Avon smolt trap report 2015

admin Latest 27th February 20162015, Avon, report, Smolt, trap

Finally managed to complete the River Avon smolt trap report for 2015. The report can be accessed by clicking here.

Salmon smolt production was down in 2015 compared to 2014, although the number of trout caught was higher despite lower trap efficiency in the generally higher river levels. Salmon, and trout, smolt age was also slightly less. Two years data is not much on which to base any definitive conclusions, but we can speculate. The differences in smolt production, for both salmon and trout, and the findings of the scale readings could, perhaps, have been anticipated in response to the “Bertha” spate of August 2014.

Comments welcome

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Spey 2015 electrofishing report

admin Latest 1st January 20162015, electrofishing, report, Spey

The report of the electrofishing surveys carried out by the Spey Foundation in 2015 is available to download by clicking here. This is a comprehensive report covering the results of the timed and density surveys. The summary and conclusion were:

Summary and Conclusions

• 60 salmon fry index timed electrofishing surveys were completed in the Spey mainstem with salmon fry were present in all sites downstream of Spey Dam.
• 82% of the Spey fry index sites, downstream of Spey Dam, were in the moderate to excellent categories.
• Upstream of Spey Dam salmon fry were found at 70% of the survey sites although all in very low or low categories.
• Salmon parr counts during the fry index surveys were down compared to 2013/14 with similar findings in the Spey mainstem density surveys.
• The salmon fry index surveys in the Dulnain found that although the counts were higher than recorded in 2012 there was no significant difference between 2012 and 2015.
• Salmon fry were found in all the Nethy index sites with the normal pattern of declining counts with altitude.
• The salmon fry index counts in the Luineag were in the moderate to good categories at all sites.
• In the Am Beanaidh the distribution of fry was atypical with higher counts found in the middle and upper sites. Channel instability in the lower reaches was highlighted.
• Overall statistically significant increases in densities of salmon, and trout, fry and parr were recorded at the sites surveyed in both 2012 and 2015.
• In the Dulnain density sites salmon and trout fry, and parr, were significantly higher than recorded in 2012.
• Monitoring of habitat restoration sites in the Dulnain catchment highlighted the value of such work, where opportunities exist, with improved fish densities in both diffuse pollution and morphological target areas.
• Annual monitoring of site in the upper Dulnain suggests that spawning stock abundance may limit production in more peripheral areas of the catchment.
• In the Nethy significant increases in salmon and trout fry, and trout parr, were recorded compared to 2012.
• In the Druie monitoring sites there were no significant differences in juvenile salmonid populations compared to 2012.
• In the burns monitoring sites only trout fry densities were significantly higher than recorded in 2012.
• Improved juvenile salmonid populations were recorded where fish passage improvements had been installed in the Mackalea and Broad Burns.
• Monitoring in the Tommore Burn continues to produce positive results with the smolt trap adding additional value and outputs.
• Parr densities recorded in 2015 in some sites were lower than recorded during recent surveys at the same sites however the parr present at these sites were of greater average size, highlighting the plasticity of the salmon lifecycle and their ability to cope with population disturbances.

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Week Commencing 14th September 2015

admin Latest 24th September 201514th, 2015, commencing, September, week

Another predominately dry week, it is strange it has taken till almost the end of the season for us to have an almost settled fortnight. There is some rain forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning hopefully it will give the fish a bit of a shake up before the season ends. Tides, there will be no new water till Wednesday then the tides will begin to build again.

Catches: The Gordon Castle Beats slowed slightly this week, but let’s not get too excited they still caught close to fifty fish.

Delfur, Mark tells me that the fish are not keen on taking but hopefully the forecast freshet might persuade them to show a little more interest this coming week. Even so around 20 fish were landed including a couple of first fish. As usual Mark and Grant have generously sent me some pictures to brighten up my report.

