Cargill beat-River Tay Kelt lying in Potshot

This Kelt is lying in slack water at the edge of the Pot shot today. Hopefully there has been successful spawning this year . Time will tell whether the extreme winter conditions during the peak lower river spawning period had any effect.

Cargill beat- River Tay Reminders of summer

A couple of photos from June last year looking upstream towards the railway bridge and downstream accross the lower beat.

 

 

Cargill beat- River Tay Frozen river

Upper Cargill today with ice stretching halfway accross the river. The flowing channel is also heavy with floating ice. Daytime temperatures on the river bank are barely scraping to -10c, and dropping to -14c at night.

 

 

Cargill beat- River Tay Coaster breaking through the ice

A coaster breaking through the ice on the Tay in Perth today. The river is freezing readily as temperatures again drop below -10c.

Willowgate path to Perth

The pathway between Perth and the Willowgate has been upgraded. Remember to pay close attention to the signs regarding the tides as this path will remain difficult to pass during high water.

Cargill beat- River Tay More pics from 2010 season

 

 

 

 

Cargill beat- River Tay Some crackers from the 2010 season

 

 

 

Cargill beat- River Tay Bridge stream

Pic today of bridge stream on upper Cargill. We were out collecting more fish for board hatchery. More kelts around today as spawning picks up pace. Also the fallen beech tree from the river.

Cargill beat- River Tay Broodstock video

Jim and Ally into fish this morning during broodstock fishing for TDSFB hatchery.

Cargill beat- River Tay Broodstock fishing

A couple of pics of big hens caught during broodstock collection. While these fish are very silver the extended vents mean these fish are close to being ready for spawning. High quality fishing in Decemeber. Today we added another 15 fish to the hatchery stock with a good mix of sizes. Holding these fish is Tay Salmon staff member David Gardner.

On this picture below you can make out a well healed seal mark

Cargill beat- River Tay Broodstock fishing for TDSFB hatchery.

We fished Cargill today for hatchery broodstock. We landed 40 salmon and 1 kelt. Biggest fish were 23 and 24lb. Interestingly half were not suitable as they were too fresh. Some with sea lice marks.

Cargill beat- River Tay Sea trout on the fly

We have been getting a decent sea trout run on the Tay during June and July and pick up a few fly fishing for salmon.
This one smacked a sunray just on darkness

 

The 4lb sea trout was hooked in the cradle on holo cascade

 

A bright fish from the lower beat

 

Another one on the holo cascade from the bridge stream

 

Winter jobs- preparing for brood stock fishing

We moved a boat from willowgate to Cargill in preparation for collecting mature salmon for the TDSFB hatchery next week.

Cargill beat- River Tay Photos from today.

Another pic of the grue and the fallen tree

Cargill beat- River Tay Grue forming in the freezing temperatures

Ice forms on the river bed and floats to the surface flowing down the river as grue. Also in this video can be seen a huge beech tree which has fallen at the top of the manse bay. We worked today removing some of the limbs opening the path up the river bank.

Cargill beat- River Tay Winter jobs- painting boats.

Every winter our river cobbles get a coat of paint. Today they were getting pinked just leaving the gunnels needing a coat before they are ready for the new season.

Cargill beat- River Tay. More winter scenes

Rumbling stone and Beech tree yesterday.

Cargill beat- River Tay Pot shot

Famous pot shot pool in the snow today.

Cargill beat- River Tay Winter scenes

Some winter shots from the Tay valley this week.

Cargill beat- River Tay Sea licers from summer 2010

 

 

 

 

Cargill beat- River Tay Fluckie windlass

Cargill beat- River Tay. This is a peice of machinery from the Tay's past. This windlass was a mechanised method of working nets. This one is stamped "Fluckie" fishing station which is at Kinfauns and we make use of it for maintenance work around the trout fishery.

 

Cargill beat. river tay. river temperatures dropping.

Recent frosts will be encouraging the start of spawning. Hopefully after the good autumn there will plenty of activity on the lower river. Spawning salmon become more active when temperatures drop. The cold weather also means clear water making it a good time to spot fish.

Cargill beat- River Tay February springer

Cargill beat- River Tay A Feburary fish from the 2010 season.

