River Tay - 20lb Salmon

I had a day's fishing on the lower beat at Stobhall last Friday. The water had risen a few days before due to snow melt and was sitting at just over 5ft on the beat gauge when I arrived in the morning. With the river sitting at the level it was my fly rod was left in the car and I rigged up my spinning outfit. I opted to fish with the reliable Tay lure, a 30g copper Salmo. There are few better lures for tempting salmon than the salmo. Even during summer when river levels are much lower they are very effective.

A fresh run 20lb salmon from the River Tay. 

Out in the boat with Bob fishing Tam's Corner.

I was to fish in the boat with legendary River Tay ghillie Bob Campbell for the morning session. We set off up to fish Lower Eels Brig and Tam's Corner. We fished down through Lower Eels Brig without an offer and we moved into Tam's Corner. We were just about at the end of the pool when the rod buckled over and I lifted into a solid fish. It didn't do much in terms of runs but it felt like a hefty fish. It stayed deep and only showed itself twice when it was thrashing about on the surface trying to spit the hook. Bob motored the boat into the bank and I played the fish for several more minutes before Bob slid the net under fresh springer. He quickly removed the hooks and weighed the fish in the net. It was bang on 20lb and was covered in sea lice. After a few photos it was set on it's way and took off no problem. It doesn't get much better than a fresh run 20lb springer!

Ready to be released back into the river.

Looking down Bellymore to the Linn Head where the Tay squeezes through narrow gaps in the rocks. 

In the afternoon I was fished down in the famous Linn Pool with ghillie, Ernie. The Linn Pool is an awesome bit of water where the whole of the river Tay passes through a few small gaps in the rock faces. This creates a pool believed to be 125ft deep in part with currents flowing in various directions which cause the fish to hold up until the decide which way there are to go. These numerous currents give the angler time to catch one or two of them and when the conditions are right, sport can be fantastic.

Looking across to the big house overlooking the Linn Pool from Bellymore.

With 5ft on the gauge, the pool was sitting at a decent height. We fished from a small man made island called Bellymore and covered both sides of it.Every cast you were just waiting for the line to go tight such is the reputation of the Linn Pool and despite seeing one or two fish splashing about, they were not playing ball and nothing was tempted. At least this gives me a good excuse to return and try to catch a salmon from this famous pool.

Looking upstream to the Linn Head from Bellymore.

Looking across to the Greenbank from Bellymore.

I really enjoyed my day at Stobhall again and it was great to land such a fantastic specimen of a fish. Catching a 20lb salmon is what many anglers dream of and to get one fresh off the tide in March is as good as it gets for me. Although it was caught using a spinner, which some people turn their noses up at, you really have to fish to the conditions when out on a river as large as the Tay just to ensure you give yourself the best chance of catching fish. I would have loved to catch this fish on a fly but given the water heights, I was more than happy to do as the ghillie told me and fish the way we would have the most chance of catching something. After all, this is why I pay my money to go salmon fishing - to catch fish. The method I use to catch them matters little to me in such conditions and I left the beat with a huge grin on my face due to sheer delight of catching that fish. I am feeling very lucky this season so far as I have caught some lovely fish so far. Hopefully there are plenty more to follow during the rest of the season.

Upper Drum And Lower Durris - River Dee

I was kindly invited to fish at the Upper Drum & Lower Durris beat of the River Dee by River Dee board member Dave MacDonald and the Cordery party who take the fishing for the week. The beat was still to record their first fish of the season but I had never fished it before and was looking forward to it. When I arrived the gauge was reading 2ft 3in but was dropping quickly from a rise earlier in the week brought on by snow melt.

After the introductions to the party and ghillie, Jim Paton, we discussed which tactics would be the best for the day. I opted for my Scott Mackenzie float/intermediate shooting head, a 10ft fast sink tip and a 1" copper Maggie's Shrimp. We headed off to the top of the beat on the Lower Durris side to fish the Bridge pool and Keith's Pot. I started above Park bridge and worked my way down the the bottom of Keith's Pot. Dave started just below the bridge and fished the same pool. Apart from Dave seeing a fish show just opposite the gauging station, we didn't see or touch anything else in the morning.

