Good afternoon all
I am back so I guess that means that the fishing season is underway again.
A nice but cold day here in Elgin, sun is trying to poke through the clouds for the last wee while before darkness descends. It is wonderful to see the the evenings stretch and also the mornings are beginning to brighten too.
Start of the season again sees the river is good nick, albeit a wee bit low for this time of the year, any snow we did have is long gone but at least we did not have the devastating floods this winter to wash away redds etc.
As normal the official opening of the river took place at the Penny Bridge at Aberlour with the guest of honour being retired Tulchan ghillie of 40 odd years, John Anderson, who opened the season by giving the river a dram, or two.
The season got off to a great start on opening day with a fish landed but not until well into the afternoon, I think the time it was landed was 15:25 and it was in the Turn on Orton. I had been watching throughout the day for posts from either ghillies, anglers or indeed the Board to say a fresh fish had been landed and luckily caught site of Andy Gunn’s post late on in the day.
I had been speaking to Andy and Mark a few days before the start of the 2025 season and Mark did say that there would be a fresh fish off Orton on opening day so it happened.
The fish was landed by angler Gordon Tait, along with a few kelts in the afternoon and it was only when Andy was checking up to see how he was doing that the news was discovered, as Andy had been on the other bank upstream in the Wee Pool.
I know the image below will anger rods and ghillies alike but Gordon was on his own when he landed the fish but it was not lout of the water for long, just enough tgime for a picture, before being safely returned to continue its journey.
A Hearty congratulations to Gordon for the success.
Up at Delfur success was had too reports Mark Melville. Ryan Rutherford, Head ghillies on the Brahan Fishings, River Conon had a lovely spring fish on a Willie Gunn tube in Big Haddie, Well done Ryan.
Mark also advises that there are more kelts about this spring that in previous years which I hope is a good omen for the season ahead.
I am aware of kelts being landed elsewhere up and down the river which may be a good thing as spring fish will hang about if kelts are in the pools so fingers crossed for more success this week. I was with Mark Little, ghillie at Orton on Friday night to do some flytying and he received a message to say a second spring fish had reportedly been landed at Speymouth Angling Association water but I have no further information than that so cannot corroborate the information. However Mark was sent a picture of the fish.
Well that is it for week one.
Next week sees a warming of the air temperature so fingers crossed for more success.
Tight lines if you are out and about.
Sandy
