Afternoon all
Another week gone and hard to believe we are half way through March already. The week just gone was an important one for anglers as it saw the start of the brown trout season, perhaps not the best of conditions for brownies but the anglers have been out and having success.
The salmon anglers throughout the country have been picking away this week, with some fair specimens being encountered, good to see fish about. The week was reasonable weather wise but again a cold, at times, swirling wind was evident and tested all levels of casting ability.
The Spey had a bit more of a settled week, with a falling and clearing river, making the second half a better prospect so lets see the scores on the doors.
Andy Milne of Fochabers Angling Association advises another quiet week for them due to the river conditions but the week ahead looks more promising.
As we head upstream Gordon Castle had a few rods out and despite coping with the challenging wind did not encounter any fish. David Buley hopes the week ahead will see them break their duck.
Orton head ghillie, Andy Gunn summed their week up in three simple words and I quote ” Not a sausage”.
Head ghillie at Delfur, Mark Melville confirms that they just had one fish for the week. Malcolm Newbould, who is having a great start to the season was the lucky captor with a 6lb fish from the Beaufort Pool on his usual Willie Gunn.
Rothes only had one fish to report as well according to Head Ghillie Robbie Stronach. A couple of fish were lost during the week but Alan McKay had a lovely fish from the Junction.
As our journey continues upstream, Arndilly head ghillie Euan Reid reports another great week at Arndilly with 5 lovely spring fish landed. We had a split week this week, Derek Wiseman and his team first half and Allan McKay second half. Conditions favoured the second half. Monday was 3ft9 and carrying some snowmelt colour. By Tuesday it was 2ft 10 and Robert Main had an 8lb fish from the White Horse. Surprisingly given a lovely clear water on Wednesday we blanked. Thursday at 1ft6 Robert McQueen had an 8.5lb fish from the top of the long pool. At this point we had had 11 fish for the season from 10 different pools, this displays how Arndilly is blessed with many productive bits of water. Ryan Clark changed this by catching another out of the long pool later in the day, 7lb sealiced from the tail of the pool. On Friday Danny Roberts had one 7lb again from the top end of long pool opposite the sycamore tree and Jake Young got a 7lb sea liced fish from tail end of Bulwark on the right bank. Several other fish were hooked and lost but we can’t be certain they were fresh as a kelt was landed on Friday also. Disappointingly Saturday was blank but we saw quite a number if fish so we’ll begin tomorrow full of hope and expectation as always!
Dougie Ross at Craigellachie advises that a couple of fish were lost and nothing made it to the net. The beat was lightly fished during the week but with a full crew this week coming fingers are crossed.
Lower Wester Elchies had another fish this week, lucky angler was Neil Cowie who landed a lovely springer.
Across the river, the Aberlour Angling Club had a great week with 8 fish landed. Ian Morrison landed a fish of 25lb, Billy Anderson had one at 6lb, Bruce Cameron had one at 9lb, visiting anglers had three, Kevin James had one at 15lb and last but not least Jim Seivwright had one of 8lb. Great week for the club.
Kinermony ghillie, David Brand confirms they had two fish for their week as well as a number of losses. A black and yellow and also an Alistair tube doing the damage there.
Wester Elchies also had a good week according to Malcolm Newbould. A wonderful week at Wester Elchies, it felt more like late April as opposed to mid March. Fast sinkers and big sparkly flies at the beginning of the week and floaters with intermediate tips at the end. As always Sam kept the show on the road and with pulls, lost fish and five to the bank a magic week. This weeks report courtesy of the man who landed the 5 fish, Mungo Ingleby. Thanks Mungo.
Laggan was only fished in the second half of the week and they had 2 fish of 8 and 10lbs advises ghillie Mike Murdoch.
Knockando Home Beat, Phones and Lower Pitchroy have just started the 2022 season but have fish in the book. Brian Herbert got Andrew Hall’s Lower Pitchroy off the mark with a nice 8lb fish and retired head Ghillie, Ian Tennant got Phones off the mark for Euan Clive with a lovely springer. A number of fish were seen on Saturday so this bodes well for the week ahead.
Fish are certainly pushing up river, Simon Crozier at Castle Grant confirms. The week started quiet here at Castle Grant, high water curtailing the action for the first 2 days, come Wednesday the water had dropped to a fishable level but no fish to report. The water was a good height on Thursday and Elgin man Artie Mackerron was rewarded with a 7lber from the dipper on beat 1 on a monkey. On Friday Derrick Cooper landed a sparkling fish again in the 7 to 8 lb class from the right bank of the March on beat 3. On Saturday Derek Wiseman had a fine fish from the Dipper on beat 1 . The height is now good and hopefully we can look forward to a few more fish next week.
Good to see a number of fish coming off the river and if we can get a settled period of water we will see the lower river hopefully spring into action. The forecast for the week ahead looks like it will be reasonably warm and bright for the start of the week but the first few nights look as f they will be chilly, however the lower temperatures should push up as the week progresses.
A very good week to those out and about be it for salmon or trout.
Tight lines
Sandy
