Good Afternoon, Welcome to this report for the last week of June.
A tough one to write this Sunday with warm weather, low water levels and another pollution incident overshadowing what should be prime time for fishing and enjoying the river.
Thankfully the brutally hot conditions experienced by England, Wales and the Borders didn’t extend as far North as the Spey valley.
However, with air temperatures up in the mid twenties and water temperatures climbing, a number of fishing parties along with beat ghillies took the commendable decision to stop fishing on Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday.
Spey Board Biologist Atticus Albright has reiterated the need for caution.
“The River Tweed has closed fishing this week due to high water temperatures.
The Board would like to remind all proprietors, ghillies and anglers of the government’s advice and the risk to salmon in those circumstances.
Specifically, to take mitigation actions when water temperatures reach 18 degrees (such as fishing only in the early morning and late evening) and to stop angling when water temperatures reach 20 degrees.
Additionally, it will reduce stress if all fish caught are not removed from the water during the unhooking process.
The government advice on warm water angling and catch and release can be found below:
Thanks to the kind contributions to the 2025 Spey Board Auction, we have purchased four Remote Telemetry Units to monitor temperature and water quality on the Spey.
They will be arriving next week and we intend to get them deployed and running as soon as possible this summer. The same style of units are in use on the Tweed and we hope to publish the readings of the loggers on our website in future.”
One of the water data loggers soon to be installed at locations on the river.
While anglers and ghillies are showing restraint and taking responsibility for fish welfare in these low flow conditions, it’s particularly galling to note that SSE and Alvance Aluminium owned by Gupta Metals, continue to divert water away from the Spey for hydro electric schemes on the Tay system and in Fort William.
Video showing water being diverted out of the Spey catchment and away to Loch Ericht
The continued exploitation of these historical licenses to divert water to one of the wettest areas of the country, and away from one of the driest, defies all logic in the face of the summer weather conditions that are becoming the norm.
Surely an urgent review is necessary when damage is being done to a river that is home to several endangered species.
I understand that SEPA have recently carried out a catchment survey which is hopefully the first step in addressing the issue.
With low water levels and rising temperatures, the last thing we needed on Monday morning were reports of yet another pollution incident at a distillery.
Video showing waste being discharged from Craigellachie distillery into the River Fiddich, taken by Dougie Ross, Ghillie at Craigellachie.
Details from the SFB’s Duncan Ferguson:
“We were informed by a member of the angling community on Monday morning that there was an incident happening on the River Fiddich – the source being the Craigellachie distillery .
SEPA were informed and we attended. Maintenance on the worm tubs used to cool the water down was the cause of the incident.
The cooling water comes from a dam with fine sediment that has accumulated in the tubs, and they put it down the discharge pipe which they don’t have a licence to do .
I spoke with the distillery manager and expressed our concerns. He was apologetic and he informed me that the environmental team would be on site today to ensure this does not happen again.
SEPA were going to talk to them about breach of licence.
It was all organic matter with no fish killed.”
While this incident is not as serious as the one at Cardhu Distillery earlier this year where caustic soda was released into the Knockando Burn, it is part of a worrying pattern.
Any organic material that enters the river during a time of low flows and high temperatures risks further depleting oxygen levels as it decomposes.
The next few weeks are historically problematic for overflows from sewage works and other pollution sources if we do get intense, heavy rainfall over short time periods.
Water quality and river flow rates are the primary concern for the board and any pollution incidents, however minor, must not be tolerated.
The after effects of the pollution incident
Fishing Reports
Thanks once again to Loop for offering a Trak rod for the Fish of the Week. I was lucky enough to have a cast with the 13’2 model a couple of weeks ago. It’s a fine rod for summer fishing on the Spey and excellent value for money.
A Loop Trak Double Handed rod and G5 reel
It has been hard going for everyone casting a line on the river this week, concluding what has been a disappointing month.
Except for the hot weather in the first half of this week, fishing conditions overall have been fair, certainly compared with June last season, 2023 and other notorious low water years such as 2018.
Despite reasonable summer water levels in the previous few weeks, the numbers of fish being reported are similar to those difficult seasons and well below what might be anticipated.
The concerns expressed by ghillies and anglers is understandable.
We start this week at Gordon Castle, with a brief summary of events from Middle Brae Ghillie Lewis Webb.
“A tough week of conditions with the sun burning bright in the sky, pushing water temperatures to uncomfortable highs.
Simon Kirkup landed three fish in an hour and a half on Tuesday morning the best wieghing around 12lbs.
