2008, April,Trout and Salmon River Spey Report, Speycaster.

River Spey Report April 2008

Heavy snow showers continued through the month of April, leading to significant falls over the mountains. In general this is usually a good thing, ensuring good water levels for when the main run of fish arrive in May.

The river has run for most of the month around 2 feet above summer level, a far cry from rock bottom levels seen during April 07, and with so much water one would think that fish should be spread throughout the system. This has been the case, well at least as far as Tulchan, where Ghillies are generally happier than this time last year. With the exception of beats very low and high on the system, it looks like river has fished fairly well, showing a slight increase on numbers of spring fish caught during 2007. I would think very good water height is a major factor in this. The consensus amongst the majority of Ghillies is that there are slightly more fish in the system than this time last year.

One lucky young angler, catching her first ever salmon aged just 11 was Jules Macdavitt, the nice clean fish was one of 30 fish caught at Craigellachie during April. Also reported here was a large percentage of fish carrying seal marks, hardly surprising when they are being reported ten miles up-river.

Craigellachie, like many other middle beats, have also reported good numbers of fish running through, which again stacks up, with the town water at Aberlour having the best April for a few years. Most of these, it has to be said, are caught with spinners, with the boat pool being the most favoured spot. Interestingly, a large number of fish caught in this area have been bigger then that caught on beats fishing fly only. Although there has been a general increase in 3SW fish, numbers falling to spinners are pro rata much greater that that caught on fly.

Wester Elchies, even given the high water, has fished well through April. Ghillie Mr Sam Bremner tells me he is around one third ahead of last year with around 30 fish for the month.

Slightly further up-stream Carron and Laggan have had their best start for many years, the best fish of an exceptionally good month being a 26lb specimen falling to the rod of Mr David Williams. Or was it really his fish???

Mr Williams had been fishing the Carron Pool earlier in the week when he became stuck on the bottom, after some time the line came free and revealed another cast and fly hanging on his own. The fly, which was still in good order, was carefully placed in his box, only to be picked out again on Saturday by his Ghillie Mr Ian Borthwick, who felt it was as good as any, and, may also be lucky. Well lucky it was, for later that morning Mr Williams latched onto his third chunky fish of the week, this one at 26lbs, positively eclipsing his previous 16 and 18lb specimens. Well done David, a real story to remember.

We have all had dirty water to contend with whilst fishing, and as an act of god this is the luck of the draw. I must say however, I feel for rods fishing below the area we are referring to locally as "The Fields of Passchendaele"!!! In actual fact they are the fields around Macallan Distillery, which now resemble the afore said battle zone rather than the beautiful rolling fields they once were. The construction of new warehousing for the distillery has had a profound effect on water clarity and quality in the area downstream of the distillery, with each shower of rain washing more silt into the river. What's more, when constructed, this site of around 100 acres with many large warehouses will need a drainage system similar to that of a small village. Run off from the roofs of these will inevitably have an effect on the water course below. It is remit of - Scottish Natural Heritage [SNH] and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency [SEPA] to protect our rivers from such operations, ensuring that every precaution is taken to reduce both short term, as well as potential long term damage from such operations. Clearly in this case they have failed to do so, in all probability focusing the attention of their "expert" advisors instead, on "Old Mrs. Smith's" septic tank!

I'm sure we have not heard the last of this!

June Prospects –

Plenty snow leading to good levels of clean water, one of the two elements required to keep the river fishing well, this year we have this. The other element is fish. By June most of the snow will be gone, but its legacy will be good levels of spring water, helping to keep the river cool. Flies for June tend to be smaller, size 6 – 8. Inch long brass, copper tubes can be very effective fished on a floating line during early to mid June.

Ian Gordon
Speycaster

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