River Dee Opening Day Tomorrow

The River Dee salmon fishing season opens tomorrow and no doubt many Spring salmon will be landed on this fabulous Scottish river. This is how the Dee was looking earier today on the Little Blackhall beat.

Salmon Kelt Carcass

Here's the remains of a River Dee cock salmon which will have died after spawning this winter. This is natures way of reintroducing vital nutrients back into the river environment. The more dead and decomposing salmon lying around the riverbanks at this time of year the better as this is the true sign of a healthy & well stocked river such as the River Dee.

The Rhino Dulsie Bridge River Findhorn

Here's the famous Rhino stone which sits downstream of Dulsie Bridge on the River Findhorn. This outrageously shaped rock acts as a great river level guide to many of the Findhorn salmon fishers.

The Tronach Murthly Beat River Tay

Having spent the best part of a decade looking at this pool from the Newtyle Beat above. I can't count the times I've seen salmon being played here by the Murthly fishers and this has to be one of the best pools on the Murthly water.

Durris Stream Park Beat River Dee

This is the perfect flowing 'Durris Stream' on the Park Beat.

House Pool Park Beat River Dee

Here's more magnificent fly water on the Park Beat of the River Dee.

Park Beat River Dee

The River Dee was looking superb this morning as you can see. This is the 'Greenbanks Pool' on the world famous Park Beat.

Little Blackhall Beat River Dee

Without a shadow of a doubt spring salmon will already have slipped quietly upstream into this classic River Dee salmon beat. The opening day of 1 February cannot come quick enough for the Dee salmon fishers for as this river is regarded as the world's premier spring salmon fishery. For more information on the River Dee Click here.

Daless Beat River Findhorn

Look at this for outstanding fly water on the Daless Beat of the River Findhorn. From late Spring through to September the Cawdor Estate beats hold thousands of Findhorn salmon. Cawdor beats Ballachrochin/Shenachie, Daless, Carnoch, Dalbuie & the Banchor beat are simply all classic fly fishing beats.

Old Game Records Cawdor Estate

This is how Lord Cawdor used to record the annual game bag for the Cawdor Estate. These window shutters on Drynachan Lodge are all etched with these game records going back to the mid 1800's.

The Old Spey Bridge Grantown

Here's the Old Spey Bridge at Grantown which was built in 1754 I wonder how many millions of salmon & sea trout have passed under it since then !!

Grantown Association Water River Spey

The River Spey is in good order today on the beautiful Grantown Association water. The Spey opens on the 11th of February each year and I have no doubt at all that many springers will already be in the lower end of this premier Scottish salmon river. For more information on my salmon fishing guiding services Click here.

The Falls Of Lora Loch Etive Argyll

Look at this awesome display of power !!! The 'Falls of Lora' (tidal race) here below the Connal Bridge on Loch Etive are a spectacular dispay of Maw Nature's power and hats off to our River Awe salmon & sea trout for being able to navigate through this extremely turbulant Scottish sea loch.

The River Allander Fish Pass

Here's a video of this vital fish ladder which allows salmon & sea trout access to the headwaters of the River Allander.

River Allander Fish Pass River Clyde System

Click image to enlarge.

River Tay Opening Day

With many hundreds of tradition orientated salmon anglers hammering the River Tay last Friday on it's official opening day of 15 January (3 Spring salmon landed for the whole of the river !!) I think it is sad that hundreds of easily caught kelts & baggots are terminally exhausted and injured in pursuit of the early Tay springers that simply are not there in January nor have been for decades now. The true Spring run of any significance does not appear until March, April & May on the Tay. Maybe the new incoming Tay District Salmon Fishery Board chairman will have the desire and ability to do the correct thing and move the opening day back to late February or March which will also allow these unseasonal salmon a better chance of survival and safe passage back to the sea. I can only hope that changes will eventually happen for the long term benefit of the River Tay's valued and economically dependent salmon stocks.

Ness Castle Beat River Ness

Here's how the river was looking this morning. This fabulous River Ness beat has a mile of superb double bank fly water.

Dochfour Beat River Ness

Here's a video taken this morning of the top end of the outstanding Dochfour beat of the River Ness where a 56 inch cock salmon was landed on the fly by Aberdeenshire angler Don Milne last year (estimated to be 45/50lbs). The fish was returned to the river by Head Ghillie Grant Sutherland and was hooked and landed in this very area which is called the 'Burn Mouth'.

Big Tay Springer

Here's Mats Johnson on his first day ever salmon fishing on the 29th of May 2009. After learning how to Speycast he immediately went on to hook this 25 lbs tay Springer and 45 minutes later brought it to the net. If you scroll back through the achives of this blog to the above date you'll see the fight footage from start to finish.

River Tay Dunkeld

Here's the River Tay today at Dunkeld House. As you can see there are low water conditions today which should change before Friday's opening day now that some rain has moved in. There should be a few Spring salmon waiting in this beat as it always has been good holding water for early Spring salmon.

The Falls Of Shin

Here is the spectucular Falls of Shin (between Lairg and Bonar Bridge) which is an awesome waterfall to watch salmon jump between April & November each year. Many thousands of salmon pass through these falls each year on their way to the spawning grounds in the River Shin's headwaters and tributaries.

River Helmsdale in Sutherland

Here's the partially frozen Caen Stream on the River Helmsdale which is classic early Spring salmon holding water. The River Helmsdale salmon fishing season opens this coming Monday and most of this ice will probably be removed by the fishers beforehand so they can search out a Springer or two on their official opening day. The only man to talk to about the River Helmsdale or any fishing tackle requirements is Ron Sutherland who is a top man. For more information on Ron's fishing tackle supply business Click here. Or contact Ron directly on 01431 821372.

Friendly Pheasants

This is remarkable to almost have these fine birds eating from my hand today given the fact that the shooting season is still underway !!!

River Brora In Sutherland

Here's the partially frozen River Brora this morning. This highland river will have Spring salmon in it very shortly before it opens for fishing in February and thereafter it attracts healthy runs of salmon right through to October when its season closes.

Rothiemurchus Shooting School

Here's a bit of sharp shooting this morning at Rothiemurchus shooting school in the Cairngorms.

Chasing Pheasants & Partridge on Cawdor Estate

I spent most of this morning chasing birds !!!! This is Cawdor Estate which offers some of the finest game shooting and salmon fishing (River Findhorn) that Scotland has to offer.

Drynachan Lodge Cawdor Estate

Here's the Drynachan Lodge's tartan room looking very welcoming this morning. For more information on this outstanding shooting & fishing lodge Click here.

Deer On Low Ground

These beasts are down off the hills near Achnasheen (Northwest Highlands) at the moment due to the cold weather and they also are very partial to a good lick at the salt that's thrown down on the roads through the Winter months.

Another Tay Springer

Here's another big Tay springer of 22 lbs seconds before it's release.

River Kishorn Loch Carron

As you can see it's been cold up the Glen !!! Here the River Kishorn displaying a partial surrender to Jock Frost !!

Castle Strome Loch Carron

What a great location for an ancient stronghold !!!