Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing February 2010 on the Tay, Perthshire, Scotland.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing February 2010 on the Tay, Perthshire, Scotland.

These were some pictures I took today Salmon fishing on the lower Tay Benchil beat just below Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland.


The rod bends and a Tay spring salmon is on the line.


Close to the bank the fish swirls.


This was a fresh spring salmon I landed on the Benchil beat today in the Boat Hole spinning a devon from the bank. The sea liced springer measured 35 inches in length which equates to 17 pounds on the weight to length chart shown on the Dee Board web site. It certainly was a cracking fish.


The prize, a sea liced Tay spring salmon.


Spinning a devon through the Plain Water.


Fly fishing in the Little Shot on the Benchil beat of the lower Tay.

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Salmon Fishing Scotland Catching Spring Salmon on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland February 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Catching Spring Salmon on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland February 2010.

Neil Gallagher from London has been having a good week on the Upper Scone beat this week catching 2 lovely spring salmon. Neil did not have much luck last august with the high water but his luck has been in this week.

This was a sea liced 13 pounds spring from the Long Shot on the Benchil beat just below Stanley, Perthshire caught yesterday on a Kynoch from the boat with Scottish Ghillie Dave Barwick.


On Tuesday Neil also caught this fresh 8 pounds springer from the Pitlochrie Pool with Scottish Ghillie Davie Seaton. Both salmon were carefully returned with a minimal of handling.

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Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fly Selection.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fly Selection.

This is my range of Spring Salmon flies which are available from the Salmon Fly Shop.
You can also deal directly with myself at stanley.fishing@ukonline.co.uk. Simply click on the link and I can email you a cost by return. You can send a cheque or I can invoice you through Paypal and you can pay by credit card.
Simply click on the link Spring Salmon Fly Selection to get further details.
There is something available for all conditions. Tight lines.

Monkey Tube

Willie Gunn Temple Dog.


Black and Yellow Temple Dog.


Spring Tube Flies. 2, 1 1/2 and 1 Inches.


Smaller Tube flies. 1 Inch and 3/4 Inch.


Pot Belly Pigs.

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Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing in Scotland 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing in Scotland 2010.

These are lovely examples of Spring salmon recently caught on 2 different salmon rivers in Scotland.

Firstly this was the first spring salmon from the Dunkeld House beat on the Tay in Perthshire, Scotland. This 13 pounds springer was caught harling last saturday on a Kynoch Killer.


This is a superb 16 pounds spring salmon caught fly fishing on the Dee in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The 16 pounds springer was caught by Jim Fisher fly fishing on the Ballogie beat in the Green Bank pool.

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Salmon Fishing Scotland Returning Tay Spring Salmon 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Returning Tay Spring Salmon 2010.

Spring salmon are an extremely precious resource and have to be handled to a minimum to enable them to survive after being released.


Scottish ghillie Davie Seaton demonstrates this whilst releasing a recent spring salmon on the Upper Scone beat at Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland.


This prize spring salmon is carefully unhooked and released close to the river to minimise stress.

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Salmon Fishing Scotland River Tay Report and Prospects February 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland River Tay Report and Prospects February 2010.

Weekly Report for week ending 6th February 2010.

The first week of February on the Tay was a bit disappointing after last week’s 29 spring salmon. This week 18 salmon were recorded from all over the district.

The river was running at about 3 foot on Monday on the lower Tay and gradually dropped away as the week went on with good conditions for spring fishing and it remained cold. There was rain on Friday and a rise in temperature prompting a slight thaw. On Saturday the river had risen 2 feet and was slightly coloured but still fishable.
The river temperature remained at 36F or 2C for the week, which should be good for the coming week especially for the lower Tay.

This week the catches were more evenly distributed between the lower and middle river and 2 spring salmon came from the upper river. The milder weather in the previous week enabled some salmon to progress upstream.

The lower river did not produce as many as the previous week, which meant the run had weakened. Waulkmill and Lower Redgorton caught a Springer each on the Tuesday plus Ghillie Stuart Lean lost another good one on the same day after playing it for 20 minutes. Taymount had 2 for the week with Robin Whiteford catching both of them.

Catholes at Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland caught 3 salmon on Tuesday with Alex Graham landing 2 in under an hour on a flying C from the boat in the Black Stones weighing 10 and 11 pounds.

The middle Tay produced 8 salmon with Newtyle continuing to catch lovely spring salmon.

Notably was the 30 pounds sea liced Springer caught by Craig Binnie on a Toby Salmo from the bank. Beat owner Ian Massie caught another good salmon at Kercock; it weighed in at 18 pounds. Kercock accounted for 3 springers last week. A special mention should go to Perth & District AC member Ian Johnston of Stanley who caught his first ever Spring Salmon fly fishing on the Kercock beat last week from the bank, it weighed 8 pounds. Coupar Grange and Dunkeld House caught their first salmon of the season last week as well.

The upper Tay produced 2 salmon. 1 came from the Loch at the Killin based Falls of Dochart.

Pitlochry Angling club got off the mark as well with a 16 pounds salmon caught by Russell Boyd from the lower Tummel fly fishing.

Many thanks for all the pictures everyone sent me of opening week spring salmon and thanks to all who have sent me their individual fishing experiences over the last season on the river. I would be most grateful if you to do the same this season by emailing stanley.fishing@ukonline.co.uk to be included in this report.


Prospects for the week for week commencing 8th February 2010.

As of Monday the river is settled and running at a good height.

The weather is to be more settled this coming week with a high pressure and colder from Tuesday. There may even be more snow.

The water temperature is 36 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 degrees Celsius meaning you have certainly to spin or fish a fly slow and deep.



With very cold water recently it is likely that most springers will have been bottled up in the lower river. However, the rise in water and milder weather last week should encourage them to move, but with water temperatures still low they might not run that far, i.e. race through to Loch Tay. Hopefully there might be a chance of a fresh fish anywhere in the lower and middle river. There will no doubt be quite a few kelts about on many beats and possibly some later run fish which have yet to spawn. Hopefully the return to higher water conditions will see the spawning season wind up quickly but if you find such fish, please avoid gravelly areas where they might be spawning.

The river is running at a good height and cold, meaning the salmon will be running slowly and should favour the lower Tay beats.

There is good availability throughout the river so why not have a go.

As to methods, once the river settles fishing by any method will have to be slow and deep with large lures to catch the elusive Tay Springer. Harling is also a favoured method at this time of year but be warned wrap up well or it will not be a pleasant experience.

Finally all anglers are reminded that the Tay's policy for Catch and Release in 2010 is that we now recommend every angler should release all spring salmon to conserve stocks for the future . i.e. the Tay has adopted a policy of 100% catch and release for spring salmon. Spring salmon are a scarce and precious resource. Please help preserve both them and the long term future of your sport by following the recommendations.

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 stanley.fishing@ukonline.co.uk to be included in this report.


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Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing on the Tay February 2010.

Salmon Fishing Scotland Spring Salmon Fishing on the Tay February 2010.

Video of James McKay playing a lively salmon in Ship Linn on the lower Tay Benchil beat just below Stanley, Perthshire, Scotland. Unfortunately this ended up to be a 16 pounds Kelt and not a prize Tay Springer

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