Good afternoon from a cool and blustery Carron.
A heavy hail shower has just passed through, and looking at the sky to the west over the Drum Wood, it won’t be the last one of the day.
Conditions encountered when guiding on the Upper river this week were more akin to early March rather than May, with a biting north wind and water temperatures of only 7 degrees on Thursday and Friday.
Fresh snow on Cairngorm this week.
While the cold weather has made for less comfortable fishing conditions, the current weather pattern is certainly better for the health of the river and the salmon than the extreme low water and increased river temperatures of just 12 months ago.
A rise in water levels overnight on Wednesday was welcome, but the optimism that accompanies a rise doesn’t yet seem to have been reflected in fish brought to the net.
Before we get on to the detailed reports from the beats, I have been asked to include an update from Spey biologist Atticus Albright. There is some positive news about water quality in the river, but some concerning developments to report alongside.
“A freshwater pearl mussel survey was conducted around Castle Grant. We found a juvenile mussel, very good news and unexpected. Freshwater sponge was also found, indicating high water quality. The smolt run is winding down at the dam and I’m very grateful for the recent rise in water levels!
A juvenile freshwater pearl mussel
A freshwater sponge. Good indicator of water quality.
We don’t just help fish, we also rescued a tawny owlet on the side of the A95!
It was not impressed.
On a more serious note, saprolegnia (a fungal infection) is cropping up in the lower river. I’d like to remind anglers that it is good biosecurity practice to clean and dry equipment, especially waders, when moving between water bodies.
Additionally if anyone sees salmon with saprolegnia, please report it on the FMS fish health app and inform the board/myself. If any dead fish are found, the advice is to remove them from the waterway.”
There are also reports this week of a severe outbreak of saprolegnia in our neighbouring catchment, the Findhorn. Sadly this is becoming a regular springtime event on the river, and is a major concern for the Findhorn, Nairn and Lossie Trust.
FNL biologist Ollie Smaje offered the following guidance to any anglers who have fished the river in recent weeks.
“Everything should be dried out, frozen, or treated with disinfectant when switching water catchments. There’s evidence that Saprolegnia strains have travelled between Scottish rivers in the last few decades.”
A sad sight from the River Findhorn
Virkon is the disinfectant recommended for anyone wishing to treat their waders, boots and other tackle. Many of the beats will have it available, so please consult your ghillie if you are unsure. It is available from Amazon, and from chemists.
Saprolengia is a naturally occurring fungal infection that affects salmonids. It is recognised as a serious problem for the fish farming industry during the freshwater stages of production. There is a lot of work being done to prevent outbreaks, and to treat farmed fish when an outbreak does occur.
One has to wonder whether the increased potency of strains of the disease affecting wild fish has anything to do with the industrialised production of Atlantic salmon around our coastlines?
Evidence from the farms themselves suggests that saprolegnia has evolved significantly in the last 60 years in ways it wasn’t previously.
A pathogen will constantly mutate to combat the treatments being employed against it, becoming more aggressive and virulent. This is the basic evolution of diseases.
A more potent variant of saprolegnia then escapes the farms into the ecosystem. Wild salmon are a host that hasn’t had the chance to develop defences against that evolution, and aren’t being treated against infection like farmed fish are.
So, even healthy adult fish succumb very quickly. Combined with difficult water conditions, it is a plausible explanation for the scenario we are currently seeing in the Findhorn and Lower Spey.
Fishing Reports
Let’s find out how anglers fared on the river over the past few days
Following the very successful launch of the new range of Trak rods by Loop, another is up for grabs for someone this week
These rods are great value for money and it is testament to a tackle manufacturer like Loop to be able to produce very good quality tackle at such an affordable price. Thanks to Loop for their support.
As described above, the weather has made for challenging conditions on the river, a situation reflected in the catches reported from the beat ghillies up and down the river.
We’ll start at Gordon Castle, with details from Middle Brae ghillie Lewis Webb.
“Despite bitter northerly winds making conditions challenging at times, it was still a productive week on the river, finishing just shy of the 20 mark.
Our only team in for the full week got off to a flying start on Monday, landing six fish. Three of those came to one rod in the space of just an hour and a half.
They eventually finished the week with 10 fish and a memorable gull which, I’m told, dove and took the fly while it was swinging in the water.
