Afternoon all
Another month slips behind us as we head towards the first week of April on the Spey.
I am sure we will be glad to see the end of March as the weather last week was somewhat changeable to say the least. I think it is safe to say we came close to seeing four season in one day during it, with Saturday onwards being particulary wicked. I was up at Dingwall yesterday visiting family and we had to negoiate quite a covering of snow as we crossed the Black Isle- I thought we had seen the last of the harsh weather.
It does not seem to have upset things in the garden as they continue to bud and push out the greenshoots but still have not got near cutting the grass for the first time, maybe tomorrow.
The Board have been busy this week planting out the first of the unfed fry from the Reasearch facility. These will be planted out in key sites on the upper reaches of the river and catchment area, hopefully to grow and make their way to sea in due course.
Duncan also visted the Spey Dam which was breaching this week given the weather conditions. It is not a big structure and does not hold back a lot of water but its main purpose is to divert water elsewhere.
The week, courtesy of Loop we have a Dellik Wading jacket as prize for the week. The jacket is available in both ladies and gents styling. It is crafted with a premium SympaTex® waterproof membrane, this wading jacket includes reinforced panels, adjustable cuffs, and a protective storm hood. Its ergonomic cut supports mobility during casting and long hours outdoors.
I can testify to the quality of thte jacket, having owned one for the past few seasons and so far it has not let me down.
Right how has the fishing been.
Starting down the river this week at Gordon Castle/Brae Water where Lewis Webb reports that Challenging weather conditions have made for a mixed week on the river, with fluctuating heights keeping anglers on their toes.
Encouraging signs of the season continue as the sand martins and osprey have arrived, along with the first good hatches of March browns bringing some trout and parr to feed on the surface it has brought a real sense of spring is just around the corner.
A few kelts are still lingering about even after the recent rise in water and haven’t quite decided it’s time to head back to sea. To cap things off nicely, a sea liced fish was landed on Saturday to round off the week.
Slipping upstream to Orton to Andy Gunn who advises that it was another busy week on Orton, water levels averaging 3ft and temp. around 5.5c
John Adcock landed his 1st ever Spey Spring Salmon, a sealiced 13lb fish from the Turn on Monday morning.
Tuesday we had many opportunities but nothing stuck.
Wednesday morning Peter Green landed his 3rd Springer of the season with a fresh 8lb fish from Cairnty.
Ronnie Ewan landed a 4lb seatrout before lunch and managed 2 fish in 2 casts after lunch, 11 & 12lb from Cairnty.
Thursday saw the arrival of the Cameron party and host Rob landed a sea liced 7lb fish from Cairnty and on Friday Daniel Price landed a cracking 16lb fish from Cairnty yet again.
A good week with mixed weather conditions and variable water heights.
Plenty of fish seen running through and we had lots of interest but couldn’t hold on to all the fish we connected with.
I haven’t seen so many Spring fish at this time of year in my short time on the Spey.
Looking good for the future.
Next stop is Delfur where Mark Melville reports that Monday started off looking good for a fish or two but nothing doing for Dryburgh Upper Head ghilllie Brian Lile and his team.
Tuesday was a similar day but at this time of year you’re never sure what’s going to happen even with good conditions.
Well it turned into a frantic 45 mins with 4 good spring fish hooked and landed and some other action too!
Brian Lile had a fine double figure fish from Sourden.
Marc Schiavone landed a similar sized fish from the neck of Hollenbush.
Alun Gwatkin did the double in Collie which were also his first Spey fish. Again most of our fish were seal damaged, I don’t remember seeing so many damaged fish as what we’ve seen this year!
On Wednesday the water reached the mid 40s which got the fish running harder. We saw fish everyday last week which was very encouraging even though we didnt land another until Friday.
It was Brian Lile who landed an even bigger fish approaching the mid teens from the neck of Hollenbush. Marc Schiavone rounded up the week on Saturday afternoon with a fine double figure fish from Sourden.
A good weeks fishing had by all with a great fun team of fishers including a couple of professional Tweed ghillies.
A bigger dirty river this morning which should hopefully clear and fall for tomorrow.