Rosie Atkinson 1st fish.Delfur

Lara Macpherson Delfur

Charles Macpherson Delfur

Grant Morrison’s 21lber Delfur

Eric Wardle’s party had a good week at Rothes with everyone eventually landing something, the total was close to thirty. Eric had the biggest of the week from Creaky. Margaret Gregg was delighted to land her first Spey Salmon. Thanks to Robbie Stronach for the photographs.

Eric Wardle 20lb Creaky Rothes

Mary Gregg Jamieson Rothes.

It is nice to get some information and a few pictures from Arndilly. Many thanks to Charles Harman for sending me his pictures. I understand they finished the week with around twenty, including some fresh ones.

Suzy Harvey Arndilly

Charles Harman’s fish Arndilly

Another from Charlie Harman Arndilly

Craigellachie continued with about a fish a day.

Wester Elchies had eight taking the season total to around 240 well over twice last years total.

Carron finished with half a dozen.

Grantown had at least seventeen salmon landed, including two estimated at 16lbs. I am grateful to Jimmy Mitchel for this picture of Cosimo Imperiale and his fish from from Tarric Mor.

Cosimo Imperiale Tarric Mor Grantown

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Spey mainstem salmon fry surveys 2015

admin Latest 13th September 20152015, mainstem, Salmon, Spey, surveys

It may have been a summer of excellent conditions for angling but the up and down water levels have played havoc with the electrofishing programme, especially in the mainstem. However, with only three sites remaining to do the results are almost complete. It should be noted that the surveys were completed over an extended period this year compared to normal with the median survey date 16 days later than in 2014.

The mainstem salmon fry index surveys comprise 3 minute electrofishing sites, generally in shallow run/riffle with cobble substrate. However, due to habitat distribution and a mix of historic and new locations, the sites cover a range of habitat types. We do this type of survey to try and understand the distribution, and success or otherwise, of salmon spawning along the full length of the Spey mainstem.

Spey mainstem salmon fry index survey 2015. The table is ordered from the bottom of the river to the top with the site code based on 500m sections from the sea. For example Site S264R1, Truim is 132km from the sea.

Th mean number of salmon fry/minute in 2015 was 18.8, exactly the same as recorded in 2014 (it is unlikley that the three remaining sites will alter the average significantly). Considering the low catch of salmon, and the apparent low number of adult fish in the river last year this is a satisfactory result for fry.

After four years of consistent surveying some patterns are emerging;

From Craigellachie downstream the results are generally above average with all sites in the moderate to excellent categories this year.
From Craigellachie to Phones the results are generally lower, no doubt a result of the higher gradient here and the restricted availability of spawning gravel.
The Ballindalloch to Castle Grant area generally supports above average counts although Tulchan D is the only site to be in the excellent category every year.
The two sites in the Grantown Angling Association water were good this year - better than normal
Above Grantown the gradient flattens out and suitable survey sites are less frequent. In suitable sites fry counts are often good e.g. Abernethy AA and Dalraddy. The production of juvenile salmon in this area should not be underestimated, on warm, still, days in the summer many parr can be seen rising in the wide, shallow glides prevelent in this area, and it is not as bereft of spawning gravels as it may appear at first glance.
We introduced a new site this year in the upper river to replace the Truim site which was difficult to access and contained barely enough suitable habitat for 3 minutes surveying. The new site was 2km further downstream with good habitat and is likely to support higher fry counts on average than the site it replaced. Note the lower Badenoch AA site will not be surveyd this year due to access restrictions associated with bridge repairs.
The two sites closest to Spey Dam produced lower counts than usual this year.
Above Spey Dam we found fry at 70% of the sites, a big improvement on the last two years. The fry counts here were all in the very low or low categories so whilst some fish must have made it up to spawn last year the counts suggest the spawning stock above the dam was small.

Water levels were on average higher this year than in the two previous years but the relatively stable results support our previous conclusion that this survey technique is not as sensitive to water levels as it may appear (H&S being an equally important consideration for mainstem surveys).

Whilst some of the survey dates were later than normal we have surveyed some sites later in the past but never have we found mainstem sites where the average size of the fry was over 7omm in August. At the Boat o’Brig site the largest salmon fry were 86mm; a size and date combination with the potential to produce one year old smolts next year.

