River Tweed River Report Week Ending 23rd February 2019 - Tay Salmon Fly

River Tweed River Report Week Ending 23rd February

A very windy week with a brisk to strong south westerly making casting with the fly quite challenging at times throughout the week, those who persevered did have their moments and some lovely spring salmon were landed over the course of the week. A small dirty lift on Thursday made the river near impossible to catch a fish below Kelso with the majority of the colour coming in from the Teviot. On Friday the river was quite beery maybe slightly disappointing catches after the wee lift or that fish just hadn’t settled in! Need to keep reminding ourselves that this is February with air temperature reaching 18 degrees by the end of the week.

On the Junction 4 fish were landed for the week, Ms Josephine Young landed a 6lber from the Junction Pool and Mr Stuart Maughan also had a 6lber from the Bridge Pool both assisted by boatman Pud Murray. The Lees had a cracking day of 4 on Tuesday with Mr Richard Harrison and Mr John Clancy been amongst the successful rods. Birgham Dub also had 4 for the week.

Mr Tom Leslie of Fin and Game in Kelso landed the first fish on the Sprouston beat this season with a lovely fish taken on a Black and Yellow copper tube fly. Fishing on Upper North Wark with Head Boatman Martin Ritchie, Mr Stuart Campbell managed to tick of a Tweed Springer from his bucket list with a cracking 15lbs fish from the Snipe Pool on a Black and Yellow copper tube fly. On Wark boatman Mr Lee Ross landed a sea liced 6lber from the Jefferies Pool on a Gledswood Shrimp copper tube he got from Tay Salmon Fly. Mr Stephen Crees had a good morning with boatman Callum Manson landing 3 springers.

On Wednesday a very rare thing happened, Milne Graden Head Boatman Mr Kevin Wright landed a February springer from the beat on a Flamethrower conehead fished on the dropper, I believe this is the earliest February fish the beat as had in excess of 20+ years.

While chatting with Mr Tom Leslie in Fin and Game, Kelso He confirmed that there has been two fresh fish landed from the River Teviot inc one of 15lbs.

After any fishing trip on the Tweed it’s always worth a trip to Kelso to enjoy a superb meal with great atmosphere in the fabulous Contented Vine restaurant. I would highly recommend it as a must visit during your trip. Call 01573 224777 to reserve your table.

27 Salmon and 1 Sea Trout, with the best fish for the week was 15lb Salmon caught on the Upper North Wark beat.

On Upper North Wark, A challenging week in stiff south westerly winds most of the week where the rods deserve credit for sticking at it and getting a mixture of kelts and other offers. On Saturday we landed a lovely springer on the fly from the Snipe with Mr Stuart Campbell been the successful rod.

The week ended with the level at Sprouston 1ft 3” and the water temperature is 45.

Looking at the availability for this coming week I would recommend the Upper Hendersyde, Hendersyde, Lower Birgham and Upper North Wark beats should have a chance of some action this week. With the warmer water temperature Rutherford could be worth a cast.

The forecast this coming week, early areas of mist, fog and low cloud are expected to lift on Monday to leave a dry and fine day with long spells of sunshine. Staying mild. Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be dry with any early patches of fog clearing to leave sunny spells. It will be chilly overnight but very mild by the afternoons. Thursday is likely to be a cloudier day but still with a lot of dry weather expected.

As always I would like to thank all those who provide me with the information to make this report, it is very much appreciated. If you have any information or photo’s you would like included please get in touch with Martin on 07825334427 or info@taysalmonfly.co.uk

With water levels dropping with the recent dry weather and the temperature has went up to 45 degrees, Intermediate lines with various poly leaders with Copper tubes in sizes ranging from 3/4” to 1” in the ever faithful Black and Yellow colour scheme should bring results. Tosh, Monkey and Gold Bodied Willie Gunn will be present in most places.

As always come prepared and always listen to the advice of your boatman or ghillie. If you’re needing to top up your fly box ahead of your trip please check out www.taysalmonfly.co.uk

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Season So Far catches

Total catch last week: Salmon 27 Sea Trout 1

Total caught so far this season: 60 Salmon and 2 Sea Trout

As reported on Fishtweed:-

(Biggest Salmon 18lb Upper Hendersyde)

(Biggest Sea Trout 7lb Lower Birgham)

www.taysalmonfly.co.uk

Please come along and like our Facebook Page and join in the discussion and check out our other deadly salmon flies.

For all your Salmon Fishing Flies visit our Tay Salmon Fly Website please click here

If you wish to contact us you can do so by clicking here  

To book or enquire about fishing on the Upper North Wark beat on the River Tweed please give Martin a call on 07825 334427


Tie your own salmon flies and looking for salmon fly dressings and salmon fly patterns please click here  

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Trout and Salmon Magazine Reporter For The River Tweed - Tay Salmon Fly

Due to the unfortunate ill health for Bob Harrison, I have taken over writing the Tweed river report for Trout and Salmon Magazine.