Popping in to see Robbie Stronach at Rothes and Aikenway, Robbie reports that they finished with 4 for the week. John Hickman landed two, one from Creeky and the other one from Junction. Mike Humphrey’s also got in on the act landing one from junction and Grant Turtle also had one from Junction. Junction has seen a good start to the season with most fish landed from there so far- long may it continue.
Up to Arndilly where Euan Reid reports that this week we had Ian Ogden and his team of hardy anglers, and they needed to be this week with some of the weather! Things didn’t bode well, having had only 1 the previous week when we blanked on Monday.
Thankfully, things picked up after that with no more blank days.
Ian Ogden caught a 7lb fish from the White Horse on Tuesday at 2ft on the guage.
Malcolm Smith had an 8lb fish from the left bank of the Cobble Pot on Wednesday at 2ft7, having lost one on Tuesday. Father and daughter, Jim and Sarah Cruickshank took over with a fish each, Jim had a 7.5lb fish from below the hut in the Long Pool and Sarah had a 9lb fish from the Bulwark, both sea liced. Special mention for Sarah because she caught her fish at 4.30 on one of the most unpleasant afternoons of weather we have had in a long time, ably netted by Mike.
On Thursday, Terje Skalstad had a 13lb fish from the tail of Long Pool, and Stuart Dawson had a 10lb fish from Cobble Pot on Friday, both about 2ft2/3.
Gordon Tait got a fish from Jocks Tail on Saturday to finish the week off.
This week we said farewell to Blair Banks as he moves onto the next chapter of his life and career.
I have known Blair since he started with us when I was at Gordon Castle in March 2009 and he leaves us at Arndilly having done a few months short of 10 seasons here. We will miss his good humour and enthusiasm not to mention his handy knack of being in the right place at the right time but we wish him all the best for the future. On a personal note as his Head Ghillie I want to thank Blair for all his hard work and support he has given me in his time at Arndilly.
My next stop is Easter Elchies where Andrew McCaig reports that they finished the week with 6 for the week at Easter Elchies, with a couple lost as well. Fishing was steady, with a fish caught each day. The Ladies Haugh performed very well at the end of the week. With two fish landed and 1 lost. Top rod was Jim McCaig with 3 fish from the Fiddich. Well done Jim.
Aberlour Angling Club saw another couple of fish landed for their season, one for Declan O’byrne ( his first of the season) and one for Dominic Imray, son of Callum Imray who was on the scorecard in an earlier week. A couple fish were also lost on the Aberlour water.
Crossing the river to Wester Elchies, Malcolm Newbould who advises they finished with two for the week. the lucky captors being Jake Young and Graham Ritchie. Well done.
Things remain quiet ovet the next wee stretch of the river un til we reach Carron where Neil Borthwicvk reports that Monday-Wednesday saw Andrew Fenton & friends fishing the beat. Everyone fished well & they were unlucky finding 3 kelts & losing a fish for their 3 days.
Thursday – Saturday no guests so I fished along with a few friends. Thursday afternoon finally saw our luck change & I was the fortunate angler to land a nice fish out of the Carron Pool. This one made all the more special being my first one landed in my new role as Carron Ghillie. Friday/Saturday saw a couple more offers from fish however they wouldn’t make it as far as the net.
Knockando also managed to tempt a couple of fish reports Sam Jarman both landed on Tuesday.
Willie Gray was the man with the magic touch. A fish of around 9lbs from the Slioch in the morning, followed by a cracker of around 16lbs from Craigneish in the afternoon. The first fish took a Park Shrimp tube, the second a black and orange long winged fly.
We dropped several fish later on in the week. The river is up around a foot again today and I’m hopeful a few more fish will settle into the pools over the next few days.
Finishing off up at Grantown where they got off the mark courtesy of John Davies who tempted a fine 11lb fish from the Long Pool.
Hopefully the foul weather over the early part fo the weekend will not lift the river too much, nor indeed muddy the waters and we will continue to see some more steady catches.
I am delighted to annouce that the winner of this week prize, donated by Loop is Ronnie Ewen, well done sir and I will be intouch about your prize.
Week ahead looks mixed and a bit warmer so lets wait and see.
Tight lines
Sandy