Why such large fry you may ask as it has certainly not been a year with high water temperatures which would promote growth? The relatively low numbers of parr recorded this year is likely to be a contributing factor, as could the medium water levels with high wetted areas of habitat available. The presence of high densities of larger parr is likely to depress the feeding activity, and therefore growth of, the smaller fry but in years when the parr counts are lower the absence of “despotic behaviour” by the parr could allow more of the new season fry to survive and thrive.

Again we can say that salmon fry were present at every site below Spey Dam. Above Spey Dam the juvenile salmon population continues to be too low and we can only conclude the adult spawning stock in that part of the river is not in a healthy state.

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Week Commencing 17th August 2015.

admin Latest 28th August 201517th, 2015, August, commencing, week

Weather forecasting appears to be a tricky art, yesterday there was very heavy rain forecast with some even sticking yellow weather warning triangles on the map. Today was warm and sunny. The rain is now forecast to arrive Monday afternoon and continuing till Thursday. We will just have to wait and see.

Tides are at least predictable and will start to build again on Wednesday.

The rain on Tuesday last week pushed the river up, this seemed to suit some beats but not others.

Catches: The Gordon Castle beats continue to fish well with over seventy salmon and grilse landed. Things were a little quieter this week at Delfur. Mark tells me they finished in the mid twenties, there were plenty of fish showing but the warm muggy weather at the end of the week seemed to put them off. There was a similar story at Rothes, Mike tells me they landed fourteen mostly grilse.

Craigellachie were a little quieter than of late with half a dozen landed.

Wester Elchies went one better. Sam tells me the rods on Kinermony side had a great week with at least six landed on Monday.

Henry Spence’s party had no concerns on that score as they had both Carron and Laggan for the week. Tim Clark was kind enough to send me his photos.

Ben Nicholls Gas Pool Carron and Laggan

Max, Ian’s new pup, oh and a fish!

Grantown were quite quiet on the fisherman and fish fronts possibly the lack of the former has an effect on the latter. I hear some grilse have turned up so hopefully a few more anglers might venture out.

Some of the photos shown this week actually belong to last week but I was away fishing the Lochy and the connection to the World Wide Web was a little slow unless you banged the router really hard to awaken the sleeping hamster.

Emma Mountain with a 4lb grilse Delfur

Emma Mountain Delfur

Archie Mountain grilse Delfur

Archie Mountain Delfur

Thanks Grant!

Russel Dilks 14lb Pol Clach. Grantown

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Week Commencing 27th July 2015

admin Latest 3rd August 20152015, 27th, commencing, July, week

Another week of a little of everything, sun, rain clouds. The river rose a little but carried a lot of colour, which seemed to put the fish off. The coming week is more of the same, Monday will be the brightest and Tuesday the wettest but nothing really startling. Temperatures might just reach the seasonable normal. The tides peak on Tuesday.

Catches: Gordon Castle continued to catch fish again finishing around the fifty mark. Delfur also finished close to fifty. I am not convinced I would describe 5 rods as plenty of anglers but I see others do! Mark and Rory as usual were kind enough to send me some pictures.

Rory getting artistic!

Rory with close up mode working!

Mark with Oliver Burge’s fish

John Braithwaite Delfur

Rothes had twenty-four for the week and Mike tells me it was the first week when grilse outnumbered the salmon. Mark reckoned he was close to 50%.

As I predicted last week Craigellachie had a good week and I was surprised to see they still had some availability. Having finished with almost twenty for the week I am amazed to see there is still availability for next week.

I hear Kinermony had a productive week but have no details.

Wester Elchies was lightly fished but still managed eleven; those who took advantage of the availability were rewarded.

Laggan had a great week; Phil Burton had six to his own rod on Monday. They finished with around twenty, the best being an eighteen-pound fish from Pol Dornie.

Phil Burton Laggan

Over the water things were a little quieter at Carron. I was forced to try and get a photograph myself. These “selfies” are not that easy and when the camera eventually fired up I had the look of a startled rabbit, marginally better than the feet and fish shot I hope?

