Change sets in
JUST like that, the brown trout season is over and it’s time to dig out the grayling bugs.
The river conditions have been a bit more down than up this year but hopefully you got a chance at some nice brown trout this year – there have been some beautiful ones in the Fish of the Week inbox.
This time of year is a bit of a crossover point, for sea anglers the inbetween of summer species tailing off before the winter cod turn up in numbers.
Predator anglers will be chucking flies and lures but changing the batteries in their bite alarms for when the temperature drops.
Stillwater anglers are catching with foam daddies and fry patterns near the surface but keeping the sinking lines and bungs at hand to fish slow and deep.
If you get the chance, though, the salmon fishing is absolutely fantastic right now, with the rivers getting a steady top-up of rain that’s intermittent enough to let the river drop and clear.
The River Tay in particular is on fire, with some amazing returns.
I spoke to Simon and David from Tay Salmon Fisheries Co this week for a bit of a catch report. It’s been a mantra of big water and big fish!
David Godfrey, Tay head ghillie, said: “Low water and high temperatures slowed catches down through September but once the river cooled the fish came on the take.
“It’s our best week in October in 10 years up to now. On Monday, over 50 fish were hooked and 21 landed.”
At the last count they had 42 fish landed in just three days and with the fish turning on to the fly as the water cleared, meaning the river is singing to that sound of screaming reels.
My friend recently caught his first salmon after a good few years of trying in earnest and if your workplace is anything like ours, a few folk will have annual leave to cash in and I’d definitely have a look for rod availability on the Tay.
You could even be in with a shot at the Malloch Trophy for the best salmon caught on the fly and released.
The Malloch was reintroduced by the Tay Foundation after a decade-long hiatus in 2009.
The trophy was locked in a cupboard for more than 10 years and was seemingly lost to the salmon fishing world but since it’s comeback it’s pretty much the most coveted award for any salmon angler and ghillie.
Last year’s winner was a 32lb fish from the Tweed caught by Andy Britton, and the catch also bagged him the Bemersyde Trophy for the largest fish from the Tweed system.
You can check Tay availability on www.taysalmon.co.uk 01738 636 407 and book fishing across the country through Fishpal.