A RED LETTER DAY ON LOCH TAY, DAM DOUBLE AND SAWMILL SUCCESS!

(River Tay weekly report week ending 13th March 2021) 

We are now moving towards the end of March and as each day passes more hard fighting spring salmon are entering the Tay system. Over the next few weeks, we should be entering the prime spring period on the river and hopefully, there will be some good sport to be had for all. 

We endured a stormy spell of weather through the middle part of last week as much of Scotland was battered by gale force winds and heavy rain. Towards the end of the week, there were some snow showers over higher ground and it felt quite raw in the strong and gusty wind. Due to the heavy rain there was a lift in water through the middle part of the week but by Friday river levels started to drop again and the river became more fishable. Despite the inclement weather, there were some cracking spring salmon landed from the Tay system last week.

Mr Grant Tigwell had a red letter day on Loch Tay on Tuesday. Mr Tigwell was out trolling on the loch when his rod buckled. After a great fight, Mr Tigwell landed a lovely twelve pounder. Shortly afterwards Mr Tigwell had both rods go at the same time and so he had a double hook up on his hands. Unfortunately, one of the fish was lost but the other was duly landed and weighed a magnificent fifteen pounds. Towards the end of the day, Mr Tigwell landed two more springers weighing around twelve pounds each. So, four landed and one lost, not a bad day’s work for mid March! There was also another fish caught from the loch on Saturday weighing eighteen pounds.

One of four springers caught from Loch Tay on Tuesday

On the upper river, Edradynate got off the mark with a fine fourteen pounder on Saturday.

A cracker caught on Saturday from Edradynate!

It was good to see some success on the River Tummel on Monday. Mr Steve Watt landed a superb fly caught salmon at Portnacraig. The fish was caught in the morning from the Pitlochry bank and weighed nineteen pounds. In the afternoon Mr Watt enjoyed more success when he landed a seventeen pounder, this time on the spinner. It was a great dam double for Mr Watt.

A fine salmon caught by Mr Steve Watt from the River Tummel on Monday

On Tuesday there was success at the Sawmill on the PAC water again on the River Tummel. Mr Jimmy Ross landed a fine seventeen pounder on the fly from the BP Burn. It was the first fish of the season from the beat and what a fish it was!

A cracking salmon caught from the Sawmill on the River Tummel by Mr Jimmy Ross on Tuesday

On the main river, it was nice to see the Dunkeld House Beat taste success on Tuesday, when a cracking twenty one pounder was caught on the fly from the Grotto Pool. The fish was extremely powerful and gave a terrific account of itself making several powerful runs before it was safely netted. 

The Glendelvine Beat produced its first fish of the season on Monday and then another on Friday. Further downstream Mr John Dewar had a day to remember on the Kercock Beat. Mr Dewar’s line tightened whilst fishing from the bank and after a long and hard fight went on to land the first fish from the beat this season. The springer was in great condition and safely returned to carry on with its journey upstream.

A sparkling springer caught by Mr John Dewar from the Kercock Beat on Tuesday

There were fish caught on Monday, Tuesday and Friday from the prolific Islamouth Beat. Mr Jim Ferrie had a nice fish from the beat on Saturday. It was a fantastic Friday at Cargill with three fish lost and one springer landed. This was the second fish of the season from the beat. Consistency was the name of the game at Taymount with three fish landed during the first half of the week and then a brace on Thursday with a fifteen pounder caught on Friday. Both the Burnmouth and Catholes beats produced a fine brace on Saturday.

A sparkling Cargill springer caught on Friday

There were some lovely fish caught from the Tay system last week with a number weighing well into the teens of pounds. It is likely that if there had not been a rise in water through the middle part of the week even more fish would have been landed. 

There now seems to be a reasonable head of fish in the system for mid-March. With the weather set to become more settled next week, there is every chance that there will be some good sport to be had in the days ahead.

Something to tempt those Tay springers in the days ahead?

We would like to thank all the ghillies and beat owners on the River Tay system who have contributed to this report by providing their time and information as the weekly report would not be possible without your help and support. If you would like to share any interesting stories or pictures from your time fishing on the River Tay for the purposes of this report, please free to contact us at info@salmonfishingholidaysscotland.com

Good luck to all those anglers fishing on the River Tay next week.

Tight lines,

Samantha & Sandy Datta

Beat catches reported (week ending 13th March)

SALMON & GRILSE: 

Loch Tay Fish N Trips 5, Edradynate 1, Portnacraig Pitlochry 2, Dunkeld 1, Glendelvine 2, Kercock 1, West Grange 1, Islamouth 4, Cargill 1, Taymount 6, Burnmouth 2, Catholes 3

Total: 29 Largest: Dunkeld 21lbs

COULD BETTER WEATHER LEAD TO MORE FISH BEING CAUGHT FROM THE TAY SYSTEM IN THE DAYS AHEAD?

