Week Commencing 16th May 2022

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Welcome to another weekly report from Speyside.

Unfortunately, Sandy Howie, who produces our widely read Weekly Fishing Reports, couldn’t produce this week’s report. Sandy was faultlessly involved in a road traffic accident towards the end of last week that required a trip to hospital. Thankfully he is ok, at home, and hopefully on the mend. I’m sure you will all join us in wishing Sandy a speedy recovery!

Now, onto the report.

One could argue that late-May is when the River Spey and its surroundings are at their finest. Spring is well underway with each week bringing more colour and life to the landscape. Out on the river many beats reported a challenging week with mixed success due to changeable conditions on the river. But the rewards were still there to be had and some great fish were landed throughout the week. As always, regardless of numbers caught, it is fantastic to see a wide range of anglers on the river, young, less young, experienced and first-time anglers all out enjoying a cast and the spectacular surroundings of Speyside in May.  

As I write this I am looking out over an unsettled scene with rain and sunshine passing over in equal measures. After a number of weeks of lower-than-average water levels, let’s hope that this week’s rain improves conditions on the river.

It has been a tough week at Gordon Castle this week, only landing 3 fish. The bright sun could’ve been to blame for a few days in the week, the days where we had cloud cover fish were seen and looked like one or two were beginning to settle. Let’s hope that the week ahead is better.

Mark Melvile from Delfur reports a very quiet week with three fish caught:

Camilla Mountain
Martin Mackay 
Edward Hamilton – Ely

Rothes and Aikenway had 5 for the week. They started off well with the 5 fish caught by Tuesday night, a further 3 were lost on Wednesday.

Mr Ruck Keene fish from Geantree
Mr Bladon’s fish from junction with grandson Otto Jennings looking on
Freddie Bladon”s fish from creeky

Euan Reid reports that Arndilly also had a pretty tough week:

We had John Mackie and his team with us and the company was great with lots of laughs and good humour but the fishing was difficult. We finished with 5 for the week, 4 of them coming on Tuesday.  Drew Philip got a lovely 14lb fish from the boat in the Piles, right up in the neck before he’d taken his first cast, he’d just thrown the fly in having unhooked it from his rod that takes a special type of talent, or luck! Jim Cruickshank had a 9lb fish from the right bank of Jocks Tail and Ralph Green had an 11.5lb fish from left bank of Cobble Pot on about his first cast after lunch. Not to be outdone by his father, Robin Philip had a 12.5lb sea liced fish from Bulwark left on what turned out to be his last cast of the day.

The other fish was caught from Back of the Bog on Friday afternoon, a cracking 12.5lb sea liced fish for Vanessa Bathgate. Rachel Duncan can consider herself lucky to have contacted 5 fish between Friday and Saturday,  but unlucky none of them stuck, including playing one for 10 minutes in the tail of the Long Pool.

Euan finishes his report with…”I think we need some rain.”

Vanessa Bathgate with her 12.5lb sea liced salmon
Safely in the net
Does it get better than this?

Orn Sigurhansson reports that Easter Elchies were pleased to welcome the Burgess-Lumsden party this week. Good numbers of fish resident and running through. A number of fish taking short and lost. Ended up with 6 for the week with the next generation of the Burgess-Lumsden’s and Douglas Miller’s taking the podium places!

Tallula Douglas Miller with her 12lb beauty at Red Craigs
Bertie Burgess-Lumsden, Red Craigs

Wester Elchies finished with 9. Dave Sadowski’s party with 7. New owners Alan Tulip and Peter Bowling had a fish apiece.

Craigellachie ended up with 7 for the week, which according to Dougie Ross took a lot of effort.

Alan Robinson
Guy Stanford
Ian Henderson

Aberlour Angling Association had two fish this week one for John Spence 10lb and another for Andrew Goodenough.

Andrews fish caught on a gold salmon killer – a fly from the Alta lightly dressed nobody on a gold hook yellow and black deer hair

David Brand reported a very quiet week at Kinermony with only one landed.

Castle Grant had a mixed week with fish present in all the pools but proving difficult to tempt. Di Orson’s party were fishing beat 1 for the first time had some success, Stephen Bolton had 3 for his week to 15lb, Di Orson had a fine 12lber from the Dipper. Ollie Yeoward had his first salmon from the Dipper. Danny Assolari had a fine sealiced 13lber from beat 2. A mix of fresh and older fish made up the catch.

Looking towards the week ahead, temperatures look stable averaging 13 degrees, with a mixture of rain and sun forecast. We badly need rain!

For all those lucky enough to be out on the river, tight lines.

Paul

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