It would seem that demand for good, reasonably priced sprig fishing has hit an all time low! Given the much better start to the season one would have thought anglers would have been queuing up to take advantage of the better than normal fishing.   Having said this, it’s been all the better for the few local anglers who, although small in number, have had good success fishing the river this spring.   Who would have ever thought, with reasonable numbers of fish in the river Spey, demand is so low! 

As the month of March came to a close, as is very normal, fish numbers begun to increase with more fish now showing in the pools also. 

No more has this been so than on the Brae Water where although very lightly fished, to this date, have had 25 fish.   Almost everyone fishing there this year has had something to report, I hope this may bode well for the future after a few lean year in the spring.   One lucky overseas visitor was Mr Roy Arris.   Roy, who wrote one of the best up to date books on the salmon rivers of the North Atlantic, “The Salmon Atlas”, had a nice week catching 5 springers fishing beats 3, 4 and 5, including a lovely fish of around 17lbs from Aultdearg after watching the grand national on Saturday, a fitting end to the week to a very knowledgeable guy and one of the real champions of Salmon Fishing. 

A little further upstream, anglers fishing Orton have also enjoyed a better start than recent years with a huge increase in numbers of fish compared to this time last year.   So, between the Sea and Orton, all is much better than last year, so one would expect beats such as Delfur and Upper Arndilly to also be doing much better, but in fact this has not been the case, with those beats on a par, or only slightly better.   Beats between Craigellachie and Tulchan, although not showing such a dramatic increase as say the Brae and Orton, have never the less, provided guests with some good sport.   The best fish of the month fell to the rod of Mr Lee Henshaw, who having never fished for salmon before, managed a lovely 24lb fish from The Burnmouth Pool on Rothes.   The fish was taken on a Willie Gun fished on a floating line and sink tip. 

Beats such as Knockando and Ballindalloch have had a few more fish than last year but again have been lightly fish, although those beats tend not to get going properly until April.   Further upstream and like those beats such as the Brae and Orton, Tulchan also have a more “Local Friendly” policy with very reasonable fishing available to those who wish to fish there up until the end of March. 

On my travels I am forever hearing people say, there is not enough information about the Spey, where and when to fish!   There are a few websites which provide both information as well as details on fishing available.   The first is the Spey Fishery Boards own website www.speyfisheryboard.com which is updated now on a regular basis, also you have my own www.speyonline.com and that of Kinermony Ghillie Jock Royan www.speyghillie.co.uk 

For people wishing to visit the river all three provide good up to date information and although not updated with daily catches, they provide readers with a feel for what going on.

Fishing at Castle Grant and the Grantown association has also picked up over the last few weeks with sea liced fish being caught right at the top of the system. Interesting this year has been a move away from those tube flies which look like “budgies or canaries”, back to the more traditional patterns, much easier to cast and every bit as effective. Mind you, as I always say, it’s a matter of choice, what you personally like. 
June Prosects,

The increase in Sea Trout last year should continue and anglers should remember those provide very nice sport indeed.   If the river is low then starting in the neck of the pool at twilight with a silver march brown or stoats tail size 10 – 12 can be very productive, as can be a slightly bigger fly after dark.

Ian Gordon
Speycaster