(River Tay salmon fishing prospects week commencing 15th March 2021)

The Tay system continued to produce some lovely spring salmon last week. At the beginning of the week, water levels were dropping nicely. Unfortunately, through the middle part of the week, there was heavy rain across much of Perthshire and this led to a lift in water and hence fishing conditions became far from ideal.  Thankfully by Friday, the river started to drop again.

Looking ahead to next week the weather is set to become more settled as high pressure begins to build. Hopefully, better weather will lead to the water gradually dropping and in turn, more fish will be landed in the days ahead. Monday will be mainly dry with lighter winds than of late. Tuesday will see some rain mostly light and patchy in nature move eastwards across Perthshire. From midweek onwards high pressure will build bringing mostly dry and settled conditions with variable amounts of cloud. Temperatures will be around or just below average for the time of year. 

Catches were well spread on the system last week from Loch Tay down to Catholes. Anglers who are permitted to travel and looking to fish on the loch stand a good chance of making contact with some early season silver, especially after some cracking fish being landed in recent days. The River Tummel has also produced fish in recent days. On the main river, there is a good chance of making contact with a fresh fish almost anywhere in the days ahead.  With a decent weather forecast and some cracking spring salmon currently in the Tay system why not wet a line next week if you are permitted to do so by the current travel restrictions? Nothing beats hooking that big Tay spring salmon!

Good luck to all those anglers fishing on the River Tay next week.

Tight lines,

Samantha & Sandy Datta

Tactics for the River Tay during the early spring period (January-March)

The ghillies on the River Tay are all highly experienced and have an intimate knowledge of their beats. Their advice and guidance are key to success. Please contact your ghillie for up to date advice on tactics and what tackle to bring prior to visiting the River Tay.

Fly Fishing

During the early spring months water temperatures are often low and river levels high. In such conditions, the depth at which your fly is moving through the water column can be the key to success. Often you may be required to use floating lines coupled with sinking polyleaders, intermediate or even full sinking lines. It is therefore important that you have a fly rod that can work in harmony with a heavy line. As the Tay is a big river usually a powerful fifteen-foot rod with a ten-line rating will cover almost any eventuality. 

Make sure your fly reel has a good drag system

In terms of lines whether that be a full Spey line or Shooting head system a floating line coupled with a selection of polyleaders of various sink rates can work well. In higher water, an intermediate or full sinking line may be required to produce the best results.
Make sure that your fly reel has got an adequate backing capacity and a good reliable drag system. On the River Tay when that line tightens the fish could turn out to be that one of a lifetime. It is also important during the early spring period to use leader material with an adequate breaking strain. Usually a breaking strain between fifteen and eighteen pounds ideal.

Tube flies can work well during the early part of the season

During the early part of the season, tube flies often work well. If the water temperatures are low weighted copper, brass or even tungsten tubes of a decent length will allow your fly to get well down and close to where the fish are likely to be lying. In cold weather, the fish are unlikely to be keen on moving fast so it is better that your fly moves through the water column at an adequate depth and not too quickly. 

Spinning

A powerful spinning rod between ten and eleven foot is usually more than adequate to cover the River Tay. The rod should be able to comfortably cast lures weighing anything from eighteen to forty grams. A good fixed spool or multiplier reel with a reliable drag system is perfect for the River Tay. The reel should be able to accommodate a large amount of either nylon or braided line with an adequate breaking strain. 

The Vision 110 can be a productive lure on the River Tay

In terms of lures, spoons like the Toby, Salmo Toby and Blair variety work well on the river. These can range in weight from eighteen to forty grams. Devon Minnows can also be effective on the River Tay during the early spring months. Vision 110s and Rapalas are also lures which are well worth considering.

Harling

Harling is a method unique to the River Tay which involves fishing from a motorised boat. This method is employed on many beats and can be highly effective during the early spring months. 

Setting out to do some harling on the Meikleour and Upper Islamouth Beat

Usually, two or three rods are placed in rod holders with various lures and then the ghillie skilfully combs the water by moving back and forth in the boat, whilst gradually dropping downstream, covering the likely lies on the beat. Harling is a method which is very much water height dependent and is practised at the beat ghillies discretion. 

TDSFB Conservation Policy

All anglers fishing on the River Tay system are reminded that the TDSFB’s policy from January 15^th to 1^st of April is that all spring salmon must be released. This means that the TDSFB has a 100% mandatory catch & release policy of all salmon caught. This is in line with the Scottish Government Statutory Conservation Regulation. Even if the fish dies it must still be returned to the river.
It is also worthwhile remembering when releasing fish to keep them in the water for as long a period as possible and to use minimal handling. Please also give the fish plenty of time to recover before releasing them. It is important that anglers treat their quarry with the utmost respect at all times.