At lunch, we all tucked into a cracking spread laid on by the Cordery party and after and hour or so of the usual fishing hut discussions, we headed off to fish our beats for the afternoon. Dave and I were to fish the Upper Drum side in a pool called the Kirks. As it was slightly quicker than Keith's Pot, I changed to a 10ft super fast sink tip and put on an 1 1/4" Swallow tied on a copper tube. The Kirks was a lovely pool to swing a fly in and was a pool which was good for holding spring fish. Unfortunately, nothing doing for us this time so Dave showed me the rest of the pools on the beat  where the water was just a bit too high for us. As the water had dropped several inches through out the day, Dave thought it would be a good idea to go up and have a crack in the Otter pool just before it got dark so we said our goodbyes to the party and headed off upstream. Dave pointed out the likely spots and where the fish run but we didn't see or touch anything so we called it a day around 7pm.

The Cordery party made me feel really welcome and I was grateful for them to ask me along to fish. It was also good to be fishing with Dave MacDonald again. The wait goes on for the beat's first fish of the season but I enjoyed being out, especially as I had never fished there before. Some of the pools look great and it would be good to see them later on in the season when there are plenty fish in the river. I'm sure they will have their first fish in the book soon enough.

Here are some pictures from my day.

Bridge Pool. I had only ever fished this pool from the Park bank before yesterday.

Keith's Pot. A cracking holding pool which produces fish all year round.

Looking upstream toward Park Bridge midway down Keith's Pot.

Kirks Pool. Another good holding pool which fishes the fly very well.

The tail of the Kirks looking downstream towards the Middle Drum and Tilbouries beats.

The well equipped fishing hut on the Lower Durris side.

Looking downstream from the hut into the Boat Pool.

Having a go in the Otter Pool at dusk.

Looking upstream in the Otter Pool.

The New Season Is Just Around The Corner!

The Salmon Fishing season in Scotland is nearly upon us once again and with the poor showing last year, you would be forgiven if you were having trouble getting excited about the coming 2014 season. Not me though, as like every year, I can't wait to get going again! The fly lines are all cleaned and re-looped, the fly boxes have been re-stocked, the reels have been serviced and a few new items are primed and ready to go. The only thing missing is a river to fish on!

Fly boxes are full again and lines ready for action.

I have to wait until 8th February to get my first crack at catching an elusive spring salmon when I will be taking my annual February day on the famous Park beat of the River Dee. Before then though, several rivers in Scotland will be opening up within the next week or so. The first are several of the Northern rivers such as the Helmsdale and Thurso. Then, on the 15th January, the River Tay welcomes it's first visitors of the new season.

February fishing on the River Dee at Little Blackhall & Inchmarlo.

The rivers I mainly fish don't open until February. The Dee opens first on the 1st and the Don follows on the 11th. The Dee especially is a fantastic early river and spring salmon can be caught through out the system on opening day. The Don can also produce early fish but it only really starts to see fish being caught more towards the end of March. From then on it can be excellent, especially if the last few seasons are anything to go by. In my opinion, there is no better prize than landing a spanking fresh early running salmon. It certainly makes you forget all about the freezing temperatures and ice cold water. I can't wait!

What we are all after! A cracking fresh run Springer from the River Dee on the 19th March 2011.

Salmon Tubes For Spring

As usual, just like every other year, I've probably started to re-stock my tube fly box a wee bit early. Guaranteed, come the December holidays and the long January nights, I'll have nothing left to tie! Still, I find Fly Tying as much of a hobby as Salmon fishing and when I'm not fishing, the next best alternative is to tie flies.

The only problem with tying your own flies is you tend to have far too many which is why last year I totally cleared out my boxes. It took a minute or two to decide on what to strip down and what to keep but eventually I settled for just 6 or 7 patterns. These were the flies I used most often and most importantly, the ones I had confidence in. I have stuck to the same patterns again this year and will tie them up in various weights and sizes to cover most likely of Spring conditions.

A few flies tied so far. These are probably the flies I use the most. Top left: Gold Body Willie Gunn, Top Right: Monkey, Bottom Left: Park Shrimp, Bottom Right: Calvin Shrimp x2 and KS Shrimp