It was great to welcome both returning regulars and new rods during the week, although around 50% of the available rods remained un-let, leaving a good deal of water not fished.
Who knows what the final tally might have been with fuller coverage of the river.
A rise in water, combined with strengthening winds, seemed to quieten things down towards the end of the week.
But overall it was still an encouraging week given the conditions.”
David Morris
Alex with one of his hatrick from Monday
Illtyd Griffiths
Ghillie Ian Stronach with Graham Ritchie’s fish
Another for Graham
A lovely fish for Ian Tennant
“Another decent weeks fishing for us getting into double figures again,” reflects Mark Melville at Delfur.
“It was a mixed week of weather,mostly cold with some heavy showers of rain and hail at times.
The Northerly winds all week kept everything cool including the water.
Monday morning started off well with three fish hooked and landed in quick succession from Big Haddie, Twa Stanes and Broom.
A fish each for Team leader Wilson Phillips – 10lbs, Charlie Harman 7lbs and Jim Coates 7lbs.
Tuesday, Wilson and Jim each caught fish again Beaufort 10lbs and Twa Stanes 12lbs. Jim Coates also landed a very nice sea trout from Hollenbush.
Wednesday was a repeat performance from both Wilson and Jim with Beaufort and Sourden the respective pools this time. Both fish weighing 12lbs and fresh.
Thursday Wilson had a change of anglers and we welcomed Andrew Goodwin to Delfur for his first visit. Andrew was the lucky rod for the day and managed to catch his first ever fish from Broom at 9lbs.
Friday we had another few fish with Wilson Phillips getting in on the action again with an older fish from the tail of the Bridge Pool.
Brian Lovering was back for his second visit here this season and caught another older fish,this one from Collie.
Olivier Devictor landed a nice fresh fish from Big Haddie at 10lbs.
The black water on Saturday ended in a blank day.
We had a wee rise in water Wednesday night and over a foot on Thursday night which should do the river some good for the coming weeks.
It’s been a while since the river has had a freshen up though the bottom is still as slippery as an eel!
Tight lines to all.”
Wilson Phillips, Big Haddie
And away!
Jim Coates with a fine sea trout
Brown trout with a nymph starter followed by a smolt main course
Brian Lovering’s fish from Collie
Colin Harman’s fish from Twa Staines
Wilson again, this time from Sourden
Andrew Goodwin with his first fish. Well done Andrew!
Moving upstream, Robbie Stronach brings us a brief update from Rothes.
“Just the two with us for the week . Mark Lambert got one from Creeky and Richard Breakell got one from Jamieson.”
Next to Arndilly, where Euan Reid brings us his news for the week:
“We had Ian Cox and his family and team and although we didn’t reach the highs of last week, (which was always going to be difficult) we did however have a lovely week with good people and some successes thrown in.
Simon Marriott, probably the best angler who has ever fished the beat (at least that’s what he tells us) caught our first of the week, 9lb from the boat in Jocks Tail with Keith on Monday afternoon.
I can pass on his number if anyone hasn’t heard the story because we all have!
Well done Major! Everyone is delighted for you really!
After a blank Tuesday, Mr Richard Hollingbery had a 6lb fish from the Cobble Pot and Adrian Cawood had an 8lb fish from Back of the Bog on Thursday to end a 19 day blank run at various places.
After the rise overnight I was disappointed to blank on Friday, and Saturday was more difficult than I expected but Dougal Evans had a lovely 11lb sea-liced fish again from the Jocks Tail boat, this time with Mike.
So a relatively tough week for the time of year with at times difficult conditions was tackled with good humour and plenty of laughs.”
Mike with Dougal’s fish from Jock’s Tail
Orn Sigurhansson tells of a challenging but enjoyable week at Easter Elchies.
“We were delighted to welcome the Lockwood Party on their first visit to the beat.
It was a difficult week in terms of fishing conditions, and one that could easily have produced a much higher catch under more favourable circumstances. Throughout the week we contended with a falling barometer, rising and coloured water, and an easterly wind — conditions that are rarely conducive to good salmon fishing.
The week began with bright, sunny weather and a steadily falling barometer from Monday through Wednesday. Heavy rain arrived overnight on Wednesday and continued into Thursday, causing the river to rise sharply.
By Friday the water had coloured significantly, accompanied by a cold and persistent east wind. Saturday brought picture-perfect river conditions, but frustratingly the barometer was once again falling.
