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2011 News

Thursday 1st December 2011.

It's been a wee while since I had any news for you.

I have seen many more salmon spawning this year than ever before. Of course, they might have been more visible this year because of our dry Autumn and low river levels. You may have seen the BBC Autumn Watch programme which was broadcast a week or two ago; this contained footage of salmon spawning in the the River Dulnain and also in the Spey near Grantown.

Local member, Mr Gallienne, has very kindly provided us with a short video clip which he took at the mouth of the Inverallan Burn. The clip shows about 18 or 19 salmon in the burn. It would appear that the fish are waiting for more water to allow them safe passage upstream. Click here to see the video.

The heavy rains of the past few days has now sent the rivers to flood levels. I hope that this doesn't damage the salmon 'redds'.

There is no news, as yet, of the date of the AGM. I'll let you know as soon as I am informed.

In the meantime,

With very best wishes,

Jimmy Mitchell

Saturday 1st October 2011.

Just two further salmon were declared for the last couple of days. Both were caught at the Dulnain mouth on worm.

That brings our total salmon / grilse for this season to a slightly disappointing 356. The sea-trout catches were also down on last year at approximately 362. You can compare the catches from recent seasons in the wee table, below.

Recent season totals	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Salmon/Grilse	439	353	444	327	426	357
Sea-Trout	536	427	338	263	579	356

As I type this report, it's raining steadily in Grantown and the leaves are falling. It's barely 12°C and the summer weather of the last week is now a distant memory.

If you happen to see the November issue of Trout & Salmon magazine, you may be interested to read my fairly long article about salmon fishing on The Brae Water Beat of the Spey, near Fochabers. Some pretty pictures will accompany the article!

In the meantime, it's time to dismantle your tackle and pack it away until 2012. Until such time as all of this season's information has been collated so that I can publish the 2011 Season Report, I wish you all the very best. By the way, it's only just over 4 months until the start of next season!

11:50 hrs, Thursday 29th September 2011.

Just one day left! A total of twenty-eight salmon/grilse have been declared since Saturday. The heaviest of these declared fish weighed 24 lbs and was caught at Tarric Mor on fly.

Seventeen of these declared fish were caught in the River Dulnain, on worm, and all returned to the river.

Unfortunately, no pictures have appeared, nor do I have any further information, of the 32 lbs fish landed last Friday.

For want of time, I have been unable to update to catch-report page but can tell you that our total now stands at 354 salmon/grilse.

The river level has been dropping since its last peak of Monday and is currently just under 1 foot.

Weatherwise; it should be bright and warm again tomorrow which will not help the fishing but does shorten our winter! Unfortunately, it will start to turn back to normal and become cooler from Monday onwards.

I will try to update this page this Saturday with news of our closing day, but that's as much as I can tell you for now.

In the meantime, good luck and tight lines!

Saturday 24th September 2011

A total of fifteen salmon/grilse have been declared for this week, so far. Would you believe that this total includes another huge fish estimated to have weighed 32 lbs. Alas, details are in very short supply - I can only pass on to you what I am told. However, I understand that this fish was landed by local member, Willie Stirritt, on fly at Poll Clach yesterday. It may be that pictures will follow but that's all of the information that I have.

Twelve sea-trout have been declared for the week including one fish of 5½ lbs.

The river has been running fairly high for the whole of this week and temperatures have been above what we would normally expect at this time of the year. Expect the river level to settle down as we head into next week with a promise of fairly dry settled weather. It may even turn quite warm towards our last day on Friday.

That's as much as I can tell you for the moment but if I hear of any news, I'll post it here.

A huge 34 lbs salmon landed on 17th Sept 2011 by local member, Gary Grant.

19:00hrs, Wednesday 21st September 2011

Eight salmon have been declared, so far, since the weekend. The largest of these was a 15 lbs fish landed at Tarric Mor on a spinner.

Four sea-trout have also been declared for this week.

The river level has been dropping steadily from its peak of nearly 3 feet on Sunday. It's currently about 1 foot 2 inches.

Weatherwise; we have enjoyed some really heavy showers today, during which the temperature has dropped below 7°C. However, the situation will improve and, despite some showers up to and over this weekend, next week looks fairly settled from Tuesday onwards.

Need I remind you that only eight fishing days remain of this season.