If you have any successes, photos or information that you would like to be included in the report please let me know and I'll be happy to include what I can.

I look forward to a new season and hopefully lots of happy information to report

Martin
07825334427 or email info@taysalmonfly.co.uk

www.taysalmonfly.co.uk

Please come along and like our Facebook Page and join in the discussion and check out our other deadly salmon flies.

For all your Salmon Fishing Flies visit our Tay Salmon Fly Website please click here

If you wish to contact us you can do so by clicking here  

To book or enquire about fishing on the Upper North Wark beat on the River Tweed please give Martin a call on 07825 334427


Tie your own salmon flies and looking for salmon fly dressings and salmon fly patterns please click here  

Tay Salmon Fly, Salmon Fly, Salmon Flies, Fishing Tackle In Dunkeld, Fishing Tackle In Birnam, River Tay, River Tweed, River Spey, River Spey, Fly Fishing, Atlantic Salmon, Springer, Spring Salmon. Fly Tying, Salmon Fly Tying, Salmon Fishing In Scotland. Where To Fish In Scotland, How To Tie, How Do I Tie, Salmon Fly Dressing, Salmon Fly Dressing, Salmon Fly Pattern, Murthly Salmon Flies, River Tay Salmon Flies, River Tweed Salmon Flies. Foxy Tails, Venairds, Futurefly, Eumer, Murthly Beat 1, Murthly Beat 2, Upper Hendersyde,Tay Salmon Flies,Fishing The Tay, Fish Tay, Fish Tweed, Fish Spey, Fish Dee, Where To Fish For Salmon In Scotland, Salmon Fishing Holidays In Scotland,Tony Black, Tony Black Salmon Flies, David Ballingall, David Ballingall Salmon Flies, Upper North Wark, Upper North Wark Beat River Tweed, Fishtweed, Fish The Tweed, Tweedbeats,Fishtweed Reports, River Reports,Fishtweed Prospects, Kilt Pin, Brooch, 

Tay Salmon Fly Home Of The Original Ghillie Salmon Fly

While the Ally’s Shrimp deservedly takes most accolades, other wonderful long-tailed patterns can be traced to our biggest river. Well-known gillie Tony Black, who works at Murthly2, has created several of these, notably the Ghillie, a superb fly that combines most of the killing colours we favour in Scotland: black, yellow, orange and blue, with a touch of gold. What’s not to like? It’s versatile: Tony fishes it all season, tied on big copper and aluminium tubes for springers and later on every size of hook, from large doubles to size 14 and 16 doubles and trebles. The proof of the pudding is in the tasting and the 34 lb fish Tony landed in the Tronach pool at Murthly in 2002 must have approved of the recipe. The Ghillie is a Tay favourite, but it has established a good track record throughout Scotland and abroad. You can immediately recognise what inspired the pattern: the Munro Killer and General Practitioner. These two classics were the favourite patterns of Tony’s grandfather, Callum Gillies (with a nod to the two-part body he admired in the Ally’s and Curry’s Red Shrimp). The fly was in service for some time before it was christened. Tony first tied it in 1991 and finally named it in honour of Callum following his passing in 1994. The Ghillie is a fitting tribute to a man who had a long career as a gillie on the Conon and on the Tay at Kinnaird until his retirement in 1975. Lured out of retirement, Callum also spent time at Dalguise and Newtyle until he gave up for good in 1983. The Ghillie is a happy marriage of two distinctive Scottish styles: the classic hairwing and the longtailed shrimp. The finished article tempts fish but it’s not complicated; that’s not Tony’s style – he prefers simple, effective patterns. Tony also ties a variant, the Spring Ghillie, in which he uses a black and yellow fox wing. It looks the part and is very successful. The original Ghillie uses squirrel tail, which I have used a lot even though I find it disagreeable to work with. Perhaps it’s because, like all modern fly-tyers, I am spoilt for choice and to me squirrel now seems “old hat”. However, there is something about the barring on dyed squirrel tail that I like and while it isn’t as mobile as fox, it suits a lightly dressed wing. So in keeping with the spirit of the public backtrack, I am reconsidering my position. That said, I’m well known for my fondness for Arctic Runner, a material I use a lot in my own patterns, so it might be worth trying that in the Ghillie, too. There was no flash in the first version of the fly, but Tony plays around with the dressing, adjusting it for the conditions, perhaps adding a little black over the wing to dull it down, or a little extra flash when tying on a gold hook for stained water. He doesn’t view it as a static pattern: it should be manipulated. The Ghillie is a fly for all seasons and if you are seeking a pattern that is simple to tie and has good pedigree, look no further.

Please come along and like our Facebook Page and join in the discussion and check out our other deadly salmon flies.

For all your Salmon Fishing Flies visit our Tay Salmon Fly Website please click here

If you wish to contact us you can do so by clicking here  


Tie your own salmon flies and looking for salmon fly dressings and salmon fly patterns please click here  

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