Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 26th May 2018.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 26th May 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire is now in the last week of May for salmon fishing with disappointing results in recent weeks and now with a far warmer forecast. Expectation is still optimistic on the river for 2018 after a string of better weeks in April, fish are starting to be caught in better numbers although this month has been disappointing so however 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 26th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Upper Redgorton 1, Stobhall 3, Taymount 1, Ballathie 3, Islamouth 23, Kercock 1, Delvine Burnbane 1, Murthly 1 2, Glendelvine 1, Murthly 2 7, Newtyle 2, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 2, Lower Kinnaird 1, Farleyer Upper 2, Portnacraig Pitlochry 3.
Total: 54 Largest: Murthly 1 17lbs
SEA TROUT: Benchil 1, Ballathie 1, Delvine Burnbane 1.
Total: 3 Largest: Ballathie 3lbs

Spring salmon were landed last week in warmer weather and river conditions were generally excellent although a few may have complained about the bright sun at times. The river has been settled and at lower levels now due to the lack of rain. The numbers were again disappointing for May with just over 50 fresh spring salmon recorded last week making it a slight improvement in catches 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. 

The Lower river saw some better catches last week especially at Islamouth where the influence of the Isla has an undoubted benefit with now lower river levels. Mike Hay caught a lovely 10 pounds salmon on the fly from the Craigs on Saturday giving Upper Redgorton a fish for May. Stobhall and Taymount caught 4 between them meanwhile 

Ballathie had a better week with 3 which included a 9 pounds fish for Mark Wadland from the Bridge Stream. 

The jewel in the Tay crown, Islamouth shown at last with 23 in the week including a day of 6 fish and quality salmon up to 15 pounds all caught on fly. It was Richard Collets party early in the week with 11 for three days including 2 fish of 8 and 11 pounds for 94 year old Jeff Cooper. Later in the week Angus Johnsons party enjoyed some great sport as well. 

The Middle river enjoyed excellent water conditions despite some bright days throughout the week and fish continued to appear as they moved steadily up stream. On Kercock a single fish fell to Malcom Owen and it was the same on 

Delvine and Burnbane with Willie Cumming being the successful angler. The Murthly beats and Glendelvine amassed 10 in the week up 17 pounds with Tony Blacks rotation having 7 of them. 

Just upstream Newtyle caught 2 with Steve Robins landing a fresh 8 pounds fish from the Steps on the fly. 

Dunkled House caught 1 with Raymond Pojjda landing a 12 pounds fish from the Cathedral Stream on the fly. Dalmarnock caught 2 in the week and a single fish came from Lower Kinnaird.  

The Upper area has featured last week as fish moved up the system giving everyone hope of landing one of these memorable fish, 2 fish were recorded from the Upper Farleyer beat. 

The Lyon has been seeing a run of spring salmon recently, however there was no news form the area.  

Loch Tay is also seeing sport but nothing was reported last week. 

The Tummel was also seeing sport with 3 reported last week form the Pitlochry Angling Club stretch at Portnacraig up to 15 pounds and now around 340 plus fish have ascended the ladder with temperatures rising. The week got off to a flyer with a fish caught on the spinner for Jim Lapsley at 9 pounds. 

Andy Gillespie had a further fish on a spinner weighing 15 pounds and on Saturday Marc Wrigglesworth caught a lovely fresh 10 pounds fish on the fly. Further downstream Dunfallandy and West Haugh also had 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 fish caught recently and on the lower Ericht the Blairgowrie Angling Club water has been reporting fish however the lower water levels will be curtailing sport especially on the Ericht. 

The Earn is starting to see salmon and sea trout arrive in the last few weeks. 

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 late 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