17:20hrs Saturday 17th September 2011

The largest fish of this season, to date, is pictured above. Using the Spey Fishery Board's ready-reckoner, the cock salmon is estimated to have weighed 34 lbs and was caught by local member, Gary Grant with a large Toby at Craggan Sands on Saturday 17th September. Gary says that it is the largest fish he has ever seen in his life. The fish was duly returned. Congratulations to Gary!

Another twelve salmon/grilse have been declared since my last report, below. This brings the total for the week to twenty-two.

Twenty-one sea-trout have also been declared for the week including some fish of over 4 lbs.

Although the river level is currently rising, expect it to fall during the week as we are told that we may enjoy a spell of settled weather. However, there will be some rain on Wednesday.

That's as much as I can tell you for the moment but if I hear of any news, I'll post it here.

In the meantime, good luck and tight lines!

Jimmy Mitchell

An August grilse with Clachnastrone and the new bridge in the background. The fish was caught and photographed by local member, Dr Boyd Peters . I am grateful to Boyd for sending us this 'arty' picture and trust that the seat was cleaned when he'd finished!

15:30 hrs, Wednesday 14th September 2011.

In case you need reminding, only 14 fishing days remain of this season!

Now to the fishing: thirteen salmon/grilse have been declared since my last report. Unsurprisingly, the majority of these have been caught at the Dulnain Mouth. That now takes this season's total to 300. It stood at 322 at this point last season and 287 the season before that.

Fourteen sea-trout have been declared for the last few days. You will be aware that the sea-trout catches are well down on last season's.

The river has risen about 4 to 5 inches since early evening, yesterday . It's currently about 2 feet 3 inches.

Weatherwise, it should be bright and pleasant tomorrow but expect some rain around for Friday and the weekend.

Just a little piece of information for some of our European visitors. There is now a daily flight from Amsterdam to Inverness with Flybe. Have a look here to help you plan your next year's fishing break.

14.50, Monday 12th September 2011

Fifteen salmon/grilse have been declared since my last report, the majority of which were between 10 and 15 lbs.

Nine sea-trout have been declared for this same period.

The river level has risen a little overnight and is currently about 1 foot 4 inches. However, expect this to rise overnight with the impending rain.

Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast for the next 36 hours. Thereafter it may settle a little as we head towards the weekend with high pressure moving in.

13:30hrs, Wednesday 7th September 2011

Only four salmon and one sea-trout have been declared since my last report. This includes two salmon of 15 lbs and one of 10 lbs. I understand that there have not been many anglers and so that will have something to do with these figures.

Our salmon/grilse total for this season currently stands at 272; at this point last season it was 316.

The river level has risen by 6 inches overnight and is now about 1 ft 4 inches

The weather forecast is given is cool and showery. With the present forecast, expect Saturday to be the most pleasant day of the week. An early forecast suggests it may turn much cooler at the end of next week - so get your winter jackets ready!

Only 20 fishing days left of this season.

11:30 hrs, Monday 5th September 2011.

First of all, a wee apology. I've been a wee bit busy for the past couple of weeks which has meant a shortage of fishing reports. You will be pleased to hear that things are now back to normal and you can expect at least two reports each week.

The fishing has been fairly quiet with only seven salmon declared since my last report. Interestingly, none of these were grilse. It's been one of those seasons!

Thirteen sea-trout have been declared in this same period.

The river is running about 8 to 9 inches this morning, having fallen steadily since the near flood levels of last Monday.

Weatherwise, the outlook is an autumnal one. Expect it to remain cool was showers and increasing winds from the west.

Need I remind anyone that only 22 fishing days remain of this season?

That's as much as I can tell you for the moment but if I hear of any news, I'll post it here.

In the meantime, good luck and tight lines!

Jimmy Mitchell

16:00 hrs, Wednesday 31st August 2011.

Fourteen salmon / grilse have been declared since my last report. The heaviest of these weighed 15 lbs and was caught at Tarric Mor on fly.

A total of twelve sea-trout have been declared in this same period. Whilst on the subject of sea-trout, let me remind you that, as a conservation measure, this Association has banned the taking of any sea-trout during September. Inevitably some of you will land sea-trout and I would ask that you report these in the normal way.

If you have been down to the river recently, you are likely to have seen lots of fish. We are just about to enter the last month of this season which has frequently proved to be our most productive month, in terms of salmon catches. The heaviest fish of last season was landed in September; a salmon of at least 32 lbs caught by Peter Page at the Dulnain Mouth Pool.

The river level has been falling steadily from its high level on Monday, it's currently about 1 ft 2 inches.

