Good afternoon all
Its a sunny and warm afternoon in Elgin, as another week slips us by. It is hard to believe that we are half way through the kids’ school summer holidays already, before we know it they will be going back to it again.
The week has certainly seen the weather improve with climbing temperatures, fine if you are a farmer with grain to harvest, as is the case in some areas, with fields already harvested and the straw baled. The tatties where I work look pretty good too, so we will see what the this years crop will deliver when lifted.
The countryside seem devoid of life in recent times, with no wildlife encounters whilst out walking with the dog. This is not to say it is as I am sure they are watching but given the ability of creatures to make themselves invisible they are doing a good job of it. The local estates will no doubt be releasing their poults into the rearing pens soon, therefore the suicide squads will be running up and down the estate roads in the not too distant future, causing mayhem as they try and cope with the vehicles on the estate.
There is no news to report from the Board perspective that I have been made aware of but I do know that they are hoping to hold their annual auction soon so watch this space for more details.
On the river front the weather has been more settled with no small rises in levels so with less volatility during the week lets see how things went.
First stop this week is Castle Grant where head ghillie Simon Crozier is celebrating 30 years at Castle Grant. I am sure we wish his well for another 30!!! I am sure Simon has seen multiple changes in the river during this time and will have many a story to tell. For those not on social media here is a “before” and “after” shot of Simon on the river.
On the fishing front Simon reports that they got what they wished for last week with a good number of grilse passing through our beats . Fish were seen in good numbers across all the beats . A good number were landed too! The theme of days of plenty and blank days continued as has been the theme all season . Saturday afternoon ended the week on a high for us with 5 grilse landed and as many lost, that’s grilse for you ! Let’s hope there are a few more to come next week and beyond, with settled weather ahead the sport should continue.
Heading down the river my next stop off point is Knockando Home Beat where Archie Baillie advises of another steady week here with fish caught and lost every day. An even mix of salmon and grilse (4lb-14lb)and a sea trout for good measure spread throughout the group. Finished with 13 salmon/grilse and a sea trout.
At Laggan, Ian Borthwick reports that they welcomed a new party to the beat during the week and has a reasonably successful week with 9 grilse and 2 salmon landed. It was good to hear from Ian that the party are already looking forward to next season already which is good news and great to see enthusiasm from new rods to the river, or perhaps just to the Laggan beat.
As we go with the flow downstream Delagyle had a quiet week according to David Smillie.
David Brand at Kinermony advises that they landed a total of 19 fish this week Joffy Grant, Dennis McBain, and David Burgess being the captors with a mixture of grilse and salmon best one 12lb.
Its good to see the fish spread through out the system but interesting when you see beats having a quiet week, yet those above and below have better ones – what is the cause? Fishing pressure during the week or is it the fish just playing hard to get/ not deciding to stop on the beat during the week. I suppose this is the science and challenge of salmon fishing in they we just cannot predict what they will do!!
Okay back to the journey my next stop is Wester Elchies where Malcolm Newbould reports it was a better week for them with fish the fish landed tally being in the mid teens but interestingly only one sealiced fish in that figure.
Across the river at Aberlour Angling club, Kenny Davis reports that he is only aware of a couple of grilse being landed during the week. The captors being Billy Anderson and Jim Seivwright.
As the steady flow of the river takes downstream we call into Craigellachie where Dougie Ross advises of a good steady week again. Fine to see some settled conditions. Again a mix of grilse and summer salmon. The week started well but became more difficult when the Sun and heat came towards the end o the week.
Next one down is Easter Elchies where Orn Sigurhannson reports a good July fishing week. Water height started a good height of 4 inches, dropping all week to -3 inches today. David Dobbs was rod of the week, landing 8 fish. 31 salmon and grilse for the week, a really good week.
Next stop is Arndilly where Euan Reid advises that they had March Hollingbery and the entertaining Wiktor this week with their group of enthusiastic beginners this week. In this sport, we need all the newcomers we can get, so it was great to see so many on Arndilly this week.
Remarkably, we had 14 first fish this week, and 27 of our fish were caught by people who had never caught a salmon before this week.
Wiktor Zawodniak finished with 4, Ed Farquar had 3, March Hollingbery 2, including the biggest of the week at 15.5lb. Rose Hollingbery and Rowan Wooley had 2 each, as did Elliot Jones, Jack Allfrey, and Jake Easby. Others with first fish were Kristina Beddall, Sam Rhodes, Emma Head, Noah Russell, Jack Dible, Ben Cooke, Millie O’Connor, Marina Carrick and Rufus Wallis. I apologise for the long list, but each one was a success, and well worth a mention.
A great week among great fun people.
As Euan says it is important for our sport that we get people into the sport and it is so good to see another week with another group of youngsters wetting a line and being successful.
