Week Commencing 13th May 2019
Last week’s weather forecast was not far off, the coming week is forecasting about half an inch or so of rain on Monday, hopefully this will give the river a lift and bring a few more fish in. Temperatures will stick around the mid teens, a little cooler than last week. Nicer fishing conditions.
The tides have peaked and there will be no new water for the remainder of the week.
I saw my first swifts this year on Saturday, For those disappointed with the lack of baby coal tits this year, Mark Melville sent me this photograph of a newly hatched oystercatcher.
There have been two more recaptures this week. There was a fish caught from Kinchurdy. The fish was originally caught at Tulchan D on the 6thof April and recaptured on the 10thMay.
The second was originally captured at Arndilly on the 8thof April and recaptured at Wester Elchies on the 17th May.
Catches, the hot sunny weather last week made fishing difficult, and the catches reflect this.
Gordon Castle, Ian Tennant tells me they had two fish both pictured.
Delfur had three.
Rothes had a slightly better week with half a dozen landed.
Euan Reid tells me “It was a slow week but enjoyable to be out in the sun. Only two fish landed along with an exceptional seatrout of 12lb for John Garnet from the Long Pool. Mr Richard Hollinbery fishing as a guest had a ten-pound salmon from the Cobble Pot. Party leader Ian Cox finished the week with a 8lb fish ably netted by his daughter Lizzie.”
Mike Broady tells me they finished the week at Craigellachie with six, he kindly sent me a couple of pictures.
Kinermony had one for Jonathan Rowley.
Wester Elchies also had six; Dave Sadowski and Stuart Yates had a couple each.
Delagyle, guess what? Had six. Thanks to Bobby Hall for a picture.
Carron I believe finished with four, Ian Borthwick sent me this picture of one of the fish early in the week.
Castle Grant, Lionel tells me ” a few fish about this week but very difficult to catch. The ones we did catch were covered with sea lice. Beat 1 landed 2 fish including one of 18lb.
Beat 2 this week was the Danny Assolari party.

Keith Davies with his first Scottish salmon it was 12lb, covered in sea lice. It was netted, floy tagged but before we could get the photo it jumped out of his hands, hence the headless-photo.
Keith’s wife played one for ten minutes but sadly it came off as did a few others. Great week had by all.”
Finally,
If you are fishing the Spey, or even other rivers, please keep an eye out for adult salmon bearing tags. The Spey Fishery Board and Spey Gillies are running a salmon tagging project to:
– Determine the re-capture rate of released salmon
– Provide information on the movements of rod caught salmon
Gillies along the river have been provided with tags, tagging equipment and training. Tagged fish could be recaptured anywhere in the river, even in other rivers, so we are asking all anglers to look out for fish carrying “Floy” tags next to the dorsal fin. Floy tags are vinyl coated, available in different colours and individually numbered.
What are we asking anglers to do if they catch a tagged fish?
-Take a note of the Floy tag colour and number (take good photo if possible)
– Carefully release the fish, with tag still in place
– Contact the Spey Fishery Board by Telephone number on tag or via the contact details below
– Anglers reporting a tagged fish will receive details of the fish including original tagging place and date, as well as any other information available
– A full report on the tagging study will be published at the end of the season, including details of all fish