Weatherwise, it's fairly dull and cool. You can expect some rain on Friday. Thereafter it should remain dry with a fair amount of sun.

22:30hrs, Thursday 25th August 2011

Sorry about the delay with this report. Alas, the river has been quiet with only four salmon / grilse declared this week. I am aware of just one other fish which was landed at the Long Pool this afternoon which I'm sure will be reported in due course.

Four sea-trout have been declared this week.

If you have been down to the river recently, you will have seen that it is full of fish. You just have to find that magic lure for them to take! In fact, I was down at one of the Brae Water beats today, (just above Fochabers). The river is also full of fish there, but they are playing hard to get. The Brae Water beats have also had quite a poor August.

The river rose about 1 inch this afternoon as a consequence of rain in the hills. It's currently running about 7 inches.

Weatherwise, tomorrow, (Friday), should be pleasant after a very cold start. There will be showers around in the afternoon. Now, if it's rain you're after, you will be pleased to learn that Saturday, Sunday and Monday are forecast to be very wet. It will remain dull and showery next week.

10:00hrs, Monday 22nd Aug 2011

Ten more fish were declared last week bringing the weekly total to 14 salmon / grilse. This included the largest fish of the season, to date; a fish of 27 lbs caught by local member John Davis, on fly in Tarric Mor. John returned the fish to the water.

It is worth while pointing out that John has recently enjoyed some good fishing on our waters. He landed a 20 lbs fish on the 12th of August and a 16 lbs fish on the 16th of August. Congratulations John!

As can be expected at this time of year, the sea-trout numbers have fallen back with only eleven declared for last week.

The river is running about eight inches this morning and although it's quite cool and cloudy at present, expect it to both brighten and warm up as we head through the day. The forecast for the week is fairly bright and warm with an occasional shower or two.

A fine sea-trout of about 6lbs landed & pictured by John Gray on the 30th June.

12:00hrs, Wednesday 17th August 2011

Six salmon have been declared since my last report, five of which were landed this week. This total includes fish of 14, 15 and 19 lbs. Only two of the total were grilse; let's hope that we see more of these.

Four sea-trout have also been landed this week.

The river level has been falling gradually since its flood level of nearly 5 feet last Thursday. It's running about 11 inches this morning.

Weatherwise, expect to see a fair amount of brightness with some showers for the next few days. Temperatures will become slightly more warm towards the weekend.

10:00hrs, Monday 15th August 2011

Surprisingly, only two more fish were declared for last week taking the total to fourteen. One of these fish weighed 20 lbs and two others weighed 14 lbs. Only three of the total were grilse which have been in very short supply, to date. I have heard reports of large numbers of grilse being seen below Aberlour. I also witnessed a sea-liced grilse being landed at Castle Grant on Friday, so perhaps all is not lost. Time will tell!

About twenty-five sea-trout were declared last week.

The river is running at a very decent 1 foot 4 inches this morning and is dropping slowly from its flood-levels of last week.

Weatherwise, it's bright and pleasant. There are showers around and expect it to be broadly similar for the rest of the week.

10:50hrs, Thursday 11th August 2011

Another 36 hours of rain within four days has produced flood conditions on the river. It's currently running at over 4 feet 7 inches, and although the rain has recently stopped, the river is still rising. If you do go near the river, please remember your life jackets.

With the high water at the start of the week, nine salmon /grilse were declared on Monday alone. Twelve have been declared for this week, so far. This figure includes two fish each at 14 lbs.

Fourteen sea-trout have been declared for the same period. Please remember to declare all sea-trout as reported catch numbers may have an impact on any future decision made about their conservation.

Weatherwise, expect it to remain fairly dull and cool with showers right through to Tuesday. On Wednesday, it is likely to become a lot brighter and warmer - just when the local kids have started back at school! I guess that was to be expected.

10:30 hrs, Monday 8th August 2011

Last week was fairly quiet on the river with few anglers and low water. Just six salmon/grilse were declared for the whole week. Seven sea-trout were also declared.

The big news this morning is that following over 36 hours of steady rain, the river is running high. It's just above 3 feet at the moment and is still rising. I guess that spinning will be the order of the day - and possibly will be for the next few days too! As you would expect, the river is fairly dirty with large clumps of weed floating down. You can see the river via the web-cam link, above.

That water is sure to get some fish moving and will hopefully encourage grilse to enter the river. As you may have realised, to date, there has been a drop in grilse and sea-trout numbers. The salmon numbers are now slightly below this point last season.