 

Cargill beat- River Tay End of season report

The 2010 season began in the coldest winter to hit Scotland for 60 years. With temperatures falling regularly to -10 ̊c in the daytime and -16 ̊c during the night. Snow and ice lay thick on the ground and the river was on its bare bones and crystal clear. The opening day saw lots of kelts and a few baggots. January didn’t produce any springers this year. February saw similar conditions to January with water levels hovering around 1ft and temperatures down to 1 ̊c or even 0.5 ̊c. The first spring fish fell to head ghillie David Godfrey in the Pot Shot head on a Flying c. The sea liced fish weighed in at 8lb. Another was landed by Bobo Forrest on the 20th in the Rumbling stone. The 15lb sea licer was hooked on a pink and pearly kynoch. Both fish were returned safely to the river. March saw a lot of well mended kelts with plenty coming to the fly but only 1 springer landed by local fisher Jim Davidson in the Saugh bush on a devon. April and May saw an increase in fish numbers with 9 landed during April and 24 during May with hook-ups on the fly more regular. Fish landed at this time of year are always sea liced and are hooked as they travel quickly upriver to loch Tay. The river was now truly at summer level with the ledges and lies all visible in the clear water. Martin Ferry and McElroy had a brace of 15lbers from the bridge stream. Jim Lowe had a lovely 12lber fly fishing the bridge stream. Ben and Ed Thomson landed 3 in their 2 days all on tobies. June always arrives with the anticipation of some good summer fishing, especially with the river low and clear. 20 salmon were landed for the month. Biggest fish fell to David Godfrey with a 24lb sea licer from the cradle on a floating minnow. The water was a quite pet stained as any rainfall was in the west of the catchment. Despite the colour fish came regularly to the fly with full floating lines and dressed flies most effective. The grilse run started in June this year with well conditioned fish around the 4lb mark being caught regularly. July saw 27 fish for the month with good summer conditions keeping fly fishing productive. Pods of grilse ran regularly throughout daytime with the prospect of a big summer fish always there. Gillian Anderson landed her first and second ever salmon on the 3rd. The middle of the month saw a flood which encouraged a lot of fish into the river. Fortunately the river level dropped quickly and the fish kept running making for good sport. Angus Johnson’s party ended the month landing 12 with all but 1 on the fly. August was an even more productive month and fish numbers began to increase steadily. Rivers levels dropped back to summer levels again but stayed slightly peat stained with some summer rain in the west of the catchment. Fish were caught every day throughout the month with the fly accounting for many of them in the low conditions. The month ended with 73 salmon and grilse which is the best August since 2006. Good conditioned grilse continued to show up with plenty of large summer fish to test the rods. Autumn came with the promise of great fishing and it didn’t disappoint. With 263 salmon and grilse landed during September and October it was an excellent 6 weeks of sport. It was the best autumn on Cargill for 10 years. We regularly enjoyed double figure catches as numbers of running fish increased every week. 20lb plus fish were being caught every week and towards the end of the autumn we catching them almost every day. Best day of the year was on the 2nd of October when we landed an amazing 21 fish to 4 rods plus another 20 hooked and lost. As well as lots of big fish being encountered most of them were sea liced. The season culminated on the lower beat with Alistair Sheach landing the biggest fish of the Tay for 5 years. We hooked it in the Cobble croy on a flying c and it weighed in at just over 34lb. The season finished with 419 salmon and grilse which is the most productive season since 2006. Hopes are high for another good season next year and we look forward to seeing you all soon.
Tight lines
Mike

Cargill beat- River Tay Autumn floods

Cargill beat- River Tay. The start of the autumn floods on Tayside.

 

Cargill beat- River Tay 34lb hen on lower Cargill

Cargill beat- River Tay It was a great last day of the 2010 season as the Tays biggest fish of the year was landed on Lower Cargill. It is also the biggest fish of the beat for years and caps a very good season. I was hooked by myself and landed by Alistair Sheach in the Cobble croy. It was hooked on a flying c and was safely returned after a few photos. Apologies for the quality of the the photos as we rushed to get the fish back into the water. Another 3 fish were also landed today including 1 on the fly.