The Annual Opening Day Ceremony will take place on Saturday 11th February 2017 at 9:00am at Penny Bridge, Alice Littler Park in Aberlour with the traditional pouring of a bottle of Aberlour 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky into the fast flowing waters of the River Spey.

To complete the ceremony Rev. Shuna Dicks, Minister for Aberlour, will bless the river and Alan Sinclair will perform on the bagpipes.

Anglers are invited to attend the opening ceremony, before starting on their quest to catch their first Spring Salmon of the season. To help celebrate the start of the 2017 season, drams of Aberlour 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky, samples of Walkers shortbread and hot drinks supplied by Le Petit Gourmand will be offered during the opening ceremony. All those involved with the Spey Fishery Board are grateful to the Aberlour distillery and Walkers for their continued generous sponsorship of this event and also to Le Petit Gourmand for their generous support.

There will also be a Opening Day Prize Draw, with the opportunity to win a £200 Fishpal Gift Voucher, a bottle of Aberlour 15 year old Select Cask Reserve Single Malt Whisky and a Walkers Shortbread Hamper. Tickets will be available at the Opening Ceremony and the draw will take place at the Prize Giving. See here for details.

The ‘Spey Anniversary Quaich’ will be awarded to the angler who catches the first salmon on the opening day, together with a bottle of Aberlour Single Malt Scotch Whisky and a Walkers Shortbread hamper. The angler who lands the heaviest Salmon on opening day will also receive a bottle of Aberlour Single Malt Scotch Whisky and a Walkers hamper.

Official Competition Rules

Fish must be caught by use of fly only, must be fresh run, released back to the river, and any catch must be verified by the ghillie in attendance.

Anniversary Quaich:

Awarded to the angler who catches the first salmon on the opening day.

Heaviest Salmon:

Awarded to the angler who catches the heaviest salmon.

Please note the Heaviest Salmon prize cannot be won by the Anniversary Quaich winner.

If the Anniversary Quaich winner (first fish) is also the heaviest, then the heaviest prize would go to the second heaviest fish caught.

If there is only 1 fish caught on the opening day the heaviest fish prize would go to the captor of the 2nd fish caught later in the week.

Registering Catch for prize:

All catches must be reported to Spey Fishery Board, I Nether Borlum, Knockando, AB38 7SD, by 5.00 p.m. on the opening day. Tel: 01340 810841.

The prizes will be awarded at the Aberlour Distillery Visitor Centre, Aberlour at 5.30pm on opening day.

For further information please contact;

Spey Fishery Board Tel. 01340 810841

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Spey Fishery Board