Lower Kinnaird - River Tay

We had our annual January gathering at the Lower Kinnaird beat of the River Tay on Saturday. This is when me and a group of good pals from various parts of Scotland meet up and blow away the winter cobwebs and attempt to catch an elusive January springer. The river was sitting at 2ft on the gauge and the weather was cold but otherwise it was a perfect early spring day for being out fishing.

Group photo. L/R - Alan, Me, Martin (ghillie), Kenny, Andy, Bill, Charlie and Craig

I was to travel down to Tayside with fellow Donsiders, Bill and Charlie. After rising at 5.00am to pick up Charlie and meet Bill we set off for the Tay just after 6am. The drive down to Tayside took much longer than normal due to persistent thick fog which made driving difficult but we arrived at the beat hut just before 8.30am. After the meet and greet in the fishing hut over a cup of coffee and a bacon roll it was time to get down to business and work out where we were to start fishing for the day.

Kenny and Alan enjoy a bacon roll and coffee before starting the day.

The well equipped fishing hut at Lower Kinnaird.

I was to fish the Guay Pool with Charlie and Andy drove us round and showed us the water. I opted to start with the fly as did Charlie. I tackled up with my 15ft Mackenzie DTX shooting head rod with a Guideline PT Scandi F/H/S1 shooting head line and a 10ft 5.6ips versi tip.. Fly of choice was a 2" Black and Yellow conehead tube. I was to start about half way down the pool with Charlie 50 yards below me. I waded out to just above my knees as instructed and began lengthening line out. After only my third cast I lifted into a fish. The initial take was quite subtle and I applied a bit of pressure once the fish began to pull some line off the reel. I set the hook and carefully began to make my way back to the bank. No sooner had I started moving into the bank the fish was off. I didn't see the fish so there was no way of knowing what it was but it was best not to think about it too much and I was back fishing again immediately. Charlie and I fished the whole pool several time with both fly and spinner but neither of us had any luck so it was up to the Ash Tree pool to meet the rest of the guys and have a bite to eat.

Andy points out the likely spots of the Guay Pool to Charlie.

A very large carcass of a salmon lies on the bank of the Guay Pool. Would have easily top the scales at 20lb plus.

Fishing down the Guay Pool shortly after loosing a fish.

On arrival to the Ash Tree pool the guys were standing round a wee fire willing the soup pot to start boiling. It was soon hot enough to serve and we sat down to some of Kenny's home made Ham Hock soup and bread. The hot soup went down a treat and after discussing the morning's proceedings we were allocated our pools for the afternoon session and set off for another crack at catching a January Tay springer.

Looking upstream to where the River Tummel meets the River tay.

Looking across the Junction pool. The big coloured fish was splashing about just up from the seat on the bank.

Fishing down the Junction Pool. Would love to fish it in April/May time.

Martin, the ghille drove Charlie and I round to fish the Junction Pool. The Junction Pool is where the River Tummel meets the Tay. The Tummel itself is a very productive river and we could fish the lower pools of the river if we so wished. Charlie went in a the top of the pool this time and I went in half way down. I changed lines over to an I/S2/S3 shooting head as this pool held a good bit of depth and was much faster flowing that Guay. Almost as soon as I waded out into the pool a big coloured fish jumped out of the water. This was obviously an old fish but it was easily 25lb. Charlie and I fished through the pool without a touch and apart from the older fish we didn't see anything moving despite how "fishy" the pool looked. Just as we were making our way back to the top of the pool Martin arrived to take us back to the hut as it was nearly 4.30pm. Time doesn't half fly when you are fishing!

A 2.5" Willie Gunn tube flutters in the icy cold River Tay

We arrived back at the hut and met up with the other guys. Nobody had any luck but Bill and Alan were still to return. We sat in the hut with a cup of coffee discussing the day we'd had when Bill drew up outside the hut and announced he'd landed a cracking fish of around 9lb from the Guay Pool. this was great news and we we all delighted for Bill as it was his and the beat's first fish of the season. \it was also Bill's first ever January fish he'd caught in all the years he had been fishing. Kenny presented Bill with a bottle of Fettercairn single malt whisky for catching the first fish and we all congratulated him on getting his fish. It really was the perfect end to a great day on the river in the company of good friends. Here's to the next time we all meet up which will be late March, again on the River Tay.

What we are all after. Bill's 9lb January salmon from the Guay Pool at 3.30pm. 

With the customary blowing off the cobwebs cast on the River Tay now over, my attention turns to the opening of my local river, the Dee. It opens again for salmon fishing on the 1st February and I really can't wait to get out for a cast there again. My first outing is at Park on opening day with good pals. Fingers crossed I can get off to good start like I did last season. Another opening day springer would do me just fine. Camera will be at the ready if I do!