For the information of the visitors amongst you, the Cromdale side of the Long Pool tends to fish well with a spinner under such conditions with fish running upstream right at your feet - so you don't have to cast that far. Remember your life jackets!

Weatherwise, it's cool with a north to north-west wind. Expect some more showers throughout today and tomorrow. There is talk of another day of rain of Wednesday with slightly lesser amounts on Thursday and Friday too.

Some interesting news for you; the results of DNA testing which was carried out to establish the origin of adult salmon in the Spey has shown that very few rod-caught fish originate from the Spey Fishery Board's restocking programme. In fact, of the 558 rod caught salmon analysed, just 3 of these fish had originally been stocked by the SFB. That's about 0.5% meaning that of the 8626 salmon caught in the Spey in 2009, only about 40 of these fish would have been stocked by the SFB. I understand that these surprising figures will lead to a review. See the full article here.

10:45, Wednesday 3rd August 2011

A quick mid-week update for you this morning. Three salmon have been declared since my last report although only two of these were landed this week. The two this week were both around the 12 lbs mark and were both caught at the Dulnain Mouth Pool.

At this time of year when the water is low, the fish do tend to stack-up at the Dulnain Mouth and wait for some heavy water.

Just two sea-trout have been declared this week, so far.

The river his risen about 1 inch overnight because of rain over the hills and is currently running at 4 inches.

Weatherwise, it's warm and muggy and there may be some showers around for the next while. It is still forecast to turn much cooler on Sunday for the coming week.

I have managed to create a permanent link, (above), to the new web cam which has been erected close to the Old Spey Bridge. It gives a wonderful view of the river and enables you to view the river at the present time and also up to 24 hours previously. In doing so, I have removed the link to the BBC weather forecast which only covered Aviemore, was never too accurate and lacked detail. The link to the weather forecast provided by the Norwegian site remains. This site is far more accurate and detailed. I hope that you are not too sad about this!

10:00hrs, Monday 1st August 2011.

Since my last report to you of just over one week ago, nine salmon / grilse have been landed from our waters. The largest weighed 16 lbs and was caught at Inverallan on fly.

Thirty sea-trout have been declared for this same period.

The river is running a little low at only three inches this morning and there is no sign of heavy rain. Weatherwise, don't expect to see too much of the sun during the coming week. There will be occasional light showers. It could well turn quite cool by next Sunday.

10:50hrs, Friday 22nd July 2011

With very few people fishing, it comes as no surprise that only one salmon has been declared since my last report; that was a fish of 10 lbs from the Dulnain Mouth.

Eight sea-trout have been declared this week.

Conditions on the river are good; it's running steady at 10 inches this morning.

Weatherwise, it's cold, (10°C), with a northerly breeze. It has been raining this morning and expect more showers for the rest of the day. It is predicted that it will become more dry and bright over the weekend but the northerly wind will remain until Tuesday. Thereafter, it may become more mild and moist when the wind changes to the west.

I am afraid that this site will not be updated until Monday 1st August. However, there are links, above, to assist you with river levels and weather. Additionally, if you click here you will be able to see our catches on the FishSpey web site which will be updated by Graham at Mortimer's shop.

17:30 hrs, Tuesday 19th July 2011

Five salmon / grilse have been reported since my last report to you on Friday. The heaviest of these fish was 37 inches in length and estimated to have weighed 20 lbs. It was caught at Poll na Gower by local member, Dr. Boyd Peters, who also landed another salmon of 8 lbs and a couple of sea-trout on the same outing.

Five sea-trout have also been declared for this same period.

Our salmon / grilse total stands at 198 for this season, so far. This is marginally ahead of last year at this point.

The river level is currently about 1 foot 5 inches having dropped from its most recent peak of about 1 ft 10 inches yesterday.

Weatherwise, it's cool dull and damp; you could be forgiven for thinking that it's October. The latest weather predictions are that Thursday, Saturday and next Tuesday will be bright. Expect some rain on the other days! Temperatures are likely to become more normal from Sunday onwards.

17:00hrs, Friday 15th July 2011

It's good to be back with you - I hope that you have missed me!

Anyway, during the last two weeks the fishing conditions have been varied with low water up to the 6th of July and fairly high water thereafter. During this two week spell since my last report, a total of 37 salmon / grilse have been declared. I understand that the largest of these recent fish weighed about 16 lbs.

Seventy-nine sea-trout have also been declared including some reasonable specimens. Local member, John Gray caught a fine fish of around 6lbs during the last night of June. John has kindly sent us the below picture of the fish which was duly returned to the river.

