Tay hopes high after Jim lands a 35-pounder

Expectation is high on the Tay after news of a 35lb fish being landed on the river.

The typical Tay fish was caught by Jim Shaw on a harled fly on Glendelvine.

The sheer size of the river produces very powerful large salmon and the possibility of a 40lb fish must be on the cards now.

The food source for Atlantic salmon is moving further away from our shores as the sea’s temperature rises.

As a result, salmon are spending longer at sea before they are returning making it possible that much bigger fish will be in Scotland’s rivers.

The fish that are being caught now is further evidence of that phenomenon.

However, this was not the only outstanding fish caught on the river last week.

There was an estimated 23-pounder landed at Burnmouth and a superb 24lb fish was caught at Meikleour and Upper Islamouth by Graham McIntyre from the Castle pool.

Hopefully settled weather over the coming weeks will give everyone a chance of landing a spring ‘bar of silver’.

Further superb catches were made during the week with Delvine Burnbane getting off the mark after Jim McDonald landed a 16lb beauty from the boat.

Tuesday saw Stobhall and Taymount catch with Rodger Clarke landing Taymount’s first of the season

A fish was also recorded at Kinnaird as they continued their good start to the season.

Meikleour and Upper Islamouth had a 16-pounder caught by Derek Tuten, casting from the boat in the Castle pool, while there was another one caught from Islamouth just downstream.

Although the overall totals were disappointing, the sheer class of the fish caught was outstanding.

It has been a quiet start but the season will hopefully live up to everyone’s expectations over the coming weeks and months.