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.

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.

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.

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.

Over the water Wester Elchies had a couple.

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.

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

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.

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