The river last peaked at about 2 feet 6 inches on Monday and has been dropping steadily. It's presently about 9 inches.

Weatherwise, it seems that the wet spell is to continue with a considerable amount of rain this weekend, especially on Sunday, and showers for at least the next week. I expect that the river level will remain on the high side for the coming week.

If you have any photographs of your recent catches, please send them to us via our contact us page and I will do my best to post them on our site.

10:00hrs, Monday 27th June 2011

It remains dull and cool in Speyside, but never mind the weather because thirteen salmon/grilse have been declared since my last report, below. Another fish of 20 lbs was landed last week; it was caught and returned at Poll Caich. At least four of the recent fish were grilse. Our salmon catch currently stands at 156.

Seventeen sea-trout have been declared in this same period.

The river has been running steady at 7 inches for the last 24 hours having last peaked about 1 foot 10 inches on Friday.

Weatherwise, it's cool, dull and may rain occasionally today. Tomorrow it should be bright. Thereafter, it will be dull with occasional showers and unseasonably cool.

And finally..... it's that time of year again. I'm going to have a wee break for a couple of weeks which means that this site will not be updated until the 15th July.

17:00hrs, Thursday 23rd June 2011

Fifteen salmon have been declared for the last three days and this includes the heaviest fish of the season, so far, at 20 lbs. The fish was landed at the Lurg on Wednesday by visiting angler, Campbell Morrison.

Twenty-two sea-trout have also been declared for this same period, the heaviest of which weighed 6 lbs.

Our salmon catch for this season stands at 143, way ahead of this point last season where it stood at 113.

The big news is that following a couple of days of steady rain, the river level rose and peaked at just under 2 feet yesterday afternoon. It has been dropping slowly and is presently just over 1 foot. The heavy water has suited 'the spinners' who are responsible for landing most of the recent fish.

Weatherwise, we are still being plagued by frequent heavy showers and it's pretty cool too. Friday and Saturday are forecast to be bright with showers and thereafter expect more cloudy days with showers. The weather situation is a complicated one and the latest prediction is that summer may arrive on the 2nd of July!

As yet, I have not received any of your pictures this season. If you have managed to take a reasonable picture of any of your fish, please send them to me via the contact us page and I will try to post them here.

I am still hopeful that the sea-trout catches will continue to improve; from this date last season the numbers really increased. I was down at the river this morning and saw a lot of fish, (both salmon and sea-trout), on the move. Conditions are really excellent.

If I hear of any news, I'll let you know on this page.

17:20hrs, Monday 20th June 2011

A total of five salmon have been declared since my last report. Seven sea-trout have been declared in this same period.

It is fair to say that it has been quiet on the river for the past few days. We are in need of some rain. The river is running at only 3 inches; that's its lowest level, so far, this season.

Thankfully, rain is forecast for tomorrow which is mid-summer's day. The rain is forecast to last most of the day. Let's hope that it rains hard enough to lift the river level.

Weatherwise for the rest of the week, expect it to remain a bit cool with showers. There is a glimmer of hope that summer will arrive next Tuesday - but just for a day or so!!

13:00hrs, Friday 17th June 29011

A total of sixteen salmon have been declared since my last report, below. Just about every pool on our water has produced fish this week - so the fish are well spread out! The fish have weighed from 12 lbs down to 4.5 lbs.

Nine sea-trout have been caught during this same period. I am hopeful that we will see an increase in sea-trout numbers during the next couple of weeks.

Despite some localised heavy rain, the river has been running a little low at 4 inches for most of this week. There is a strong likelihood of prolonged rain tomorrow and the next week will remain largely cool with lots of showers - that makes a change!!

Just a little update on our internet ticket sales with Fishpal: this trial has now been extended to the end of this current season. There are commission charges involved with this which will be added to the cost of permits which are purchased on-line. Any person choosing to purchase a fishing permit for our Association from Fishpal must obtain a signed permit from Mortimer's shop before fishing. All other conditions remain the same.

Just a little reminder of the potential danger caused by Ticks and Lyme disease. This is a matter with which you should all make yourselves aware of; tick bites and Lyme disease. With the kind assistance of local member and GP, Dr Boyd Peters, I have produced an information report dealing with the facts and health risks associated with ticks and Lyme disease. Importantly, it contains information about when to seek medical assistance. This short and easy to read report, including photographs, is in pdf format and can be downloaded by clicking here.