Selfie or startled rabbit!

Brian Shaw, head biologist, had a day at Castle Grant and managed a salmon and a grilse, he was kind enough to send me a picture of his fish going back. Brian tells me he was pleased to see plenty of fish in the pools.

Rogie, Castle Grant

Grantown, my well-travelled correspondent has returned and tells me that there are still plenty of sea trout being taken, the best this week around the 8lb mark! I also hear rather disappointingly that visitor numbers are low, but I suppose on the flip side this means there is plenty of room in the pools; every cloud has a silver lining. I am a little baffled why visitor numbers are down the catches this year are respectable 218 so far with two months left. This compares well with last year, perhaps not a year to dwell too long on but around thirty fish better than 2013, 50 better than 2012 and a few more than 2011.

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Week Commencing 29th June 2015

admin Latest 6th July 20152015, 29th, commencing, June, week

By the wonders of modern technology and a little help by my daughter Melanie I will now attempt to do my weekly report from Silverstone and the British Grand Prix. Ferrari got a well deserved third place! I will now return to salmon fishing.

I will edit and correct any errors when I return to civilisation on Monday!

Well it was certainly uncomfortably warm on Tuesday and Wednesday, but was it a heatwave? Surprisingly the term heatwave has a definition, the Meteorological Organisation’s definition of a heatwave is “when the daily maximum temperature of more than five consecutive days exceeds the average maximum temperature by 5°C. The average is 18.5 so it needed to keep above 23.5 Tuesday-Saturday. So I suppose it was not quite, just an uncomfortable period of a few days to spoil the fishing. Next week’s forecast is to return to some proper weather with some rain mid week some of it quite heavy. Temperatures will reach the mid teens. The tides have peaked and there will be no new water till the following week.

Catches, not surprisingly catches fell away the middle of the week when the water temperature rose by around 6 degrees to approaching 60F. Salmon are cold blooded creatures and a 10% + change in there surrounds has a major effect on their metabolism, they cannot just shed a layer, open a window or turn on the air conditioning.

Gordon Castle were in the high teens. Delfur finished with over thirty and as usual I am grateful to Mark Melville for his photos.

Brian Maclean, Delfur

Maher al Tajir, Big Haddie Delfur

Jack Melville Delfur

Gary Bushnell Delfur

Gary Bushnell again Delfur

Rothes were around the mid teens and Mike says he hates these hot days.

Craigellachie fished well at the start and end of the week when there was a little cloud cover.

Wester Elchies finished with five and Sam said it was hard work.

Carron again fished well and finished the week with ten. Local keeper Gordon Aitchenson landed his first ever salmon and Neil Borthwick for the third season on the trot landed Carron’s 100th fish.

Gordon Aitchison, 1st fish Mid Cast Carron

Neil Borthwick, 100th fish from Carron

Grantown continue to catch both salmon and sea trout and I am grateful to Jimmy for his photos.

John Gray, Sea trout

Kenny Carr, Grantown

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Week Commencing 15th June 2015

admin Latest 22nd June 201515th, 2015, commencing, June, week

Sadly former Craigellachie gillie Peter Wolstencroft lost his battle with lung cancer at the early age of 60. His funeral, last Tuesday was well attended by family friends and fishers. Although Peter had not been on the river for the last 8 years his dry sense of humour and his own style of gillying will I am sure be missed by many that he introduced to salmon fishing on the Spey.

Today, mid summer’s day has been wet, over an inch of rain has fallen in the Aberlour area and already the Avon and Aberlour SEPA gauges are showing a rise. It is hard to predict how much the rise will be. Last week the weather was as predicted overcast, some showers and sunny spells, a right mixture. The coming week is much the same, temperatures struggling to reach much above mid teens, overcast with some rain. Just to cheer everyone up the nights have started to draw in, what ever happened to summer? It must have been those three sunny days in April! The tides have peaked and there will be no new water till the following week. Hopefully the freshet at the start of the week will encourage the fish to continue to run.

