Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 7th April 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 7th April 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire has now entered April for salmon fishing with higher expectation in recent weeks and we have had a cold weather pattern generally however that is slowly disappearing 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 7th April)
SALMON & GRILSE: Catholes 2, Upper Scone 2, Burnmouth 1, Stobhall 4, Taymount 5, Ballathie 1, Cargill 3, Islamouth 11, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 5, Kercock 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 1, Glendelvine 1, Murthly 2 3, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 4, Dalguise 2, Lower Kinnaird 2, Upper Kinnaird 8, Edradynate 1, Findynate 1, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 1, Portnacraig Pitlochry 1.
Total: 62 Largest: Murthly 2 28lbs

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 again especially on the lower beats from melting snow on low ground sending coloured water from the burns and Isla making fishing extremely difficult at times, however colder nights made the river clear giving good conditions. At the end of last week milder weather melted snow on high ground and looks more unsettled in the coming week which may upset things. The numbers were heartening with around sixty fresh spring salmon recorded last week making it another consistent week. 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 had another reasonable week with clear water apart from Thursday and Friday with coloured water coming from the Isla. Unfortunately to lowest beat down the river that had success was at Stanley. 

On Catholes Darren Kaye caught a 14 pounds fish on the fly from the boat in the Black Stones and then despite an unsettled river on Saturday with melting snow 

Davie Boyle caught a lovely fresh long tailed sea liced 8 pounder from the Woodside on a Toby. Just below Upper Scone had a couple of fish off the Pitlochrie beat caught from the boat on Tuesday. Stobhall had a good week with fish caught on most days as did Taymount with 9 fish between the beats. Ballathie only had a single fish for the week however it was a superb 26 pounds caught by David Windsor. It was his first ever and what a way to start. Cargill had 3 in the week with Dyllan Dunbar opening the beats account last week. 

Keith Fletcher landed a good fish from the boat and then Stuart MacCallum caught a superb 16 pounds fish on the fly from the Bridge Stream on Saturday. Islamouth had a superb week with 11 fish with lower water earlier in the week suiting the beat and fly being the successful method of choice. 

Simon Furniss, John Mcelroy and Neil Mitchell all had fish up to 14 pounds. Upper Islamouth and Meikleour had another steady week with 5 fish. 

The week started off well with Martin Moyers and Trav Gough landing fish up to 10 pounds. Gary Davies caught an 11 pounds fish and then 

father and son, Simon and William Graydon both caught. Lastly on Saturday Andy Tuten caught a superb 25 pounds fish from the boat.  

The Middle river enjoyed good water conditions mostly throughout the week and fish continued to appear. 

Kercock had a single fish for the week but again it was another fish to remember, a superb 27 pounds beauty caught by a delighted Angus Carruthers from the boat. Further upstream Delvine Burnbane had a 20 pounds fish on Friday caught by Colin Ince from the boat. The Murthly area continues to do well with fish off both Murthly beats and Glendelvine. On Thursday the Murthly 2 beat had a superb 28 pounds fish. Alun Williams had Newtyles single fish land week from the Deans Burn caught on a Toby. 

Dunkeld House finished with 4 in the week which included a first ever for Steve Night weighing 8 pounds and a good fish for Richard Hutchinson. Dalguise had a couple on Wednesday which included a cracking 19 pounds fish for Craig Hood. 

The Kinnaird beats are catching on a regular basis with fish caught on fly earlier in the week and a superb 25 pounds fish caught on the lower beat later in the week. 

The Upper area has featured last week as fish moved up the system giving everyone hope of landing one of these memorable fish, fish were recorded on the Findynate and Edradynate. John Paberz also caught on the upper river at Logierait catching 16 pounds fish on the Perth and District beat. 

Loch Tay is also seeing sport with Fish n’ Trips recording 1 last week weighing 24 pounds caught by 

Brian Walker. 

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

Saul MacKay 13 pounds fish on the fly. Dunfallandy and West Haugh didn’t report any last week. 

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

The Spring Salmon fishing is picking up slowly as we enter 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