You can tell when the fishing gets slow when the weekly report reads more like the Births Deaths and Marriages of the local paper; good news this week. Lisa and Blair Banks announced the arrival of their daughter, Emily Catherine Banks on Friday 1^st August at 16.22. A very healthy nine pound twelve ounces! Congratulations to the Banks’ family.

Whilst out this morning checking on the river height and walking the dogs I came across this vehicle “parked” beside Carron Bridge. I wonder just what sets this canoeist apart from the rest of the population so he can park in front of a No Parking Sign, perhaps I misunderstood and the council spent all this money so canoeists did not have to walk after they had come down the river!

Ignorant, illiterate or just irresponsible?

Anyway at long last we were promised rain and it actually arrived, the river is up and is coloured but I am sure anglers will be happy to lose some or all of Monday to clean up the river and get rid of the slime and weed. The forecast for the coming week is mainly dry and sunny except for Wednesday when there will be another spell of heavy rain. Tides there is no new water till Wednesday then the tides start to build again.

The turbidity is not looking good for Monday morning.

Catches, again the Spey continues to hold its own of course it is disappointing but I would rather be on the Spey than just about any other river in Scotland.

Gordon Castle picked away. Delfur continued to fish reasonably well; without going into details another few and they would have out fished the entire Tweed on Fish Tweed. Mark, Grant and Rory continue to supply me with photographs, perhaps that is Delfur’s secret, salmon like to appear on the Internet! The rest of the river continued to catch small numbers of fish most beats recording twos or threes.Rothes started the week and finished with a flourish but the middle is probably best forgotten. I see Grantown were continuing to catch decent sized seatrout, hopefully this rise of water should increase their salmon count.

Tom Mountain with Grant Delfur

Jack Campbell with Rory Delfur

Marina Gibson’s fish Delfur

Rory nets another fish.

Henry Mountain Delfur

Georgiana Baker 1st Salmon Two Stones Delfur

Obligatory Chocolate cocker shot

A late evening fish

Spey Fishery Board

Another week goes by, still the river remains low and there is no rain in the forecast for next week. Temperatures are predicted to reach the mid twenties towards the end of the week. The tides are building all week. I would suggest the parties that are prepared to be anti-social will catch more fish; the afternoons will not be productive.

Catches: I thought the Spey was looking poor till I looked at some of the other rivers and the Spey is looking quite good in comparison! Gordon Castle got close to forty, the week started well but slowed a little. Willie Mair was kind enough to send me a couple of pictures.

Willie Mair’s fish Beat 2

Another for Willie.

Delfur were into the twenties Mark, Rory and Mr Henry Mountain were kind enough to supply me with the usual selection of photographs. As can be seen there are a number of residents starting to be tempted.

Mark Melville Delfur

Sir Edward Mountain Delfur

Nathalie Mountain Delfur

Henry Mountain Hollenbush

Mrs Mills Mountain Otter.

Mills again Collie

Davie Macintosh Broom

Rory Paterson with Bill Govett’s fish Collie.

Wester Elchies had a better week than of late with six landed rather than the usual five. I was lucky enough to be assisting Carol Simmonds when she expertly played this fish in Pol Shuan, making netting it very easy.

Carol Simmonds Pol Shuan Wester Elchies

Safely netted.

Carron I hear had a couple both caught late in the evening.

Again Grantown are crying out for water to help the salmon anglers but I understand the seatrout anglers are not complaing too much.

Spey Fishery Board