First Outing Of 2016 - Lower Kinnaird

I had my first salmon fishing outing of the 2016 season last Saturday on the Lower Kinnaird beat of the Mighty River Tay. January fishing is not for the faint hearted and the cold temperatures only attract the hardiest of anglers who are eager to blast of the cobwebs of the long close season. The chances of landing the coveted prize of a January springer are slim at best but it's the feeling of being out on the river again clinging onto that slimmest of chances than keep us coming back.

Tackling up after a wee Sloe gin to warm us up for the morning's fishing.

With the alarm sounding at 4.45am I was up and raring to go in anticipation of the first cast of 2016. My pal Bill and I traveled down together and we were to meet fellow Salmon Proboard Forum members, Kenny, Alan, Andy and Craig at the Ballinluig services just a 5 minute drive from the beat. After a good catch up over a bacon roll it was off down the beat.

Gearing up in freezing cold temperatures.

The water was sitting at around 3ft on the gauge but was running clear and was looking in great shape. Martin, the head ghillie paired us up and I was was to fish with Kenny where we were to start off in the Ash Tree pool then the Guay Pool after lunch. We headed off to the river and on arrival to the Ash Tree pool I realised just what a fine part of the Tay this was. It looked like fantastic fly water at this height and Martin assured us that it is even better with a couple of feet less on it.

Looking upstream from the banks of the Ash Tree pool to the snow covered hills beside Pitlochry.

Kenny and I fished down the Ash Tree pool having to contend with the rod rings freezing with every cast as well as ice freezing the reel solid. Despite this I did see a fish head and tail near the bottom part of the pool and not long after Kenny hooked into a fish. After a spirited fight in the faster water Martin tail out a well mended kelt which would have been a very good fish when fresh. this was to be the only action from either of us during the morning session and we headed off back to the hut around 1pm.

Kenny into a kelt in the Ash Tree pool.

Martin unhooks the fish in the water and it was released quickly without harm.

During the build up to our trip to Lower Kinnaird there had been numerous messages exchanged and lunch was high on the agenda. Kenny was bringing some famous steak pies from a baker he knew so I offered to bring the beans! It was all good craic and I think the lunch was built up more than the fishing. We sat down to a very welcome hot lunch in the well equipped hut and Kenny's pies, just like he said they would, went down a treat. There had been a few kelts caught during the morning with nothing fresh seen but at this time of year it's just a matter of searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack. If the fly or lure is not in the water then you haven't got a chance so we were keen to get going again.

Tucking into pies and beans at lunch time.

After lunch Kenny and I were to fish another fantastic looking pool, Guay. This was more of the same in terms of fly water and looked every bit as fishy as Ash tree did. Kenny and I took turns in following each other down the pool and apart from a half hearted pull on my Black and Yellow tube around 3.30pm there was nothing to report so called it a day just after 4pm as the temperature and snow started falling rapidly.

Looking upstream in the Guay Pool.

Looking downstream in the same pool as above.

Back at the hut there was nothing else to report from anyone in our party as the freezing temperatures mus have put the fish off the take. We enjoyed a good laugh over a hot cup of coffee before saying our goodbyes and heading our separate ways again.

I always enjoy these Forum meets in January. It's a great way to get everyone together again after the long close season and with the home brewed Sloe and Damson gins ready for sampling too then it's well worth the effort. We all keep in contact through out the year and banter is always good but nothing beats meeting up in person to have a cast on some of the nicest rivers in Scotland. Looking forward to our next trip to Castle Forbes on the River Don in April. I stupidly dropped my camera in the river just before I finished up for the day so I'd just like to thank Alan, Kenny, Craig and Bill for kindly sending me and allowing me to use their photographs as somehow the memory card in my drowned camera was blank! Thank you gents, much appreciated.

For more information on fishing the River Tay at Lower Kinnaird have a look at the their website by clinking on the link.

Pitlochrie - River Tay

Having never cast a line during January before, I had planned to fish the Friday and Saturday of the opening week on the River Helmsdale. However, with the recent gales, blizzards and heavy snow making for some dangerous driving conditions, I decided not to attempt the 4 hour journey. Instead, I ended up on Tayside thanks to a last minute invite from Andy Pelc. The opportunity to fish the Mighty Tay was too good to refuse and it gave me the chance to see what my new 15ft Mackenzie shooting head rod was capable of.

After a 2 hour drive, I arrived at the Tayside Hotel in Stanley where I was to meet Andy along with fellow pro board forum members Bill, Kenny, Alan, Malcolm and Craig. It's always good catching up with lads from the forum on the river as it's always good craic.

We made the short trip down to the beat where we were met by head ghillie Bob White and his underghillie Calum. Bob informed us that the water height was sitting around the 7ft mark and dropping. The water temperature was just a tad above 37f. Bob briefed us on the tactics suitable for the day and told us where we would be fishing for the morning. I tackled up with a Mackenzie intermediate shooting head and a 10 ft super fast tip. Fly of choice was a 1" brass Cascade Snaelda with a tungsten cone head.

