Opening Ceremony 2025
Tuesday 11 February, 9am
Come along and watch the Spey begin its new fishing season

As recently announced in the local media, we want to remind all our friends in the local Aberlour and nearby community to come and visit our opening ceremony for 2025. 

We will begin as usual at the Penny Bridge, Alice Littler Park, Aberlour starting at 9am

Richard Anderson will be our Piper for the ceremony and Reverend Donald Walker will give the blessing. We thank them for their support.

Our Guest of Honour this year is John Anderson, who will ‘open’ the river. John, a long-serving ghillie at Tulchan Estate, recently retired after 42 years of service. We wish John every happiness in his retirement. 

Car parking is available and please remember, if you are bringing young children, to supervise them at all times near to the River and within the car parking and surrounding area.

To help celebrate the start of the new salmon fishing season, drams of the new 11yo Aberlour Scottish Oak FInish from the 2024 Distillery Reserve Collection, will be served by the Aberlour Distillery Team.

Hot drinks supplied by the Aberlour Hotel will be offered during the opening ceremony, along with samples of Walkers shortbread.

The Spey Fishery Board is grateful to Aberlour Distillery, Walkers Shortbread and the Aberlour Hotel for their continued generous sponsorship of this event.

Week Commencing 5th April – Cold conditions but improved catches!

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As far as the weather goes, it certainly felt more like winter than spring on the river last week.  We had snow, hail, freezing air temps and cold winds most days  –  it was certainly challenging at times.   However, the cold spell did allow river levels to steadily drop and actually provided fairly good conditions for early April.

River heights – 1ft – 2ft (+/- 2in)
Water Temps – 38-40F or 3-4C
Air temps – 0-8C

It was also pleasing to hear of improved catches from those beats that had anglers.   Most ghillies still reporting  “light rod pressure” on their respective beats while others report no anglers at all – which obviously guarantees no fish; but the general consensus is that those that ventured out were fishing with expectation, rather than hope.   The drop in water temperature favoured the lower and middle beats and this was reflected in the overall catches – although I’ve not had a complete update from the upper river, so can’t confirm conclusively.  Not so many sealiced fish this week, which is a result of the colder temps.

Catch Summary
Upper River  – 2 fish reported – Castle Grant (2)
Middle River – 12 fish reported – Wester Elchies (4), Kinermony (5), Knockando (3)
Lower River – 11 fish reported –  Gordon Castle, Arndilly (6), Rothes (4)
Average size increasing  – around 10lb. Biggest fish reported 18lbs

2 good sea trout reported also – 3&6lbs

This weeks gallery shows some beautiful Spey springers – Mark Morrisons 18lber from Kinermony, yet another fish for Damon Harrison.  Bottom photo is Blair Banks (Arndilly Ghillie) with his 6lb sea trout.

Sometimes its worth showing a fish without the angler – the one below was caught by SFB chairman Sandy Scott -and is a perfect example of a Spey spring salmon.

Looking ahead to this coming week

Weather looks good, conditions look good…. so I’m hoping the fishing will be good also. The cold weather will last a few more days, then it’s getting slightly warmer towards the end of the week.  All things considered, it looks a great week to be on the river. Plenty rods available at short notice.  As always, stay within the travel guidelines.

Tightlines to all.

2 thoughts on “Week Commencing 5th April – Cold conditions but improved catches!”

  1. Michael Broadey

    Great report John, please clarify lower River court, Arndilly 6 Rothes 4, Gordon Castle?? 10 fish recorded???
    Mike Broadey

    1. Hi Mike – my mistake – Gordon castle had 1 so should be 11 total for lower river. Wel spotted ?

      Cheers

      John

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