Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 5th May 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 5th May 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire is now in May for salmon fishing with higher expectation in recent weeks and now with a far warmer 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 which 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 “Bar of Silver” and even possibly a fish of a lifetime.

Beat catches reported

(week ending 5th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Stobhall 3, Taymount 2, Ballathie 2, Cargill 1, Islamouth 6, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 5, Kercock 1, Delvine Burnbane 2, Murthly 1 4, Murthly 2 2, Newtyle 2, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 1, Farleyer Upper 3, Loch Tay Fish n' Trips 1, Lochlane and Laggan 1, Keithick Mains 4, Portnacraig Pitlochry 5.
Total: 46 Largest: Murthly 1 & Portnacraig Pitlochry 20lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 1, Stobhall 1, Keithick Mains 1.
Total: 3 Largest: Waulkmill 4lbs

Spring salmon were landed last week in far milder weather and river conditions were generally excellent apart form a rise on Wednesday caused by some heavy rain. The river has been reasonably settled despite some melting snow from high ground due to slightly higher temperatures. The numbers were slightly disappointing with around 46 fresh spring salmon recorded last week making it another reasonable catch. The spring season is in its later stages 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 above Stanley had another reasonable week with good water levels despite an unsettled river on Wednesday. Stobhall and Taymount had 5 between them. Ballathie had 2 for the week with success for Annette and Robert Booth meanwhile on 

Cargill Ryan McShane caught a lovely 12 pounds fish from the Bridge Stream. Islamouth had 6 in the week with regulars Neil Tong, Ian Mitchell, Mick Miller and Martin Ferrie contributing to the catch. Just upstream Upper Islamouth and Meikleour had a busy week with regular clients managing 5 fish. 

Charlie Penny had 2 in the week up to 15 pounds, 

David Tonks caught one at 6 pounds from the March pool and Stephen Bolton caught a 7 pounds fish from the House pool in the boat.  

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 German Fly fisher Silja Longhurst hosting a party through the Salmon Fishing Surgery company. 

The company also had another party of English anglers on Dalmarnock making it a busy week for Gary Harkin and Colin McFadgen. Dalmarnock had 1 for the week as well. At Delvine and Burnbane Jim MacFarlane caught a couple up to 8 pounds on fly and spinner. The Murthly beats had 6 between then up to 20 pounds but should see better sport in the weeks to come with a lower more settled river. 

Newtyle caught 2 in the week with Jonny Lloyd and 

Jon Amos both landing fish on the fly from the Cotter. 

Dalguise caught a single fish weighing 16 pounds. 

The Upper area has featured last week as fish moved up the system giving everyone hope of landing one of these memorable fish, 3 fish were recorded on the Upper Farleyer beat. 

Ian Griffin had a good week’s fly fishing on the Upper river landing 3 spring salmon including a 13 pounds fish from the Chinese pool just below Kenmore on a Willie Gunn. 

Loch Tay is also seeing sport with Fish n’ Trips recording 1 fish last week. 

The Tummel was also seeing sport with 5 reported last week form the Pitlochry Angling Club stretch at Portnacraig up to an impressive 20 pounds and odd fish, around 30 are starting to ascend the ladder with temperatures rising. 

The week got off to a flyer with Davie Stewart landing a 20 pounds fish from the Pitlochry bank on the fly. James Lapsley caught a 14 pounds fish on a spinner on Monday and later in the week 

Maya Pandya caught her first Tummel salmon weighing 8 pounds having lost one the previous day. Later in the week the fly proved successful for 

Peter Fitzpatrick and Martin Wilson catching fish up to 13 pounds. Fish were also caught on the clubs Sawmill stream stretch with Les Dargie landing fish up to 14 pounds on the fly. Further downstream Dunfallandy and West Haugh didn’t record a fish last week. East Haugh and the Lower Tummel must be getting some action as well with fish making their way up to the dam. 

The spring salmon are now going up the Isla with Keithick Mains recording 4 fish last week. Coupar Grange will also be catching slightly further upstream and odd fish are being caught on the lower Ericht. 

The Earn is starting to see salmon and sea trout arrive in the last few weeks with Lochlane and Laggan recording a single fish. 

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 signs 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!

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