We opened our account on Tuesday when Ollie Braithwaite-Exley landed a fine fish from the tail of the Fiddich.
On Thursday morning, Jamie Hammond added our second fish of the week with a salmon from the Lower Dips.
Friday proved to be the most productive day. Jamie Hammond was again first on the score sheet with a fish from the Smiddy. Two further fish followed during the day, including one landed late in the evening by Andrew McCaig from Ladies Haugh.
Saturday offered the most promising conditions of the week, and although several fish were encountered, none were brought to the net until Richard Davidson saved the day in style with a superb 16 lb salmon from Inverfiddich.
In total, six salmon were landed for the week.
While the final tally was respectable, it felt as though the beat was capable of producing significantly more had the conditions been a little kinder. We hope the coming week brings greater stability and improved fishing conditions.”
Ollie with his fish from the tail of the Fiddich
Jamie Hammond’s fish from the Lower Dips
Smiddy Silver
A fine fish from Ladies Haugh
Four fish for the week from Kinermony, writes David Brand.
Two for Michael Large, Andrew Goodenough and Mark Morrison the other captors.
Michael Large, Kinermony
Malcolm Newbold reports six fish by Wednesday night at Wester Elchies.
“Then the rise in water killed it. No more the rest of the week”
Ghillie Phil Leask, ably assisted by Cuilean and Harris
Phil again, this time with a fish for Dave Sadowski
John Fraser with a fish from Gean Tree
Peter Bowling with a slippery customer
Jack Hendry
Neil Borthwick tells the tale of a challenging few days.
“Unfortunately it was another tough fishing week at Carron. Simon Martin, Steve Hulme & friends returned for another go at catching an elusive spring salmon.
Despite the best efforts of everyone in the party and a welcome rise in water levels towards the end of the week only one fish was landed.
Simon Martin was the lucky angler, landing a 10lbs fish from the Doctors Pot on Thursday morning.
For those who know our beat, they will know hooking, playing and landing a salmon from this pool on your own is not an easy task, so well done Simon.”
Two fish for Archie Baillie at Knockando.
“We started with one on Monday 11lb from Vrennon for Thomas Boyd. Unfortunately that was that until Saturday afternoon when Charlie Hill managed a sea-licer of 6lb from Big Island.
Thomas Boyd with a fish from Vrennon
Charlie Hill, Big Island
And finally, we catch up with Simon Crozier at Castle Grant.
The week started well with three fish on Monday.
Garry Scholes kicked us off with a fine 14 lb sparkler from the bottom Sluggan.
That old spey campaigner Jouni Rauha got a fine fish of 85cm from Pollowick on a Crème Brûle !! ( No I’ve no idea either!)
Simon Grattin had a fish of 6lbs from No1 burn.
Things were quiet then until Friday largely due to some brutal north winds that plagued us in the middle part of the week.
Jari Kai Ila had a first seatrout of the year a fine fish of around 4lbs.
Jouni Rauha had another fish of 8lbs again from Pollowick.
Saturday saw Stephen Bolton get a cracker of around 8lbs from Polchraine.
Finnish visitor Jarmo Pistemaa had a fine fish from Pollowick to end the sport for the week.”
8lb, Polchraine. Spit fresh, nae lice
Jarmo Pistemaa, Pollowick
A fine sea trout for Jari
Jouni Rauha with his first from Pollowick
Jouni with his second fish
The winner of the Loop Trak rod for this week is Alex Johnson from Gordon Castle for his three fish in 90 minutes on Monday morning. We’ll be in touch via the estate to organise the details.
Prospects
The forecast for the coming week is promising, with high pressure building and winds switching to the South. Hopefully this will bring some warmer and less challenging conditions.
Once the water temperatures rise, floating lines and smaller flies will come into play.
As mentioned by Atticus, the smolts are making their way downstream at the moment, so please consider crushing down the barbs on small doubles, or using short dressed low water single hooks. It really does make a difference when trying to unhook these small but precious fish.
If you are fortunate to land a Spey salmon, please take great care in unhooking and releasing it. Keep it in the net and avoid removing it from the water if possible.
Hopefully the rise in water levels over the past couple of days will bring some more fish into the system and we can look forward to some good sport this week.
Thanks to all the ghillies and reporters for providing the information that goes into these posts.
Tight lines to everyone having a cast this week.
Sam Jarman.
