Good afternoon all and a Happy Easter
A cracking sunny day here in Elgin, after a very mixed week of weather with it being bitterly cold at the start of the week, with some sleet and snow on the go. We finished the week with a cracking thunderstorm yesterday, earliest I have seen one in a very long time.
The garden is fairly greening up at present and the miniature flowing cherry tree in the garden is a ball of pinkinsh white blossom, the bumble bees were on it for most of yesterday, gathering what foods stuffs they can at this early stage of spring. At least now we will see the longer days, with opportunities to garden in the evening following the clocks going forward last night, although I forgot to do my usual and put them forward before going to bed, so nearly had an unplanned long lie this morning, not sure of the dog’s bladder would have thanked me.
The bird song in the good morning has been fab this week and saw my first red squirrel of the year, scuttling up a fir tree as I walked the dog the other morning. The lambs are also starting to make an appearance on a number of the farms in the area too.
Right onto fishing and lets see what been happening.
At Gordon Castle/Brae Water David Buley advises that this week they had much better conditions, and still few anglers venturing out. The river was stable most of the week, until Friday when we got a 2ft + rise. The river was quite dirty but dropped away quickly, leaving good water on the Saturday. We finished the week landing a stunning springer and also losing a fish.
At Orton, Andy Gunn reports three fish for week all for Mark Dean. Mark hadtwo from the House Pool on Monday morning at 7 & 9lb, both within the first hour so he must of chanced upon a pod heading up river. Mark then followed up Monday’s success with a further 7lb fish from the Twenty Pound Pool on Tuesday morning.
Seeing the odd fish throughout the beat now.
Continuing up the river we stop in to get Mark Melville’s update from Delfur. Mark advises that they welcomed Brian Lile and his team for an enjoyable first trip to Delfur. We got off to a good start on Monday with a 9lb fish for John Tyson from Collie. That was it for the week though with some very mixed weather and river conditions.
A good 2 foot snowmelt rise on Thursday night meant Friday was unfishable for us again with the dirt washing in from the Rothes & Aitkenway landslip.
Hopefully a few more fish about this coming week.
Robbie Stronach at Rothes and Aikenway confirms that they had 3 for the week. the successful captors being Grant Turtle with a fish from Creeky, Mike Humphrey’s had a fish from the Long Pool and Grant turtle had another fish from Junction.
Up At Arndilly, Euan Reid reports that this week we had Nick and Lisa Smith, and the lovely team they bring with them. It was very much a week of feast or famine. Three fish for the week but all on Wednesday. Nick Smith had an 11lb fish from the right bank of the Soo at 11″ on our gauge. Alex Smith had a 9lb fish from the boat in the Piles and Oliver Ward, an 8lb fish from Reids. Both of these were their first Spey salmon, so that was pleasing. Having had 3 on Wednesday, I was surprised that was our weeks total as we had generally good water and a team that covered it well.
We have the Smith party back in a couple of months, and we want to see Lisa Smith back, fighting fit and casting a line. Come on Lisa!
As we journey on up the river, Orn Sigurhansson reports a week of 2 halves for both water height and weather at Easter Elchies. We welcomed a spectrum of fishing parties this week. The Howie, Tisdale, Grandison and Team Iceland parties making up the quotas. The first half of the week saw wintry weather and mid height water. The end of the week with the heavy rain on Thursday night resulted in milder conditions and the water rising to 30 inches on the gauge. We continue to catch some kelts. Fresh fish seen running all week. Successful fishers this week were David Tisdale, Helgi Gudbrandsson and Alan Ramsay. All landed cracking Spey spring salmon.
Now my next stop in is at Macallan where they had success during the week. This beat does not normally report success or otherwise so I have lifted the information from social media. Mr Mckenzie landed a beautiful bar of silver and that ever faithful salmon chaser, Ian Tennant had a fine fish too.
Aberlour Angling Club also had success this week with Charlie Christie landing a fine fish during the week.
Across the river at Wester Elchies, Malcolm Newbould reports that they just had the one success for the week, with the colder weather making fish more difficult to tempt, something I can concur with having seen fish on Monday but unable to get anything to chew on my fly further down the river.
Kinermony continued to pick away with another fish in the book advises David Brand. The lucky captor was Ian Henderson.
Delagyle also had success this week confirms David Smillie, with a 9lb fish to Bobby Rumage.
Upstream to Knockando and our final stop in to see how things have been there. Archie Baillie confirms that they had a lot of new faces last week. We managed to land 4 for the week. Robert McKay had two on Monday. A lovey 18lber and a smaller one at 7lb. On Wednesday Colin Christie had one at 16lb with his dog Rowan. We ended the week with a spanking fresh 10lbr for Steven Fraser.
A few beats may still have to get off the mark but surely this will not be long in happening, as fish are being seen throughout the system, maybe not in big numbers but they are there.
Next weeks weather looks as if it will be mixed with rain forecast most days, along with the odd blink of sunshine.
Tight lines if you are on the water.
Sandy