17:00hrs, Saturday 11th June 2011

I thought it best to give you a short update now as I wont be around on Monday. The good news is that another fourteen salmon have been declared Since Thursday - the heaviest weighed 11 lbs. Tarric Mor has seen most of the recent action and our current salmon total stands at 107 which is ahead of this point last season.

Another ten sea-trout have also been declared - the heaviest weighed 5 lbs.

The latest weather information suggests that there will be no change in the weather during the next week - it will remain cool & cloudy which will be good for the fishing!

I expect that the river level will remain around the 5 to 6 inch mark during the next week.

Finally, just to repeat some recent news for you; as from 1st June, we will also be selling permits on-line via www.fishpal.com . This will be a trial for one month which may or may not be extended. There are commission charges involved with this which will be added to the cost of permits which are purchased on-line. Any person choosing to purchase a fishing permit for our Association from Fishpal must obtain a signed permit from Mortimer's shop before fishing. All other conditions remain the same.

11:40hrs, Thursday 9th June 2011

Some good news to report; sixteen salmon have been declared since my last report to you on Monday afternoon. This figure includes an 18lbs fish and a 5lbs fish. The Dulnain Mouth Pool has seen much of the recent action. The salmon catches are ahead of last year's at this time - we're currently at 93.

Nine sea-trout have been declared for this same period.

The river is running steady at about 6inches this morning having risen about 1 inch yesterday morning.

Weatherwise, would you believe that the forecast suggests it will remain cool and showery for the next nine days. This, of course, will be good for the fishing!

12:20hrs, Monday 6th June 2011

Six salmon and five sea-trout have been declared since my last report, below. Tarric Mor has been the scene of most of the recent action.

The river is running at 5 inches this afternoon have dropped steadily from its last peak of 2 feet 6 inches on Friday 27th May.

Weatherwise, it's cool and cloudy today. It is forecast to be the same tomorrow with the likelihood of light rain. Wednesday should be bright and then it's back to normal for the rest of the week with cool dull days and occasional showers.

If I hear of anything exciting, I'll let you know.

16:45hrs, Wednesday 1st June 2011.

There has been so much action down on the river that our catches our now marginally ahead of last year's.

Seventeen salmon have been declared since my report on Monday and this number includes many fish of double figures. The salmon have been caught throughout our waters.

Seven sea-trout have been declared for this same short period.

The river is running at about 1 foot and has dropped steadily since its peak of 2ft 6 inches on Friday.

Weatherwise, Thursday and Friday will be warm and bright. However, from Saturday onwards it will turn much cooler with prolonged showers or longer periods of rain from Sunday for the whole of the following week.

There has never been a better chance to catch a fresh salmon. The few people who are fishing are catching fish.

My next update will not be until Monday 6th June. Sorry about that!

10:30 Hrs, Monday 30th May 2011.

Two more salmon and one sea-trout have been declared since Thursday afternoon. I expected to hear of many more than that - lots of fish are being seen.

The river level is running at 1ft 3 inches this morning having peaked at 2ft 6 inches on Friday.

Weatherwise, it will be bright and largely dry as we head towards the weekend when it will be quite warm. However, next week it will return to normal when it will be cool with showers.

Expect to see more sea-trout as we head towards the first week of June.

16:00hrs, Thursday 26th May 2011.

There has been plenty of action during the past few days with the high water.

A total of twelve salmon have been declared since my last report, below. The heaviest of the salmon weighed 18lbs and was caught at the Dulnain Mouth Pool. Most of the other fish were into double figures.

Three sea-trout have also been caught during the same period, the heaviest of which weighed 6lbs and was caught at the Long Pool on spinner.

The river level is currently about 2 feet having peaked at over 3ft of Tuesday.

Weatherwise, it has been raining all day and it is cool at just over 8°C. It is forecast to remain cool and showery until next Wednesday.

So, whilst current conditions may not be ideally suited to the fly, the fishing is excellent.

12 noon, Monday 23rd May 2011.

Another five salmon and one sea-trout have been declared since Friday.

After some rain at the weekend, the river rose to about 1ft 8 inches on Sunday but is falling and is currently about 1ft 3inches. This ought to get fish moving and interested!

Today's weather in stormy with high winds and heavy showers of rain, sleet and hail.

It may be slightly more dry tomorrow but expect some rain later this week, particularly on Thursday which is currently forecast to be quite wet.

09:40hrs, Friday 20th May 2010.

