last week up to 20 pounds. Marty Wilson caught a 20 pounds beauty earlier in the week then 3 were landed on Saturday with David Craig, Alan Carpenter and Mr Low all catching fish up to 16 pounds. 

There was an even better story for a lady angler Mary Bowman landing her first ever salmon, a lovely fresh 10 pounds fish from the lower Tummel on the fly in the Rock pool. Fish were also caught at East Haugh. 

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 optimistic figures in the past week however the sheer class of the fish caught continues to be outstanding and with hopefully with a settled river in the coming week should see improved catches with a settled forecast as well.  

The Spring Salmon fishing was well and truly underway after all the excitement of opening day’s celebrations. 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