Week Commencing 1st June 2015

Another cool and unseasonable week on Speyside, today’s showers are quite frequent and heavy and I notice the river has risen from yesterday and seems to have levelled off around the three-foot mark. The forecast for the coming week is for temperatures to reach mid-teens at the start of the week with some more rain towards the end. Yesterday’s strong wind seems to have abated and there should be no problems next week. The tides have peaked and there will be no new water till the following week.

Last week was interesting as the local showers at the start of the week first raised the Avon, and then as this rise started to fall away the main stem rise kicked in. This can be clearly seen on the SEPA Aberlour gauging station.

Water levels showing the Avon then the Spey rise

These rises brought a fair bit of turbidity into the river and the fish were reluctant to take a fly again till Thursday. I am grateful to Frances Brace, one of the local lodge cooks, for this photograph of a newly born roe kid. Frances tells me she was taking a detour to deliver the lunch to avoid sitting in the Aberlour traffic jam when she captured this.

New kid!

Catches, again most beats from Kinchurdy to the sea have had fish during the week. Although I have not seen any pictures I hear there was a large salmon caught by Mr Richard Hollingbery at Arndilly. I understand the fish was measured at 42” and returned safely to the river without being weighed and it is estimated to be around 32lbs.

I am pleased to have some pictures from Gordon Castle beats, many thanks to Alex Robertson and Ian Gordon. I believe at least ten fish were landed.

Alex Robertson Gordon Castle

Glenda Powell 1st Spey salmon

Alex Robertson and Ian Tennant Gordon Castle

Delfur faired slightly better, though Mark tells me the fluctuating water levels seemed to unsettle the fish. Thanks to Rory Paterson for his photographs.

Lyn Wrisdale Delfur

James England Delfur

Rothes had a better week and Debbie Rudd visiting from South Africa, proved she was a natural salmon fisher, as after only half an hour’s instruction she landed a 14lb salmon from Bluestone. The party finished the week in the mid-teens.

Debbie Rudd Rothes

I understand Craigellachie finished with around half a dozen.

Wester Elchies fell just short of double figures, but they ought to have had ten, but the largest fish of the week was lost at the neck of the Boat Pool as the angler and his assistants were attempting to beach it within feet of a perfectly good landing net!

Carron also finished with nine, six of which were caught on Monday. Neil Borthwick had a cast on Thursday evening whilst some of the anglers attended the Spey Board Public Meeting; I think Neil had the better evening!

Neil Borthwick Carron

Choclate Cockers!

Brian Shaw kindly sent me a picture of himself with a salmon at Craig Neish Phones Knockando. I believe the beat was only lightly fished this week, and I heard a rumour that Alistair Wilson decided to swim at the tail of Slioch, I know the water temperature has risen, but these Ayrshire gentleman must be hardy souls!

Brian Shaw Phones Knockando

Jan Rigden, eventually managed to catch a fresh fish from the Spey, Jan has been trying to achieve this for at least ten years but geographical distances reduced his time on the river. Now that he has moved to the Aberdeen area he can pick better times to fish. Jan caught this one from Castle Grant Beat 1.

Jan Ridgen Castle Grant 1

Grantown continue to catch both salmon and seatrout and I think this weekend’s lift in the water will take more fish up for next week. There has been a good number of seatrout over 5lb landed.

Nial Douglas Grantown

Mark Hewitt 8lbs Pol Scroidan

Kinchurdy continue to catch fish on a regular basis and as usual I am grateful for the pictures received.

John Hall Kinchurdy

John Hall Again Kinchurdy

12lb Salmon Kinchurdy

Richard Holmes Kinchurdy

Ross Nickson Kinchurdy

Brian Shaw has asked me to encourage everyone to vote for the Smolt Tagging project in this month’s Trout and Salmon. See Brian’s Blog for more information.

Trout & Salmon “Save our Salmon” initiative – Vote now

Next weeks report might be a day or so late, I am having a fishing holiday to the Queen of Norwegian rivers, the Laerdal.