Afternoon everyone
Another week gone, the first one of June, where is the year going?
Its been a mixed week of weather in Elgin, bit of everything with a fair dollop of wind in last 24 hours or so. It did not do some of the taller plants in the garden any good. The garden seems more alive with bird life at present from sparrows through to pigeons, must be down to the fact that our cat is no longer patrolling, hoping to snaffle a morsel from the various bushes and hedges.
Recovery is going well but will be a few weeks yet before I can consider wielding a rod so have to make do with tying flies for those that are getting to/heading for the river in the next week or so.
River conditions have been very settled this week with low water and a good mix of weather which, for those fishing, would have increased the anticipation as they arrived at their designated water during the week.
Lets see how everyone fared:-
As we head downstream this week, the Abernethy water produced 4 seatrout and one salmon of 10lb, sea-trout of 9lbs and 8 lbs amongst those landed. It is fantastic to see fish of this size being landed and I am sure those that hooked them had great sport.
Grantown Association Water landed 8 fish for their week, which is great to see.
Castle Grant had a steady week according to Head Ghillie Simon Crozier. The Turner party fishing Beat 2 started the week well with 3 on the Monday, the catches got quieter as the week went on but some good sea-trout started to be caught. Beats 1 and 3 saw fish caught and lost . Patrick Reeves having 3 fish to 11lbs on Beat 1 and James Reeves did not miss out, landing three fish as well. The Tighe party fishing on Beat 3 had a quiet start to the week but had 3 fish on the Friday and Sean Tighe had two cracking sea-trout of 7lbs and 8lbs as well as some standard ones.
Archie Baillie at Knockando Home Beat advises that it’s getting more difficult as the season moves on. They landed 6 salmon to 13lb and 6 lost, some fresh, some been in for a while. While conditions for the beat were good (especially in the evenings) there was a shortage of the main ingredient – Fish!!
Moving on downstream Laggan had three fish for the week and according to ghillie, Mike Murdoch they are still hard work to get on the bank.
Kinermony only managed one fish for their week, it fell to the rod of Mike Leach reports David Brand.
Malcolm Newbould at Wester Elchies reports that 6 fish were landed but none were fresh.
Aberlour Angling Club had a blank week, the first for some time this year according to Kenny Davies.
Craigellachie ghillie, Dougie Ross confirms that they only landed 3 during the week despite a party of experienced rods being on the water.
At Easter Elchies Orn Sigurhansson reports a week of mixed weather conditions. We were very pleased to welcome the Price fishing party from the Midlands this week. Bright weather hampered fishing at the start of the week, but as the clouds arrived later in the week, so did the fish, with a good proportion of those landed sea liced. Red Craig’s, Fiddich Mouth, Inverfiddich and Boat Pool all fishing well in the low water. Easter Elchies’ resident English LTA pro James Griffiths coming out on top against a strong Welsh and Scottish challenge. Never has Villa FC been so much debated on Speyside! Final total 7 salmon for the week.
Next in the downstream journey, Arndilly Head ghillie Euan Reid reports that another fine and fun week was had at Arndilly resulted in a disappointing 11 salmon landed. Although 11 fish is not a bad total, it’s not what we might expect in the first week of June given low but reasonable water levels.
Will Templer got us started with a 12lb fish from Cobble Pot left on Monday morning, Nick Warren got our second, 8lb Back of the Bog hutside in the afternoon. Tuesday became the Nick Warren show 12.5lb Back of the Bog left bank this time and 11lb from the tail for the Bulwark right at 11.30pm while fishing for sea trout. Mr Dave Stirling had our only fish on Wednesday, 9lb from Gilmour.
Dr Miles Apthorpe had an 11lb fish in front of the hut on Thursday morning followed by Nick Warren, a brace of sea-liced 9lb fish from Cobble Pot left in the afternoon. Ian Cox arrived at 5pm and had a 12lb fish right away from Jocks Tail right.
Having had 4 fish including 2 sea licers we really thought we had cracked it and were on a roll.
Friday was blank.
Jim Stevens had an 8lb fish from Back of the Bog in overtime on Saturday morning and Ian Cox rounded things up with a lovely 12.5lb fish from the neck of Back of the Bog on the left side in water kindly donated by Jim Stevens.
Given the time of year our pools are very poorly populated and need the run to step up. It is low but certainly not too low, at this moment the fish simply aren’t there in the numbers they should be.
Robbie Stronach, head ghillie at Rothes advises 4 fish landed during the week and some lost as well . Mrs A Bladon had a grilse from Geantree 3lb , Mr Micheal Winters with a fish from Carnegie 10lb and Mr Anthony Thorpe 15lb Town Road. The fourth fish landed was by Mike Yarrow with a fish from Bluestone, 9lb . Which was a great achievement as he had a stroke 4 years ago and has restricted movement. He was assisted by Aaron and Ian Tennant in landing the fish- well done Mike.
Delfur head ghillie, Mark Melville reports that they welcomed back David Wood and his party of guests for the 20th year at Delfur. We had a mixed week with 9 fish landed,and 15 lost! We couldn’t land a fish the first 2 days of the week with 10 lost! Wednesday they finally took well and stayed on with 5 fish landed.
A great fun week was had by all.
Orton finished the week with a few fish in the book, according to Head Ghillie, Andy Gunn.
David Buley at Gordon Castle/Brae Water advises that the rods on the water were eager in anticipation with the favourable conditions presented to them but surprisingly after a lot of fishing effort, not a fish was landed.
Fochabers Angling Association were unable to follow up on last weeks success.
The week ahead? I think it is fair to say it will possibly be a bit mixed, with sunshine, cloud, the odd bit of rain and breezy at times.
Tight lines to those out and about.
Sandy