Saturday was our most productive day and we closed play getting into double figures.”
A fish for Andrew Tillard
Peter Thompson
A fine Spey salmon for former Arndilly ghillie Blair Banks
Simon Kirkup with the largest fish of his hatrick on Tuesday
Simon Leefe
Ian Stronach with Andrew McCaig’s second fish
Andrew again
“We were delighted to welcome the Rose party back to Orton this week,” writes Head Ghillie Andrew Gunn
“Unfortunately, the conditions proved challenging and catches were limited, with just three salmon landed and a further three lost.
Stephen Rose opened the account on Tuesday afternoon with a fresh 13lb fish from Willows.
Stephen Rose
On Wednesday, Julian Hunnable landed the season’s first grilse, also from Willows.
Thursday saw Jazz Schwier round off the week’s catches with a fresh 14lb salmon from the Junction.
Jazz Schwier and a furry ghillie
Although the fishing was slow, it was encouraging to see three fresh fish caught despite the difficult conditions.”
Moving upstream, we find Head Ghillie Mark Melville who brings us up to date with events at Delfur.
“It was great to welcome back Duncan Fletcher’s party once again.Â
Duncan, family and friends have fished Delfur for nearly 40 years.
The weather forecast was correct and we knew we would struggle most of the week with plus 20 temperatures peaking at 27 mid week!
Not surprisingly the water warmed up rapidly.
The message we received early on Monday morning of yet another potential pollution incident in a Spey tributary was the last thing we who work, live and care so much about this wonderful river needed to hear!Â
A pollution incident in each of the last three months is not good enough, something needs to happen rapidly to stop these potentially catastrophic events happening!
Now to the fishing.
We got off to a decent start with Duncan Fletcher Jnr catching two fresh fish from Sourden on Monday morning.
One of Duncan Fletcher’s fish from Sourden
Maher Al Tajir landed a fine double figure fish in Hollenbush.
That was it until Duncan Fletcher landed a fish on Wednesday from Broom.
Broom fish in the sunshine
Thursday was blank and it was Friday evening with a much cooler overcast day that gave us three fish, with one from Beaufort and the Bridge Pool providing a couple.Â
One from the Bridge Pool
Beaufort fish
Another from The Bridge
Saturday morning Malcolm Newbould finally managed a fish from Sourden.
A good fish for Malcolm Newbould
That was it for another difficult week.
The forecast looks much more like it for the coming week ahead with the temperature down a good bit and some rain forecast most days.
We should start to see some proper runs of grilse this week as we enter July along with a few more summer salmon too.
Tight lines.
“No fish landed at Rothes this week”, was the brief message from Robbie Stronach. “Just a few fish hooked and lost”
Moving on, we find Euan Reid, Head Ghillie at Arndilly in philosophical mood.
“The week gone by was just one of those weeks that as a paying guest or ghillie you simply don’t want to encounter. Low water was not the problem this week although that is what we had – but temperature was the problem.
There has been talk of stopping fishing in high water temperatures because releasing fish becomes more difficult, in my opinion releasing fish is not an issue because you are unlikely to catch them in the first place.
We had two lovely fish on Monday in the relatively cool water, 61 degrees F, 13lb for Hamish Mackenzie from the Back of the Bog and 16lb from the Cobble Pot for David Van Der Walt.
Hamish MacKenzie
After that the temperature rose and catching fish became very difficult but after much perseverance, Brian Mercer caught a grilse off the Cobble Pot concrete path on Saturday morning.
A grilse for Brian Mercer
We did see some silver fish on Saturday and with the promise of cooler conditions next week I reckon we’ll do alright.
Interestingly, having not seen an Elver run in more than twenty years. We have now had two in consecutive years.
Elvers at Arndilly
The video attached was not a ‘Best Of….’, it was the only one I took.
It was just constant. I don’t know what the sudden re-emergence of eels tells us but I’m guessing it’s positive, certainly the otters will like it!”
Next we move on to Easter Elchies, where Orn Sigurhansson reports as follows:
“The week started on a disappointing note with a pollution incident on the Fiddich on Monday morning. Credit must go to Dougie Ross, ghillie at Craigellachie, who noticed the discharge during his early morning walk and immediately reported it to both the Spey Fishery Board and SEPA.
Both organisations responded quickly, attending the site and working to stop the pollution and minimise what could have been a far more serious impact.
SEPA are continuing their investigations, and we await the outcome in due course.
On to fishing matters, and we were delighted to welcome the Trafford party back to Easter Elchies for another week on the river.
