Spring run progresses in productive week

It has been a productive week on the River Tay, with a spring run starting to develop and progress up the river and most beats getting into the action.

It has been quiet on the lower river below Stanley, mainly due to the warmer water.

Catholes was the lowest beat to record, with a couple of fish caught on fly.

Finnish angler Tuomas Ry tkonen caught a small fish from the Catholes stream on a small monkey fly.

Catholes regular Danny Fulton caught a superb 18lb fish from the Gean Tree.

Cargill and Ballathie continue to fish consistently with fish recorded most days and the lower water suiting them.

Angus Johnstone’s party enjoyed success at Ballathie with Edmund Clarke, Jock Miller and Rory MacLachlan landing fish up to 22lb.

Islamouth had an excellent week with 18 fish caught on the fly.

Paul Dolman was one of the successful rods with an 8lb fish from Donnits, and Peter Kay caught a 23½lb beauty in the Ash Tree on a Willie Gunn tube.

The middle river is producing more fish now.

Neil French caught a 10lb fish from Burnbane on a toby salmo.

The Glendelvine and Murthly beats have been catching more consistently as the run improves on the middle beats of the river.

Newtyle had four, with a team of Finnish fly fishers doing well.

Petteri Kauhanen and Frode Olderkjaer caught good fish.

The upper river is seeing action, with successes on the Findynate and Farleyer beats.

Alun Williams was in on the action, landing a superb fish from Farleyer.

Fish are starting to ascend the ladder at the dam in Pitlochry, with 120 at the latest count.

Last week saw 10 fish landed on the Portnacraig beat below the dam, and others landed from the Sawmill Stream at the bottom of the town.

Kenny Horne finished a superb week with a stunning 18lb fish on the fly from the town bank at the dam.