Week Commencing 1st May 2023

Afternoon all

Well we are into May already, cannot believe it but they say as you get older time flies and I cannot argue with that.

A mixed week of weather just gone bright, cold, windy and wet but it is Scotland as we should not expect anything else. Farmers will be reasonably happy as the crops continue to grow well as we head into the hopefully warmer weather. The garden is still looking good too with tulips in full bloom and other greenery starting to push through.

In the background the Spey Board have been working hard on projects linked with the Spey Catchment Initiative, particularly around the launch of the SCI as a newly formed Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO). This is being launched on 18/5/2023 and I will bring more information as this new chapter evolves. More information on this can be obtained from the Spey Board.

Ok lets head up the river and see how the beats fared last week.

Andy Milne of Fochabers Angling Association reports a single fish of 11lb in the tail of the Quarry Pool to Allan Crook.

At Gordon Castle/Brae Water ghillie David Buley reports that this week was much better, we landed 6 fish and lost a good few other’s, this was a great result as we were only roughly 50% let.
Weather was tricky at times, typically scottish with all 4 season’s in one day but everyone battled through well. John Burnum did well landing 2 lovely fish around 10lb, and credit to his fishing buddy Jason for sticking in all week and finally being rewarded with a sea liced beauty on his last day. Colin Christie also had a lovely sealiced fish.

Next upstream at Orton, head ghillie Andy Gunn reports a single 10lb fish with long tailed lice from the Junction Pool with two others lost for their week.

Delfur had another quiet week advises Mark Melville with just the 2 fish, both 6lbs,one to John Brocklebank from Broom and one to Brian Doran in Hollenbush.

Robbie Stronach at Rothes and Aikenway reports just a single fish for them landed by Henry Spence. on a more positive note fish were seen in the beat throughout the week.

Head ghillie at Arndilly, Euan Reid reports a week which began with 6″ on the guage and finished at 1″ was steady with fish on 5 out of 6 days. oN Monday, Mr David Fletcher lost one in the Piles boat before Mr Peter Barbor got our first fish of the week, 10 lb from the Jocks Tail boat. Monday afternoon it was Mr Philip Swatman who scored, 10lb, Piles boat but this time not in the top end but down almost at the wires.
On Tuesday, Mrs Ann Curtis had a 9lb fish from the left side of the Soo. Wednesday was blank and Mr and Mrs Curtis had one each on Thursday, 13lb from the Jocks boat for Ann and 7.5 from the Soo boat for David.
Mr Swatman had our Friday fish from the boat in Jocks tail and our first on Saturday from the boat in the Soo both about 9lb.
Mark Tinsley had a 12lb fish last thing on Saturday again from the Jocks Tail boat.
Our fish were a mixture of fresh and sea liced fish with generally very few showing, some days I saw no fish and others 2 or 3.

At Easter Elchies Orn Sigurhansson reports a book ended week. We were pleased to welcome the McWhinnie party this week. 7 fish were hooked on Monday but only 1 landed. Tuesday produced 2 fish and Wednesday to Friday another 1 fish. Saturday was however a much different day with 8 salmon and 1 sea trout caught. Fish caught throughout the pools. 12 salmon and 2 sea trout for the week. Fish ranged from 7 to 17lbs. Overall a good week.

Aberlour Angling Club had two fish yesterday one for Billy Anderson and the other for George Mackenzie.

Across the river at Wester Elchies, Dr Malcolm Newbould reports a better week with 5 fish in the book.

Kinermony had two fish in their week confirms David Brand, one for Kevin James and one for Bill Gracier.

Arche Baillie at Knockando Home Beat conformed a week of hard fishing resulting in a single 10lb fish which was sea liced.

Next beat upstream Phones had a better week too with four fish in the book and a couple lost reports Euan Clive.

At Castle Grant, Simon Crozier reports a week started with good water levels at Castle Grant. Jouni Rauha got things going with a 10lb sea liced fish from the March on Monday. Tuesday saw good conditions again, Damien Lawless had a cracking brace of 16 and 9 lbs from the March. Swedish visitor Magnus had a fish from Delliefure. The wind turned and the action slowed until Thursday when Dr Sandy Scott, Chairman of the Spey Fishery Board had a fine fish of around 12lbs from number1 burn, Sandy was on the board again on Friday with a fish of 7lbs from Polchraine. We look forward to next week.

Finally Abernethy had a week of three fish 6,8 and 18lbs respectively.

Next week looks a bit mixed for weather with rain, sunshine, even a possibility of thunder but temperatures look as if they will be sitting around the mid teens.

Tight lines to those out and about next week (that includes myself as I attempt to wield a 14 foot rod for the first time since my accident in 2022)

Sandy