The fishing has improved and five more salmon have been declared since Wednesday. I have always considered Bridge Pool to be under-fished but it has been producing many of the recent fish.

It has been cool overnight with prolonged heavy rain which has only just stopped. There will be some snow on the hill-tops. I have no up-to-date information but I suspect that the river is rising a little as I type this report.

The weather forecast for the next seven days is ideal for fishing; it will be cool, breezy at times with showers every day.

I think I can safely say that there will be plenty of action during the next few days - conditions are great! If you want to catch yourself a salmon, get down to the river and remember your life-jackets.

Quick update at 10:30hrs, Wednesday 18th May 2011.

Two more 12lbs fish declared since Monday. River at 5 inches, weather dull and cool, lots of fish being seen, conditions are good.

17:30hrs, Monday 16th May 2011.

You will be pleased to hear that the fishing is improving! Six salmon and one more sea-trout have been declared since my last report. There have been plenty of fish landed downstream and I'm sure that our own catches will improve steadily over the next few days.

The river is falling and is currently running about 6 inches, having peaked at about 9 inches on Sunday.

Weatherwise, expect some showers around for most of this week, except Wednesday.

10:15hrs, Friday 13th May 2011.

Just one more salmon to report which weighed 12lbs and was caught at Upper Bend on fly yesterday.

The first sea-trout of this season was caught at Poll Clach on Wednesday - we should be seeing increasing numbers of these as we head towards June.

The river peaked at just over 12 inches on Wednesday. I managed to get down to the river during that afternoon and witnessed many decent-sized fish running. Alas, they were more interested in travelling upstream than taking any lure. The river is running about 6inches this morning.

Weatherwise; expect cool days and showers as we head into next week.

10:15hrs, Tuesday 10th May 2011

The river peaked at about 9 inches yesterday and is currently running at about 5 inches. The extra water has not shown immediate improvements to the catches with only one fish declared since my last report; however, it will have encouraged more fish to move.

The weather has become a little more 'normal'. It is now more cool and rain is forecast for nearly everyday during the next week.

I'm afraid that's all the news I have for you at the moment.

13:20hrs, Thursday 5th May 2011

Two salmon have been declared since my last report, both of which were landed at the Dulnain Mouth on worm.

It has been desperately quiet with the river running at only 2 inches for most of this week. It has been quiet immediately downstream from our waters too.

As I type this report, it is raining! It has been raining lightly for about an hour and is expected to rain lightly for the next 12 hours or so. We may also receive some light showers on Friday and Saturday. This light rain may not make a great deal of difference to the river level because the ground is so dry, but let's hope for the best.

According to the Norwegian weather forecast for Grantown, we can expect some heavy and prolonged rain from next Wednesday right through to next Saturday. Now that will improve the fishing!

That's about as much as I can tell you for the moment. If I hear of any news, I'll post it here.

17:00hrs, Monday 2nd May 2011.

I have been holding back with this report in the hope that I might have some exciting news for you. Alas, not today!

A total of five salmon have been declared since my last report. Four of these have been caught on worm.

We are in great need of heavy rain. The river level is running steady at only 3 inches and there is no prospect of rain until Thursday at the earliest. Even then, we may only receive some light rain as we head into the weekend.

Fish are being seen, but in these bright conditions with low water conditions, they are proving a little hard to tempt. However, your perseverance may be rewarded!!

09:30hrs, Tuesday 26th April 2011

You may have heard the sad news of the death of another angler on the Spey last week at Orton. Please be careful on the river and remember to wear your life-vests.

I had hoped that I would have some good news for you about catches. Alas, it's been very quiet with only one fish declared since my last report - that was a fish of 8lbs at Lower Bend on Saturday. Interestingly, our present total of thirteen fish was exactly the same on this date last year.

It has been fairly quiet immediately downstream from our water too and although the recent weather has been pleasant, we do need some rain. There is still some snow on the mountains but that wont last very much longer under present conditions.

Weatherwise, there is no immediate prospect of rain. The bright and sunny conditions are set to continue for another week. It was frosty last night and we can expect more night-time frosts this week.

The River Level page from FishSpey has not been updated since Thursday. If you can make use of it, the SEPA page can be found by clicking here.

That's about as much as I can tell you for the moment. If I hear of anything interesting, I'll let you know here.

In the meantime,

12 noon, Friday 22nd April 2011.

