On what has been one of the best seasons for many Scottish rivers, other than a slightly better run of Grilse, the Spey failed to live up to its reputation as Scotland’s premier “Fly-fishing” river.
September started much like August finished, and in what has become the main theme of the season, fluctuating water levels lead to unsettled conditions throughout.
However, it must be said, plenty water is normally a good thing for salmon fishing, if there are fish there to be caught that is!
No matter how anyone tries to tart it up, the Spey has had a poor season.
I have had so many people ask me? Does this mean next year will also be poor?
Of course not, would be my answer! The only thing we know linking this year to next, is the smolt run of this, and that of the last few years.
If we believe Marine Mortality to be the main factor in salmon returning to our rivers, given better grilse runs, it may be that next year will be fantastic for MSW fish both spring and autumn.
In fact, they may be so numerous we may well need to reintroduce some form of fishing previously banned to cope with the huge number caught!
Although I had high hopes for this autumn, in fact, September turned out to be fairly mediocre, with no real build up of fish on the lower beats and MSW Spey fish conspicuous by their absence.
This said, consistent high water did lead to some good sport higher up the river as the month came to a close.
Not for the first time this season Grantown Association Water boasted nearly 100 fish and was the toast of the
Spey. It shows clearly that, fish were in fact there in reasonable enough numbers and given the correct water conditions could be lured from their deep water lies.
Even given the poor fishing season, enjoyment of Salmon fishing on the River Spey is not about, nor should ever be based purely around the number of salmon caught.
Of course it helps to see and catch a fish or two, but let’s face it; we are dealing with a wild creature, one whose abundance is governed by many factors.
Even through the “good times” there were always “poorer” times, it was never always good.
In fact, what I have seen over the past 30 or so years reinforces my thought, that naturally, there is nothing we can do to help this fish.
People managing all our major rivers have tried all sorts of things to bring back spring salmon and all have failed miserably.
Even with 100s of millions spent, no major river has seen a long term increase in numbers of spring fish.
The vast majority of fish caught in Scotland over the past 20 years have been summer and autumn fish which would have come irrespective of the huge bundles of cash spent.
So, the moral of this story is, enjoy the river and everything about it, sometimes there will be fish there and other times not.
Although not the most prolific September ever, it was enjoyed immensely by a number of foreign angler. Mr Akira Egami from Ichinomiya City, Japan was ecstatic with his first ever Spey salmon on Wester Elchies, whilst further downstream I had arranged a trip for his fellow countrymen, Mr Yoki Tubono, and Mr Yoshi Komiya, both from Tokyo, who enjoyed their first Spey salmon also.
Mr Tubono had the most fantastic fight from a 92 cm sea liced fish estimated at 18lb caught in Cumberland on the Castle Water on the second but last day of the season.
This was the best of of 4 fish he had during his four days fishing here.
The fly was a Copper Shadow which also worked very well for Mr Komiya who was thrilled with three fish during his stay.
Another friend, Mr Kawamura, also landed a nice fresh 8lb fish, his one taken on a copper bodied Munro.
Keeping up the international flavour of the party was Mr Manfred Wiblishauser from Bavaria. His second trip to the Spey this year proved to be the one he will remember, his duck broken with a lovely 6lb sea liced fish from the Essil pool, again on the Castle Water.
This was then followed by another the following day, another 6lb sea liced specimen, his fly was a “Rosie”.
The international group was not finished there, Frenchman, Mr Pierre Chevalier deserves a special mention on landing his 900th salmon, whilst the final member was a Scot, Mr Alastair Pearson also landed 4 nice sea liced fish which rounded the few days off nicely.
All of the group were highly delighted with the few days fishing, each catching, not a record breaking bagful, but quality fish and fishing top quality fly pools.
The main point here is, all went home extremely happy singing the praises of the River and the people working there, without whom, in their own words, the whole experience would be mediocre. All have already booked to come back next year and I dare say a few more also.
I have to say, given the results of experimental fishing which took place a number of years ago and what I have seen on the lower part of the river, I’m truly amazed this lower half does not have the option of adjusting the beginning and end of their season.
Fish here are almost all sea liced and in mint condition, in this day and age, with things difficult enough, it seems ludicrous not to take advantage of what the river is providing us with.
The Spey is now the only one of the major four rivers not doing this and I’m sure it will not take too long before certain politically motivated people are asking why!
Whilst I can totally understand proprietors in the upper part of the river having different view on this, everything should be done to help the “Fishing” on the river at this time, and it is quite obviously not a spring river at the moment, which is why the original date of the 15th of October was changed in the early 1940s.
Mind you, I forget that salmon fishing takes a back seat to everything else with regard to managing our river.
Finally, Results of the 2010 juvenile surveys seem to be slightly better than those of 2007 -08. Brood-stock will be collected at the end of the season from various sites along the main-steam after which fry will be planted in areas found to be lacking during the 2011 surveys.
The hatchery will have a further 300,000 fish which will be planted out in those area’s during next summer. I don’t know why they bother. Having had this system for so long now it is plainly obvious they achieve nothing, a total waste of money in their present form.
Ian Gordon
Speycaster
