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Editorial
2007 looks to be a year of great change with so many issues to tackle in the world of fly fishing and angling in general including the idea of fishing rods being made from carrots! We aim to offer you our take on what is happening and whether you buy into our views or not I hope we can stimulate your interest in the issues. Please send in your comments or contribute items or pictures, we will be happy to publish on your behalf.
Expanding our horizons , SpinFish has now launched;
feature bringing you the best articles from the global angling fellowship - just to let you know how the other half live.
Check out; Weird Creatures Discovered in Scottish Loch
Has SpinFish discovered a sinister prehistoric colony of weird creatures?
Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill
The bill will soon be law, but does it do enough to address the issues of fish farming and Gs?
The Scottish Parliament is about to bring into law the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill later this year. Click the link above for the report.
The SANA AGM was held on the 11th March 2007, presenting those in attendance with some ominous news.
From information received at the AGM it would seem that SANA, the governing body for game fishing in Scotland, is contending with government apathy (at best) or active indifference, even hostility to angling in Scotland. There is no doubt that all of us have seen institutional indifference to the damage done by fish farming, predation, abstraction and pollution now we have Gs, Argulus and legislation to contend with and not a lot of political good will in favour of angling. Check out the report.
The Salmon Season So Far
A quick ramble around the internet at the end of April tells us that salmon fishing is a fickle past time. This time last year most rivers were reporting above average catch returns with many rivers having their best spring for years. This year those same rivers are reporting catches up to 90% down, what has happened? On a visit to Grantown in May I arrived as a spate was running off which provided a bonanza for the lads who enjoy spinning with some high quality sea trout being caught, but the salmon were few compared with the previous year. This seems to be a trend, water but no fish in great numbers.
Two factors are clear from reports. Early in the season, in February and March, there was a good deal of high water with the Tay experiencing a 12 food flood and the Ness system seeing enormous floods on the Morison which crashed through to do damage on the Ness. There has to be concerns about damage to redds which only time will tell. Combined with high water the above average water temperatures meant that fish have not tarried long in the lower beats of many rivers with reports from the Dee that the upper beats are doing very well indeed. Fish are now through the fish pass at Faskally, over 400 by May, and salmon are running the Dochart.
Towards the middle of April rivers
were reporting the opposite problem, lower than average water with
the Tweed, at this time, barely and inch or two above low summer
levels. Conditions are certainly combining to try the patience and
skills of the angler.
Now we have water in spade loads lets hope the
fish come through.
Returns on the Tay show that catches are well down on the 5 year average, the Spey is 90% down, the Findhorn 50% down. The trend is almost nationwide although the Dee is reporting returns on a par with the 5 year average. The current dry spell will definitely affect catch returns, we can but hope for rain. On the bright side many rivers are reporting higher than average numbers of bigger fish with several 3 SW salmon taken, a 29 pounder taken at Meiklour on the Tay and a 25lb fish off the Tummel at Pitlochry. It seems that the numbers of fish might be ok and the average size is ok it is simply that the fish are not hanging about to be caught
Water abstraction is a growing issue on both the Spey and Dee. It is time for local authorities to look at this issue as populations in the north expand and the demand for water increases to the point where the flow of the river is insufficient to allow fish to run. There is off course the other associated problem of waste water which is processed and put back into our river systems. Aside from the consequent enrichment of the river water and resultant effect on the aquatic ecosystem I do harbour nightmares that hard pressed water companies might do what water companies did in Edinburgh and discharge raw waste into the rivers should their overworked treatment plants start to fail, with devastating effects for the future of all species in any affected river system. Just imagine the devastation to the crystal clear waters of the Don shown above.
I does look like the the infamous Tutu syndrome is at it again. Too much water, too little water, too warm, running too fast; there are more tutus in salmon fishing than in the entire world of ballet dancing!
I do hope your year doesn't have too many tutus. Tight Lines.
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