At Rothes and Aikenway, Robbie Stronach confirms a week where 39 fish landed for the week. On Monday it was a dream start with Michael Smith landing 6 fish from Creeky and Alex Smith getting 2 from Bluestone. On Tuesday Derek Smith got 3 from Creeky. On Wednesday Malcom Bastard got one from Burnmouth, Michael Smith had one in Town road, Ilse Bakker caught her first ever fish in Bluestone and Derek smith getting one in Creeky. Thursday saw multiple rods getting in on the action with multiple catches with Malcolm Bastard got one in Geantree and a second fish in Town Road, Conor Shelly had one in Carnegie, Derek Smith landed a fish in Town road, Sycaamore and Creeky and Alex Smith got one in Creeky. Friday saw a 5 fish day with Derek Smith and Conor Shelly both landing a fish each in Town Road, Michael Smith bagging 2 in Geantree and Alex Smith had one in Creeky. To end the week, Saturday saw a bonanza Micheal Smith landed one in Creeky, Alex Smith hit a purple patch with 4 in Bluestone, Derek Smith and Conor Shelly landed a fish each in Carnegie, Derek Smith had a further two fish in Bluestone, Conor Shelly had a fish in Jamieson and Sycamore and Alex Smith had one in Town road.
A good week for the Rothes Team well done to all the rods.
Stopping in at Delfur, Mark Melville is getting a rest from this weeks report as the host for the week, David Wood has sent the following for inclusion;
Our party enoyed a week of very nice sport at Delfur, with a mix of grilse and summer salmon ranging between 3 pounds up to 18 1/2 pounds. As is often the case when there are grilse about there are plenty, plucks, pulls and losses during the week. The highlights of the week were first ever salmon to Stephen Challis and his wife Rachel Todd. Rachel has fished a number of weeks on the Spey since her first visit to the river at Orton with her late father David Todd in 1997. Congratulations Rachel, your perseverance finally paid off and resulted in floods of tears!! All of the fishing members of the party were lucky enough to catch a salmon during the week, helped hugely by the hard work and advice of Mark Melville, Grant Morrison and Davie McIntosh as well as Graham Nichols and Alex Robertson. The truly remarkable standard of the ghillieing was commented on by all of the members of the party and we cannot thank them enough. Their help and guidance made the week for everyone.
Three octogenarians, John Garnett, David and Vicky Gaunt and one teenager, Anna Garnett were successful as was Charles Wood (11) who caught his first Delfur salmon. David and Vicky Gaunt’s fish were their first Spey Salmon and both hope to catch many more. Other successful rods were Stephen Wrisdale, Lyn Wrisdale, Mark Melville, Mark Aitchison, Charlie Whitmarsh, Paul Sardeson (who was top rod), Simon Brook, Mark Camacho and David Wood. We and the ghillies were delighted to hear news of good catches up and down the river during the week. As well as thanking the ghillies for their efforts, we should like to thank the Mountain family for having us as tenants and making us so welcome to Delfur and Speyside for so many years.
May we also use this report to comment on the many local and regional businesses who make Strathspey such a wonderful place to visit for a family holiday. Special mentions must go to the ice cream shop in Fochabers (perhaps they ought to have three mentions!!!), The Rothes Butcher, Millers of Speyside, The Spey Larder, Walkers, The Galleria, Speysport and the Whisky shop in Aberlour, Cardhu and Glenfarclas Distilleries, as well as the Speyside Cooperage, all three of which hosted interesting tours during the week. Johnstons of Elgin, Gordon and Macphail, Brodie Countryfare, Campbell’s of Beauly and Mortimer’s of Grantown. The “Cookie” is almost unique to the Scottish Sporting holiday and just as essential as moor, forest or river. Very many thanks to Jean Main.
Finally, thanks to the fishermen in Portsoy for their wonderful and sparkling fresh Moray Firth Lobsters.
Many thanks David for your wonderful report, it is great to hear that you and your party had a great week but also your recognition for the local businesses who made your stay even more rewarding.
Down the river at Orton, Andy Gunn reports a falling river from Monday morning produced numbers of fish into the mid 30’s with plenty fresh Grilse still coming to the net and a few big fish landed.
The largest fish being 21lb by Alistair Collett from Cairnty.
Our penultimate stop this week is Gordon Castle and Brae Water where Lewis Webb advises an amazing week on the river with over 100 fish landed.
Johnny Grays party kicked the week off with 22 fish on Monday backing it up nicely and ending up with 51 for their week.
Decent overhead conditions made the first half of the week more productive with the sun showing its face in the second half, but we were still picking away so we can’t grumble!
Majority of the fish were grilse but some good salmon made for great variety and not knowing what was going to take your fly!
The week was topped off with some first fish to younger anglers hopefully the first of many more to come!
With all the doom and gloom that’s surrounded salmon fishing across the globe lately. It’s amazing to see these fish show up in great quality and quantity, long may it continue!
Our final stopping point is Fochabers Angling Association where Andy Milne is delighted to advise of a great week for us after the wee rise last Sunday. We ended up with about a dozen salmon and 25 grilse. Visiting angler Don Macalister was top rod with 9 fish in 5 days, 5 of which were caught yesterday in the Snorkel pool. Ian Tennant had about 5 to his own rod.
Good to see the Fochabers getting into good numbers for their week, hopefully we will see this continue for the next week and further.
The forecast for the week ahead is another settled period with the possibility of some showers towards the end so we will see the impact on the catches when the reports come in next Sunday.
Tight Lines to those out and about.
Sandy
