Grilse on the Tay

Not often I go salmon fishing these days but I had a day booked last Saturday on Glendelvine on the Tay. Its the beat immediately above Caputh Bridge just outside the village of Murthly, the beat that  Georgina Ballantyne caught the  British record fish from so I had high expectations.

SEPA website said that the river was 6 inches on the  gauge and falling.  When I arrived I looked over the bridge and the water looked perfect.  Stevie the gillie was there and ready with a bacon roll and tea, burned bacon for me.  We drew pools there were 5 other rods and we draw for where we are going to start fishing.  Mine was the boat pool no lesser pool than Georgina’s record came out of probably much the same as when she fished it although the bridge is now a new one.

Tackle was my 15ft DTX with a Rio AFS line, I started with the fast sinking tip and a cascade variant with a orange body on a partridge salar double size 9.   Trouble was the top of the pool was too shallow for the sink tip so minutes after starting I had to stop and change it for an intermediate sink tip.  Wading on this south/right bank is hard waist deep and like an assault course.  Downstream wind so it had to be a double spey or snake roll, decided that the double spey I was better at so decision was made.

About an hour after starting half way down the pool I had the draw which meant a fish, every time it happens it always surprises me.  That has to be the most exciting part of the game.  The landing of the fish was a simple enough process although I am always happy not to loose a fish.  I once read and it is true that you cannot loose what you have never had.

A pretty fish, a small cock of about 6lb with long tailed sea lice which I think fall off after a couple of days in fresh water.  I fished on till lunch and saw possibly six or seven fish show in various parts of the pool but had no more offers.

I was in the ministers pool in the afternoon you fish it from the left bank and its a great piece of fly water twice down nothing to show for it and no fish seen what a contrast from the morning.

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