Throughout the week the river remained low, fluctuating between minus 6 and minus 9 inches, while the weather was exceptionally warm and sunny. It really was back to the “Costa del Spey” for much of the week.
Despite the challenging conditions, Monday got off to a promising start when Jeremy Clayton landed a fine 17lb salmon from the Fiddich. In the evening, Michael Trafford added two sea trout to the week’s tally.
Tuesday proved to be our most productive day, with five salmon landed. Among them was a badly seal-marked fish from Inverfiddich. Jeremy Clayton was again amongst the action, landing his first grilse and our first grilse of the season from the Tail of the Fiddich.
At just 2lb, it may well have been the smallest grilse we have ever seen.
Jeremy Clayton with a grilse
We also had a salmon and a sea trout from the Red Craig.
Wednesday was a quieter day, but not without success. Les Tyson kept the momentum going by landing a fish from Inverfiddich, the second grilse of the week and welcome confirmation that summer fish are beginning to appear in the system.
A seal marked fish from Inverfiddich
Thursday saw Jeremy back on form as he completed his hat-trick for the week with a lovely 12lb salmon from the Boat Pool.
On Friday, Mark Beatty was rewarded for his perseverance when he landed a cracking 12lb fish from the Fiddich, having lost another salmon only a few casts earlier.
Head Ghillie Orn Sigurhansson with Mark’s fish from the Fiddich
The evening session produced a further two salmon and two sea trout for Michael Trafford before a rise in water levels and some coloured water coming down from the Fiddich.
The change in conditions appeared to switch the fish off and we unfortunately blanked on Saturday.
Overall, the week produced ten salmon and four sea trout under difficult summer conditions.
Given the exceptionally low, warm water for much of the week, it was a pleasing result and encouraging to see the first grilse of the season arrive.
Golden Hour in The Red Craig on Wednesday evening.
“Four fish for the week at Wester Elchies which was good considering the conditions,” writes Malcolm Newbould.
Angus Rutherford, Little Turn
Sandy Laughton, Dalbreck
Across the river to Delagyle where David Smillie sums up this week’s action.
“A salmon of 7lbs and a 3lb sea trout both out of Dal Breck to head of party Prof. John Wilkinson.”
“Two fish this week for Tim Piper & friends” reports Neil Borthwick from Carron.
“William Shaw got the week started with a fresh fish out of Delchapel on Tuesday morning. The sunshine took over for the next few days.
Friday the conditions were more favourable for fishing, and after losing a fish in the morning, Ashley Ward would redeem himself in the evening landing a slightly older fish from the Stream.
Saturday was quiet during the day however with the light fading late on in the evening Jon Chapman landed a lovely bright silver sea trout in the tail of Pol Dornie. We now look forward to next week and welcoming our next party of guests to Carron.”
“The beat was very light on angling activity this week mostly due to the conditions” writes Archie Baillie from Knockando.
“However on Friday evening Edwin Whyte managed to land a nice 12lb sea-liced fish from the Draw of Vrennan.
Another couple of fish were tempted by our flies but unfortunately not for long.
Some rain would be very welcome.”
Prospects
I’m sure we would all concur with Archie’s closing remark.
A heavy rain shower hit Carron earlier raising hopes of some fresh water to start the week. Unfortunately it was short lived, and the sunshine has returned along with a stiff breeze.
Thankfully the temperatures are forecast to be lower this week, and there is the possibility of further showers. Whether these have any effect on river levels will depend on where in the catchment they fall.
The grilse are starting to arrive. A good run of these smaller but hard fighting fish will be most welcome to supplement the residents already in the pools. Concentrating your efforts early and late will enhance your chances and as always it’s worth consulting your ghillie on a regular basis, especially if conditions change through the week.
If you are lucky enough to encounter a Spey salmon, please remember the fish handling guidelines. Water temperatures are higher, and removing a fish from the water, even for a few seconds for a photo can be detrimental.
Single hooks, or doubles with the barbs crushed down make unhooking a fish in the water a simple process. Please avoid using treble hooks as per the SFB guidelines.
Thankyou once again to Loop for supporting this report. This weeks winner of the Trak rod is Simon Kirkup, for his fine effort landing three fish on Tuesday morning at Gordon Castle.
Thanks also to all the ghillies who take time out of their only day off to provide the information about the weeks events.
Your regular correspondent will be back with next weeks report, after a succesful trip to the River Ewe.
Sandy Howie with a fine salmon from the Ewe
Tight lines to everyone casting a line this week.
Sam Jarman