Catches, again I am pleased to be able to report that most beats caught fish from Kinchurdy to the sea.

The Gordon Castle Beats had around 35 fish.

Delfur were even better with over 50 fish landed. As usual I am grateful to Mark Melville and Rory Paterson for the use of their photographs.

Twa Stanes, Delfur

Nigel Hawkins Delfur

Edward Hamilton-Ely Delfur

Cocker with grilse

Chris Rothwell Delfur

Chris Rothwell again

Nicky Waterworth Delfur

Ali Cuthbert Delfur

Rothes had another good week with twenty-five landed, Mike Ewan was saying he would like to see a rise in the river height; his rain dancing must be effective!

I hear the beats below Craigellachie also were close to fifty fish.

Craigellachie had a good week with sixteen landed, I am grateful to Dougie Ross, Mike Broadey and team for the pictures.

Tom Robinson Broom Isle, Craigellachie

Nigel Arthur Grilse, Craigellachie

Nigel Arthur, Slabs, Craigellachie

Jonathon Askwith Boat Pool Craigellachie

Ian Henderson Craigellachie

Ian Henderson, Tunnel, Craigellachie

Upstream Aberlour Angling Association continue to catch fish and todays rise will help the start of next week.

Kinermony and Delagyle both caught fish, Kinermony having at least 8 by tea time on Monday and finishing the week with 15.

Simon Martin had his second week of the season and did even better than last time with 16 landed. Ian Borthwick was kind enough to send me his photo.

Simon Martin Carron.

Grantown Angling Association had around a dozen salmon but at least 50 seatrout most around the 4-pound mark with some better specimens also recorded. Kinchurdy also had more seatrout than salmon but traditionally the June tenants are more interested in seatrout than salmon!

I received this picture showing a canoeist leaving the river not from one of the recognised landing spots! Not sure I would class this as responsible access, if he cannot avoid a tree what chance a wading angler?

Whoops, Responsible Access?

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Week Commencing May 18th May 2015

admin Latest 28th May 201518th, 2015, commencing, week

It has been another cool week on the Spey, Tuesday was positively wintery with a strong Northerly wind and driving rain, not May like at all. The rain pushed the river up on Wednesday but it soon cleared and dropped away again, today it is sitting around the footmark. Tides; there will be no new water till Thursday.

The forecast for the coming week is pretty cool with some more rain. Temperatures struggle to reach mid teens and there will be rain most days after Tuesday. Another week of great fishing conditions. The river seems to be fishing better than last year, Mike Ewan tells me they landed more this week than they landed for the month of May last year.

Catches:

The fish are still running hard. I see Gordon Castle is reporting a handful. It was a family week on Delfur. It is good to see the wives out fishing their husbands!

Jane Clarkson Delfur

Edward Mountain Delfur

Charlotte Mountain Delfur.

Rothes had their best week of the season so far with the Fletcher party and friends landing 25 salmon. I am grateful to Bill Jack, and Duncan Fletcher for these pictures.

Maher al Tajir Long Pool Rothes

Bill Jack Long Pool Rothes

Duncan Fletcher Rothes

The Gordon Group have now all but finished their lets on the Spey with a week just below the Fiddich. They finished the week with eight salmon and three seatrout. Craigellachie continues to pick away with six landed this week.Wester Elchies also had six, with one estimated to be close to 20lb.

Carron also had their best week of the season reaching double figures by Saturday. Neil and Ian Borthwick kindly let me use their photographs.

Ian Borthwick Stream Carron

Neil Borthwick Carron, his 2nd

I hear that Knockando had a good week but have no more details.

Grantown had another good week one again getting into double figures. What I find really surprising is the lack of visiting anglers taking advantage of the excellent fishing. Jimmy Mitchell sent me these pictures.

Scott, Grantown

Gordon Manuel’s fish Grantown.

The story of the season continues at Kinchurdy. Fraser Paterson was again in amongst the salmon. Steven Leave had at least three. Paul Gamba sent me this picture of a fat 5lb sea trout.

