Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 12th May 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 12th 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 although the month has been disappointing so far 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 12th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Taymount 2, Ballathie 1, Cargill 1, Islamouth 8, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 4, Murthly 2 2, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 3, Dalmarnock 1, Dalguise 1, Lower Kinnaird 1, Upper Kinnaird 1, Farleyer Upper 1, Keithick Mains 4, Portnacraig Pitlochry 5.
Total: 38 Largest: Portnacraig Pitlochry 23lbs
SEA TROUT: Benchil 1, Taymount 1, Cargill 1, Keithick Mains 1.
Total: 4 Largest: Benchil & Taymount & Cargill & Keithick Mains 3lbs

Spring salmon were landed last week in warmer 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. The numbers were slightly disappointing with around 40 fresh spring salmon recorded last week making it another similar catch to the previous week. 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. 

Taymount was the lowest beat to record a fish on the Lower river catching 2 fish on Wednesday in a disappointing week. Cargill and Ballathie only mustered 2 between them however Islamouth had a much better week with 8. At the start of the week Paul Nash’s party caught 3 then beat owner, David Mayhew’s party landed 5 on the fly with John Hewitt catching the largest fish weighing 17 pounds for the Long Head. 

Ghillie, Johnny Ross caught a lovely sea liced 14 pounds fish on the fly from the Castle pool on Thursday evening to have the only success for Upper Islamouth and Meikleour beat for the week. 

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

On Delvine and Burnbane Gary Furness caught a 10 pounds fish form the boat. The Murthly beats produced 6 fish between them but hopefully that will pick up soon. Newtyle had one in the week but 

Dunkled House had a better week with 3 fish. 2 fell on the same day to the fly, a superb 17 pounds fish from the Cathedral stream and a lovely fresh 9 pounds fish for 

Garry Simpson in the Rock pool. 

Later in the week, 70 year old, Dave Gibbon from South Africa fulfilled an ambition of catching a Scottish salmon on the fly. He caught it on his last cast in the Lady pool, superb story and well done. Dalmarnock had a single fish on Monday and Dalguise had a 22 pounds fish on Thursday. Both Kinnaird beats managed a single fish 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 however only one fish was recorded on the Upper Farleyer beat. 

The Lyon has been seeing a run of spring salmon recently. 

Famous chef Rick Stein fished the river recently with his sons and caught 2 lovely fresh fish on their visit. 

His son Charlie landed a fish estimated at 25 pounds and Rick also caught. 

Loch Tay is also seeing sport but nothing was reported 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 23 pounds and odd fish, around 40 plus are starting to ascend the ladder with temperatures rising. The week got off to a flyer with James Lapsley landing 2 fish up to 23 pounds on a spinner and 

Neill Sproull landing an 8 pounds fish on the fly. A further 2 fish were landed on the fly on Wednesday for Malcolm Fyfe and 

Steven Watt. 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 but nothing was recorded 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 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