The weather is particularly pleasant here in Speyside, however the fishing has gone a little quiet. I guess that we can't have both! Since my last report, one salmon has been declared. A fish of 10lbs was landed at Poll Clach yesterday.

I am aware that the beats immediately below us have also had a very quiet week although one fish of about 9lbs was landed yesterday evening on the beat adjacent to our own water.

With all of this pleasant weather, the river level has remained at 6 inches since Monday. There may be some light rain tonight and tomorrow but expect it to be largely dry for the next week.

3.30pm, Tuesday 19th April 2011

A total of five salmon were declared on Saturday, the largest of which weighed 10lbs. This figure also includes two fish at 6lbs each.

Another fish of 9lbs was caught yesterday.

The river has been running fairly steady around the 6 or 7 inch mark for the last 24 hours and is looking very good - especially now that the salmon have arrived!

The weather forecast for the next week is perfectly pleasant but might be a little too bright for perfect fishing. Never mind, enjoy it whilst the sun is shining!

The more astute amongst you will have noticed that I have added four new interactive buttons, (above), which will take you directly to your chosen weather forecast, river level and weekly river report pages. I am sure that you will get used to these new buttons which I intend to keep at the top of this page.

10.15hrs, Saturday 16th April 2011.

One fish of 8lbs landed from the Lurg this morning.

09.30hrs, Friday 15th April 2011.

Two more fresh salmon have been declared since my last report. A fish of 11 lbs was landed at Little Stream on Wednesday and a fish of 7 lbs was landed at Poll Clach on Monday.

I am also able to tell you that the beats immediately below us have seen a fair amount of action this week and this would tend to suggest that there will be plenty of fish in our own waters too. Conditions are very good and with the water temperature rising a little I expect that we will hear of more action during the coming few days.

The river has been running steady at about 12 inches for the last 24 hours.

Weatherwise, the long-term forecast for the next week or so seems to be perfectly good with an odd April shower here and there.

Click here for news about catches from other beats on the river.

If I hear of any news, I will post it here. In the meantime, if you want to catch a salmon, get down to the river!

Monday 11th April 2011.

Just a very quick update for you. A 9lbs salmon was landed from the Long Pool on Saturday. The fish was caught by local member Ray Barrett on spinner. Also, I am reliably informed that another fresh fish was landed somewhere near to Inverallan, also on Saturday, but as yet there is no official report.

The river is currently running at a very nice 1 foot 3 inches and has been dropping steadily since its peak on Thursday. Fishing conditions should be good for the rest of this week.

Weatherwise, expect some April showers and bright spells this week with average temperatures. Early indications are that it may turn colder next week. If you are wondering where this information comes from, have a look at www.yr.no where a nine day forecast is provided by some very help Norwegian meteorologists. This site does seem to be a little more accurate than the BBC site.

Friday 8th April 2011.

The second fish of our season was declared yesterday. It was a fresh 8 pounder and was caught in the Long Pool on spinner by local member Dave Woodcock.

I am aware that at least six fresh fish which have been landed immediately downstream of the association water during the last 7 days. This number includes fish of 18 and 16 pounds and nearly all of these fish have been sea-liced. So there can be no doubt that the fish have arrived - as per my prediction!

Alas, the weather has been more wet than predicted and the river level peaked at about 3 feet 6 inches yesterday. It has now dropped and is currently about 2 feet 6 inches.

Weatherwise, it's been a beautiful warm and bright afternoon here in Grantown and is forecast to be slightly warmer tomorrow. Expect some rain for the first half on next week and then it will probably turn a little cooler.

Click here for news about catches from other beats on the river.

I note that the Spey Fishery Board's 2010 Annual Report is now available online. You can view it by clicking here. I have managed to acquire a wee bit of information from the Spey Fishery Board about the 2010 season on the Spey. A total of 9200 salmon/grilse were caught, of which 81% were released. A total of 3300 sea-trout were also declared, of which 68% were returned.

A total of 579 sea-trout were declared from our Association waters last season making up just over 17.5% of the whole River Spey sea-trout catch.

The largest declared salmon weighed 36lbs and was caught on the Delfur beat. This fish was returned alive and was the largest salmon caught and returned in the whole of Scotland last season. You can read more about this fish by clicking here.

A page of the Tay Fishery Board's website dealing with 'the types of salmon runs', may be of interest to you. You can have a wee look at it by clicking here.

Just a wee reminder for new visitors who may be interested in fishing our waters. There is no need to book, however you will need to purchase a permit from Mortimer's, (with cash or cheque only), before casting a line.