Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 28th April 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 28th April 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire is now seen out April bar one day for salmon fishing with higher expectation in recent weeks and we have had a cold weather pattern generally up until early in the month however that has disappeared now with a far milder forecast. Expectation has gone up on the river for 2018 after a string of better weeks, fish are starting to be caught in greater numbers plus the fantastic news continues with 20 pounds plus fish being landed on the river 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 28th April)
SALMON & GRILSE: Lower Redgorton 1, Catholes 1, Stobhall 1, Taymount 2, Ballathie 1, Cargill 9, Islamouth 11, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 5, Kercock 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 4, Glendelvine 3, Murthly 2 4, Dunkeld House 2, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 1, Lower Kinnaird 1, Upper Kinnaird 3, Findynate 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 3, Keithick Mains 4, Portnacraig Pitlochry 10.
Total: 70 Largest: Islamouth & Portnacraig Pitlochry 23lbs
SEA TROUT: Lower Redgorton 1, Keithick Mains 2.
Total: 3 Largest: Keithick Mains 4lbs

Spring salmon were landed last week in continuing greater numbers in far milder weather and river conditions were generally excellent. The river has been reasonably settled despite some melting snow from high ground due to slightly higher temperatures. At the end of last week the river had settled back nicely. The numbers were heartening with around seventy 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 are 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 and a maintained height of just above 3 feet due to snow melt. Lower Redgorton caught their first fish of the season on Tuesday. 

It was lean pickings at Stanley as well however Paul Clayworth caught a lovely fresh 12 pounds fish on the Catholes on Saturday in Erics on a Devon. Saturday signaled the last day of spring on the beats from Stanley downwards with most of the boats coming off the river until July because of the water warming up. Bank fishing is now the order of the day in that part of the river. Taymount and Stobhall was a similar picture with only 3 fish between them for the week. Ballathie had one for the week however Cargill fared much better with 9 including days of 4 and 3 largely falling to the cast fly. 

Ian Muir continued his good season so far with a couple up to 13 pounds from the Pot Shot and Clocksden. 

Other successful rods included Steve Curnow, Neil French and Stuart MacArthur with a personal best weighing 22 pounds. 

Islamouth also had a much better week with 11 fish grassed which included several fish for beat regular John Mcelroy. 

Upper Islamouth and Meikleour continued their successful period with 5 in the week. The successful rods included Michael Bain with an 11 pounds fish in the Castle pool, Allan Laing with a 10 pounds fish from the mouth of the Isla, 2 great “first fish evers” for Paul Duffy and 

Phil Rowe and lastly Mark Evans landing a 10 pounds fish from the Pumphouse Croy on a Vision. 

The Middle river enjoyed similar water conditions throughout the week and fish continued to appear as they moved steadily up stream. 

Kercock had 1 for their week with Peter Dahlstrom from Sweden catching a lovely 9 pounds fish on the fly. Currently Kercock have been hosting several Scandinavian parties which have now been returning for several years to the beat thanks to the Salmon Fishing Surgery company. Delvine Burnbane had a single fish caught by Steve Lakin on the fly. The Murthly and Glendelvine had a better week with 11 between them up to 22 pounds. 

Dunkeld House had 2 on Monday with Peter Sproston landing both from the boat harling up to 22 pounds. 

Dalmarnock caught a single fish with Glenn Baikie catching a superb 19 pounds fish from Glide pool. 

Dalguise had a fish for Mark Williams caught on a Vision. 

The Kinnaird beats had 4 fish between them which included a 16 pounds fish for Douglas Aitken from the Meetings pool.  

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 Findynate beat. 

Loch Tay is also seeing sport with Fish n’ Trips recording 3 fish last week. 

The successful anglers included James Shawcross with a fish of 22 pounds and 

Oliver Nicholas from San Francisco with his first ever salmon weighing 8 pounds. 

The Tummel was also seeing sport with 10 reported last week form the Pitlochry Angling Club stretch at Portnacraig up to an impressive 23 pounds and odd fish, around 20 are starting to ascend the ladder with temperatures rising. 

The week got off to a flyer with 6 landed on Monday, Steven Watt had 4 fish up to 15 pounds on fly and spinner, meanwhile 

Bruce Campbell caught 2 beauties up to 23 pounds on fly. Tuesday saw Neill Sproull, Jimmy Ross, 

Martin Wilson and Martin Timmins all land fish on fly from the dam and the Sawmill stream just a little downstream. It quietened off a bit towards the end of the week however Steven Watt managed another 2 fish on fly up to 20 pounds finishing a superb week for Steve. 

Further downstream Stuart Norris had a lovely fish from Dunfallandy and West Haugh weighing 17 pounds. 

The spring salmon are now going up the Isla in into the Ericht with Keithick Mains recording 4 fish last week. 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 May 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!

Salmon Fishing Scotland - By Robert White