The Pitlochrie Pool.

Malcolm fishing from the boat with Calum in the morning.

Kenny, Bill, and I were to fish the Pitlochrie pool from the left bank whilst Malcolm fished it from the boat on the opposite side. The Pitlochrie pool is a huge bit of water but was at a good height to be fished off the bank. Kenny started at the top of the pool whilst Bill went in below him. I slotted in about a third of the way down the pool. I started fishing a short line and gradually lengthened it until I was throwing a fairly long line across the pool.

Looking upstream from the bank of the Pitlochrie pool towards Bill and Kenny.

I couldn't have had any more than 3 or 4 casts when I had an offer. The fish didn't seem to do much so I didn't either. Just as I started to move the rod, the fish began to shake it's head. I firmly lifted into it but it was only on for about 20 seconds before coming off. I'm pretty sure it was just a kelt anyway.

I had brief hold of a fish in here not long after starting but it came off.

We did see one or two fish show and apart from landing a small trout, that was it for the morning. Malcolm had brief contact with a fish from the boat and so did Calum but nothing was landed from the other bank either. Calum picked us up in the boat just before 1pm and we headed off for lunch.

The old wash house which is used as the fishing hut.

During these kind of trips, lunchtimes are always fascinating. Everyone shares their experiences and observations of all thing salmon fishing and I never get bored of listening to stories about prized catches or the strange methods of which salmon have been caught. Before we knew it, it was 2 o'clock and time to get going again.

The inside of the fishing hut at Pitlochrie.

I was to spend the afternoon out in the boat with Andy and Bob doing a bit of harling. This was something I had never done before so was keen to give it a go. Harling involves using three rods fishing lures out the back of the boat. The boatman uses his skill of the boat and knowledge of the pool to work the lures over the lies. This method of fishing is almost unique to the Tay and is a very effective way of catching salmon.

Harling the Wash House pool with Bob and Andy.

Not long after starting in the Wash house pool, the middle rod had a fish on and was handed to me. After a dogged scrap, a well mended kelt was soon in the net. Not the springer we were after but never the less, it was good to get a bend in the rod after the close season. We gave the pool a good going over before heading up to harl the Pitlochrie pool. Although we were sure to connect with at least a kelt, the fish had other ideas and we didn't get a touch.

Bob unhooking a kelt caught whilst harling in the boat..

Craig did have hold of a fish whilst fishing out of Calum's boat but it evaded capture just as he was gearing it up for the net. We made our way back to the hut about 4pm as the light was fading fast. Kenny landed a sea trout kelt from one of the upper pools in afternoon and apart from a couple of offers for Malcolm, that was it for the afternoon.

Craig fishing the Pitlochrie pool from the boat with Calum.

Time to call it a day. Heading back to the hut after harling the Pitlochrie pool.

This was only my second time on the Tay and it was very enjoyable, despite it being a cold January day. I can see why some many anglers love this river. It's sheer size could be quite daunting if you have never fished it before but as long as you listen to the ghillie and fish the likely spots things are much easier. I will certainly look forward to fishing the Mighty Tay again and with spring fishing available at very affordable prices, that time might not be too far away. There is nothing better than getting out fishing again after the close season especially when it's with good company and I am grateful to Andy for asking me down.

Bob updates his own blog about the River Tay on a regular basis and you can keep up to date with how the river is doing by following the link below.
Salmon Fishing Scotland 

Finavon Castle - South Esk

It rained heavily all day on the Friday before we arrived to fish the Finavon Castle Water which gave Kenny, Bill, Davie and I some extra encouragement for our day on the River South Esk. We planned an early start and I set my alarm for 4am so we could meet at the beat for 5.30am. We arrived just before 5.30 and made our way down to the hut on the Castle Beat. The water was sitting around the 9" mark and was running clear which signaled that the water had not risen as much as we'd anticipated. Still, we were all confident that there would be fish running.

The Castle Beat Hut at 5.30am.

The interior of the hut with wooden fish on the wall as a reminder of good catches of days past.

It was still dark when we arrived at the hut so we lit up a few candles in the hut and contrary to popular opinion, Kenny produced a bottle of 25 year old GlenFarclas so we had a wee dram as we waited to get going. I tackled up with my 13ft Hardy Uniqua, Floating line and 10ft intermediate tip. My fly of choice to begin with was a 1/2" Silver Ally. Kenny and I were to fish the Milton Beat in the morning whilst Bill and Davie were to fish the Castle Beat.