Fraser Patterson

Fraser Again

Fraser with his third

Stephen 9lb fish Kinchurdy

Stephen’s 12lb fish

Stephen Leave his 3rd

Paul Gamba’s Sea trout

I have been in a philosophical mood this week, and wondering where salmon fishing reports are going. I remember in the days of my youth avidly reading Trout and Salmon, sometimes in the newsagents to save buying a copy. The likes of Rogie Brown left a big impression, the stories of “a Collie Dog a quarter of a yard long” certainly stuck in my mind, as anyone who has fished with me will testify. Certainly catches are important, but is it really necessary to rush home to write on Facebook to show the world how good you are? I had a great evening on Wednesday, 2 salmon and a seatrout but I will remember the family of otters slinking across the island and silently entering the pool long after I have forgotten the weights of the fish. Not a picture for wildlife photographer of the year but not bad with a mobile phone!

Otters at play

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Week Commencing 27th April 2015

admin Latest 7th May 20152015, 27th, April, commencing, week

It was a strange sort of week on the Spey. Friday was the 1^st May but we awoke to the garden covered in snow for the second time in the week, there was if anything slightly more on Monday. Monday’s snowmelt had little or no effect on the river. I think the ground was too dry and the trees are “drinking hard” The River rose on Thursday and carried a little colour but it remained fishable all day. By Friday it was dropping nicely and clearing. The noticeable thing was the drop in water temperature down about ten degrees from the week before.

Next week’s forecast is pretty cold and wet, Monday will have some sunshine and temperatures will reach double figures but the rest of the week struggles and there will be some rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. The tides continue to build till Thursday.

Catches: I am pleased to say there have been reasonable catches on most beats from Kinchurdy to the sea. Gordon Castle had at least seven for the week. Orton had around the same; Jimmy Jack from Fraserburgh sent me this photograph of this fine sea-liced fish from the Willows. Jimmy tells me there was a big fish caught and plenty more lost, a recurring story up and down the river.

Jimmy Jack Orton

At Delfur Neil Cameron’s party were pleasantly surprised not to find the river running high and coloured, they have been very unlucky the last few years. Anne Cameron had the most fish although Alan Rennie fishing Beaufort caught the biggest, the 22lb fish gave him a good struggle and although hard on the fish it took close to 30 minutes to land.The seal damage to the tail did not seem to slow it down any! Mark and Grant kindly sent me a couple of pictures.

John Grant Delfur

Rory Paterson Delfur

Alan Rennie’s fish Delfur

Mike Euan tells me they were seeing running fish but could only land a handful.

Aberlour Angling Club had at least a couple, I am grateful to Ken Davies for the pictures.

Alasdair Polson Aberlour Angling Club.

Rob Morrison Aberlour

Kinermony had a great week, the Gordon Angling Group, have returned to Kinermony after a long absence and I am sure they will be back. There were five landed on Monday including this one for Bill Goodlad from the Boat Pool. The Group finished the week with ten.

Bill Goodlad Kinermony

Over the water Wester Elchies had a couple.

Sam with Mike Shaw’s fish Wester Elchies

Laggan had at least seven including a 21lb fish and many more lost.

My party at Carron landed four and lost almost as many. I wish Dave looked a little happier, the one he lost was bigger but a fish is a fish.

Dave Sadowski Carron

Ian Gordon’s group of trainee gillies from Norway had a successful week at Tulchan and Ian sent me this photo.

Tulchan

Grantown Angling Association had at least ten, nine of which were landed on Friday. Two anglers, namely Willie Laird and Nigel Davies, each landed four fish which weighed up to 12 lbs. Sea-trout numbers are also increasing with fish of up to 4.5 pounds being reported.

I am pleased to be getting plenty of pictures from Kinchurdy, gillie Bobby Hall seems to be finding both salmon and seatrout. Many thanks for the great pictures of your happy anglers.

Bobby Hall Kinchurdy Gillie

6lb Sea trout Kinchurdy

John Hall Kinchurdy

John Hall Again

David Jones Kinchurdy

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