Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 21st April 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 21st April 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire is now in the last week of April for salmon fishing with higher expectation in recent weeks and we have had a cold weather pattern generally up until a week ago however that has disappeared now with a far milder forecast. 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 plus numerous 20 pounds plus 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 21st April)
SALMON & GRILSE: Upper Redgorton 1, Benchil 1, Catholes 1, Pitlochrie 1, Stobhall 4, Taymount 3, Ballathie 3, Cargill 1, Islamouth 3, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 4, Kercock 1, Glendelvine 2, Murthly 2 1, Newtyle 3, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 1, Lower Kinnaird 2, Upper Kinnaird 1, Farleyer Upper 1, Keithick Mains 7, Portnacraig Pitlochry 6.
Total: 49 Largest: Glendelvine 25lbs
SEA TROUT: Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Newtyle 1, Keithick Mains 1.

Spring salmon were landed last week in continuing greater numbers in far milder weather and river conditions varied due to a large snow melt. The river has been reasonably settled despite some melting snow from high ground due to slightly higher temperatures, however colder nights made the river settle quickly to give good conditions generally. At the end of last week the river settled back nicely. The numbers were heartening with around fifty fresh spring salmon recorded last week making it another consistent week for April. The spring season is well on now and frustratingly only small runs 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 had another reasonable week with clear water despite some severe snow melt from high temperatures giving high water on Wednesday which continues to rise the water temperature away from favouring the lower beats. Upper Redgorton had another salmon last week which is the lowest beat to have success this season so far. Benchil produced an 8 pounds fish on Saturday for Colin Baxter caught on a Toby casting from the bank. 

At Stanley, Steve Bloxham caught his first ever salmon weighing 9 pounds from the Horsey pool on the fly on the Pitlochrie beat on Friday and on the same day Danny Fulton, a regular on the Stanley beats caught his first of the season weighing 13 pounds from the Slap just below the Catholes weir. Stobhall and Taymount continue to work away with 7 between them which included a 17 pounds fish for 

Alistair Sheach on the Linn Pool when the water was dirty. Ballathie had a good day on Saturday with 3 fish landed on the lower beat up to 13 pounds and 

Freddy Harrison celebrating his 86^thbirthday with a fish as well. Gary West and John Palmer also had success. 

Cargill only had 1 in the week but it was 16 pounds caught by Mike Brown weighing 16 pounds. The bigger water didn’t suit Islamouth but they still managed 3 fish in the week including a 23 pounds fish on Monday. The river should drop away this coming week and the beat should see improving catches in the weeks to come. 

Meikleour and Upper Islamouth had 4 for the week with Simon Littlejohn catching 3 of their fish on Saturday up to 20 pounds. 

Earlier in the week there was a notable 21 pounds fish for 93-year-old Tommy Saville, the largest he had caught in his fishing career. The Tay certainly seems the be the place to achieve these goals this year.  

The Middle river enjoyed similar water conditions throughout the week and fish continued to appear despite the large rise on Wednesday. 

Kercock had 1 for their week with Robert McFarlane catching a lovely 9 pounds fish on the fly. The Murthly area didn’t have such a good week but with settling river conditions that should change this coming week. Glendelvine had a couple including another memorable fish on Saturday weighing 25 pounds. Newtyle had 3 in the week with 

Ronnie Fraser and 

Andrew Donald catching similar sized fish on the fly from the Cotter early in the week. 

At the end on the week Mark Currie landed his first ever fish from the Ferry Pool weighing 20 pounds. Dunkeld House, Dalmarnock and Dalguise had a single fish for their week. Mike Sutton caught the fish on Dalmarnock from the boat weighing 10 pounds and Michael Carr caught a 19 pounds fish on Dalguise. The Kinnaird beats had 3 fish between them

The Upper area has featured last week as fish moved up the system giving everyone hope of landing one of these memorable fish, a fish was recorded on the Farleyer. 

Loch Tay is also seeing sport with Fish n’ Trips recording recently but alas nothing reported last week. 

The Tummel was also seeing sport with six reported last week form the Pitlochry Angling Club stretch at Portnacraig up to an impressive 18 pounds and odd fish are starting to ascend the ladder with temperatures rising. 

Dave Stewart had a good day on Saturday with 2 fish up to 18 pounds on fly, a further 9 pounds fish was also landed on the fly by Neill Sproull. Further fish were caught in the week by George Renwick, Ally Gowans and David Andrew up to 14 pounds mostly on fly. 

Further downstream Munro Reid had a lovely fish from Dunfallandy and West Haugh. 

The spring salmon are now going up the Isla with Keithick Mains recording 7 fish last week including 5 on Saturday alone. Coupar Grange will also be catching slightly further upstream. 

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 figures 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 is picking up slowly as we enter late April and hopefully some warmer weather. 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