Kenny and I decided to start at the top of the beat and work our way down. The first pool we were to fish was the Bridge Pool. I started at the croy and Kenny went above and started just below the bridge itself. Just as I entered the water a fish showed just next to a boil which the handy beat guide suggests you will pick up a fish. I covered it several times but nothing doing. That was the only fish we saw in the pool so we made our way down to the next pool which was Tyndals.

Looking upstream at dawn in the Bridge Pool.

Fishing down the Bridge Pool. A fish shown just as I started in the boil about half way down but it wasn't hanging about.

Tyndal's is one of the most productive pools on the beat and looking through the catch book, it produces fish all season long. It is fished from the North bank so a wade across the river just above the pool is needed to fish the pool. Bill and Davie had fished this pool whilst we fished the Bridge and said they had seen several fish, mostly coloured showing up near the neck of the pool. Kenny and I fished down through the pool, covering the likely spots but to no avail. Kenny did however see a fish show on his way down but we couldn't temp anything. 

Tyndals Pool. A nice easy wade all the way down and the depth is over on the opposite bank right down the pool. Most of the fish seen were just off the current towards the North bank.

The next pool down was Willows but at this height of water it looked really shallow and when the sun was out, you could see every stone so we decided to leave it for later and see if we got some cloud cover. We headed off down to fish Volcano and Lower Boat pools. Both were clearly defined pool with fast water at the neck which tapered off as the pool widened out. This time, the deeper parts of the pool were on  the North side and they were to be fished from the South bank. As tasty as these pools looked, neither Kenny or myself touched anything in either of them. By this time, the sun was high ain the cloudless sky and conditions were starting to go against us. Kenny headed back to the hut for a cup of tea and I headed back up to have another crack in the Bridge Pool. Sadly, I didn't see or touch anything on my second run down so I headed back to the hut around 11.30am to join Bill, Davie and Kenny for an early lunch.

Looking downstream from the footbridge towards the Red Brae Pool on my way over to fish the Castle Beat.

Looking upstream from the Bridge into the Castle Stream.

After lunch, Kenny and I were to fish the Castle beat and Bill and Davie were to fish the Milton beat. The first pool on the Castle beat is the Castle Stream so I started off in the whilst Kenny headed down to the Red Brae pool below. The water looked a bit on the low side for the Castle Stream but I fished down it regardless just to give it a go.

Castle Stream. There are groins either side at the neck of the pool which gives it a nice flow down the far bank.

I carried on down stream to fish the Kirkinn pool which is really just the tail of Red Brae. There is a nice looking run down the far side which fishes the fly quite well but I didn't get an offer in here and carried on down to the next pool. I had a quick run down through Pheasantry on my way down to fish Nine Maidens

Kirkinn. Looks like an excellent summer sea trout pool.

The hut overlooking Pheasantry which is named David's Tree House Hut. As you can see, it's built around an large tree.

Next pool down was Nine Maidens. This pool had a good bit of depth to it and looked like it could hold a fish or two up near the neck. I concentrated on this area and slowly made my way down the pool but as much as it looked a likely place for a fish, I didn't get an offer so it was onto the next pool.

Kenny Carr sitting on the croy at the neck of Nine Maidens deciding what fly to try next.

 The bottom pool on the beat was called Beaches. It was a long pool in comparison to the others on the Castle beat and also looked like it would give a good chance of a fish. Kenny and I both fished our way down to right under the Viaduct without an offer so we decided to head back upstream to have another go in Red Brae.

The Viaduct at the tail of Beaches. Below the bridge is the Haugh's Pool on the Finavon Bogardo beat.

As I never fished Red Brae on my way down I was eager to give it a go and on arrival we were met by regular River Esks fisher Alan Mowat who was taking with Bill and Davie. Bill said he had seen a fish show up thear the neck of Red Brae so I went up to give it cast. I changed to a Sunray Shadow and worked it through the pool but I didn't get so much as a boil from a trout. It was a very fishy looking pool and one, which I 'm sure, given better conditions would produce plenty fish. Just a pity the sun was water and overhead conditions were not in our favor today.

We all headed back to the Milton Beat hut for a cup of coffee and a farewell dram before heading home. We had a good chat in the hut about all thing fishing and it was good to catch up with Alan again who we fished with on the River Don back in April. We said our goodbyes and left for the journey back up the A90 around 5.30pm.

I really enjoyed fishing this cracking part of the South Esk. We were lucky that there were 4 rods fishing in our party which gave us a bit more pools to fish given the lowish water. We all agreed that it was a good day and with a few more inches of water, we could have had some decent sport. The overnight rain, although heavy, didn't come to much but as it has rained all day today (Sunday 7th) I'm sure there will be fish caught this week if the water goes up. I will look forward to seeing the catches and what these beats can produce.

Left to Right - Kenny, Bill, myself and Davie pose for a picture before heading home.

For more info please visit the very informative Finavon Castle Fishings website.