Tay Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 8th September 2018.

Tay Salmon Fishing Scotland Tay, Perthshire Salmon fishing report w/e 8th September 2018.

The Tay, Perthshire is now September for salmon fishing with encouraging results in recent weeksdue some rain and cooler weather conditions as we welcome autumn. In recent weeks the weather pattern has changed giving us some rain to freshen the river up and dropping the river temperature to produce some far better sport. The current conditions have improved dramatically giving everyone a great chance of landing a salmon from the Tay and even possibly a fish of a lifetime with some of the multi sea winter fish currently being caught this season.

Beat catches reported

(week ending 8th September)
SALMON & GRILSE: Almondmouth 3, Waulkmill 10, Lower Redgorton 5, Upper Redgorton 5, Fishponds 6, Benchil 6, Upper Scone 2, Burnmouth 2, Stobhall 1, Taymount 9, Ballathie 4, Cargill 7, Islamouth 4, Meikleour and Upper Islamouth 2, Kercock 2, Murthly 1 2, Newtyle 1, Dunkeld House 1, Dalmarnock 2, Lower Kinnaird 2.
Total: 76 Largest: Benchil 18lbs
SEA TROUT: Waulkmill 1.
Total: 1 Largest: Waulkmill 2lbs

Salmon were landed last week in favourable conditions with improving numbers after the change in conditions in recent weeks. The numbers were slightly disappointing after some good weeks in a difficult season with around 80 salmon recorded making it another consistent week signaling a reasonable summer run and a few more grilse caught maybe down to the lower river levels. The improving conditions meant that some of the resident fish have become more active also and they make up a good proportion of the catch. The spring run is a memory, and frustratingly only small runs are still coming into the river this year but with improving conditions catches are being made in reasonable numbers. Hopefully there will be a few more of them to come as we go deeper into the autumn. 

On the Lower river most beats have had a bit of sport last week. At the bottom of the river Almondmouth, Lower Redgorton and Waulkmill all had fish but in lesser numbers last week signaling a slowdown of fish entering the river. Almondmouth only mustered 3 fish however Lower Redgorton and Waulkmill continue to work away with 15 between them which included a day of 4 at Waulkmill on Saturday with Sandy Datta getting on the score sheet. Further up Fishponds and Upper Redgorton had 10. Upper Scone had a couple in the week with Francois Stoven landing a fish from the Skellies on Benchil and Nick Amstead catching on the fly from the Woodside on the Pitlochrie beat. 

On the Stanley bank 6 fish came off Benchil with Sam Patisson and 

Kelvin Russell catching on spinners up to 7 pounds. 

On Saturday Colin Somerville caught a lovely fresh fish on the fly from the Long Shot and Ray Garndiner caught a memorable 18 pounds fish from Sprinty on a spinner. A couple of fish came from Burnmouth in the week meanwhile Taymount and Stobhall combined with 10 which included Alistair Sheach and Ian Jardine landing fresh fish on Taymount. Ballathie and Cargill had 11 between them which included a 16 pounds fish for regular visitor Hector Rawson. Islamouth had a quiet week with 4 as did Upper Islamouth and Meikleour with 2. 

The Middle river have been really struggling maybe due to low water levels not encouraging fish to run further upstream. Kercock had a couple as did Murthly 2. Newtyle and Dunkeld House had a fish a piece and further upstream fish were reported on Dalmarnock and lower Kinnaird. 

The Upper river did not report any fish last week. 

The Tummel is still seeing fish continue on their journey now with around 2200 fish through the ladder. 

The past weeks have seen better catches after rain and cooler temperatures greatly improving sport in an extremely difficult year so far, so let us hope that continues.  

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. 

There have been some encouraging signs in the past week or so and the sheer class of the fish caught continues to be outstanding with hopefully a settled river in the coming weeks we should see improved catches with a settled forecast as well.  

The Spring Salmon fishing was slow as we saw out May with the end of that run this year. The summer was difficult with extremely hot weather but in recent weeks after rain and cooler temperatures catches have picked up which hopefully will continue as we enter autumn. 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.