STEADY START TO P.A.C. FISHINGS

A rapid rise in temperature and falling water saw a lot of fish on the move through the ladder today. Stuart Humphreys got his season started after having lost any fish he had connected to on previous visits this year. The fish ( Pictured ) was estimated around 9lb and was caught on a Park Shrimp. Davy Stewart continued his good run with a fresh fish around 10lb on Shrimp Pattern.    JK

TEAM PLAY

Father and son duo Thomas Andrew senior and Thomas Andrew jnr regular visitors to the Dam beat were our only success today. Thomas snr 20lb on Gold Cascade and Thomas jnr 15lb on Toby. I spoke to Thomas snr before he left and he told me although some fish were showing early on he fished down the top two pools with no interest. Plan B was put into operation to send Jnr down with the Toby which was met with success just below the marker pool. Thomas Snr said with a grin on his face young Thomas seemed to have woken them up as he hooked into the big one on a size 9 double at his back. Both left without even fishing Potnacraig bank very contented anglers. Late report of another fish in the late afternoon for Graeme Lightbody with a 9lb fish on fly.   JK

P.A.C. RETURNS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

Thursday at the Dam and Davy Stewart continued his excellent season with two more fish at 8lb and 16lb on shrimp patterns. Visitor Richard Bond also had a successful day with two for 6lb and 10lb on Yellow Ally Varient. Another fish around 16lb was also caught and I am waiting for the return to confirm. Sawmill also had Steve Watt pick up a fish of 8lb on Cascade. Friday at the Dam was all Steve Watt with three fish in the morning of 6lb-9lb and 12lb ( pictured ) caught on Cascade-- Grainhead Willie Gunn and Grainhead Shrimp special. Steve also managed to let two escape. On Sawmill today Ally Gowans had one around 8lb in the morning. Graeme Stewart also reported an 8lb fish from Sawmill on Cascade. Good to see you back on the river Graeme after your jaunt to the other side of the world.  JK

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY ROLL OF HONOUR

Tuesday morning on Portnacraig John Dent landed our only fish during the day session with a fish of 13lb on fly. Steve Watt and Gordon Nichol had one apiece at 8lb and 12lb on Cascade in the evening. Early Wednesday morning and Calum McRoberts managed a couple of hours on his way to work at Bruar. Calum had three fish at 8lb--13lb and 20lb on a Vision plug bait from Pitlochry bank. Well done Calum a tremendous start to the day. Evening session started with Steve Watt getting one of 10lb on Cascade and an early return home to Perth having caught 2 this week in the evening. New club member Michael Low (Well known International Trout angler ) finished our catches with a lovely fresh 9lb fish on Pitlochry bank.     JK

A NEW WEEK AT THE DAM BEATS

Steve Watt got our returns started this week with another great effort. Steve landed three fish this morning before 9am all on Grainhead special Willie Gunn and his usual sink tip set up. The sizes were estimated at 12lb--12lb and 13lb. On Sawmill early this morning Calum McRoberts got his week under way with a fresh in 9lb fish on Vision 120.

Port-na-Craig before the dam was built

This is what our river looked like before Pitlochry Dam was built in the 1940's

GREAT FINISH TO THE WEEK

Late report this morning of a fish last night from Portnacraig at 11lb for Les Dargie. Today Davy Stewart had another great day with fish from both banks at 12lb and 20lb on shrimp patterns.Iain Wood completed our returns this week with a fish of 9lb on a Gold bodied Willie Gunn from Pitlochry bank. Our catch returns are beginning to look a lot healthier.   JK

FRIDAY TUMMEL RETURNS

Regular visitors to the dam beats Mark Currie --Rory Macnab---and Matthew Currie kept our catch return up today with three fish. Matthew missed out this week having caught three himself last May around this time. Rory had two today at 6lb and 12lb on flying c and the larger fish on fly (Posh Tosh). Mark had there other fish at 10lb on Flying c.Well done lads another good effort. Jim Fisher had our other fish today estimated at 10lb on Park Shrimp. Pictured is Roger Collins with a lovely fish from last week.  JK

CATCHES SPREAD AT THE DAM

Great to see catches spread amongst the anglers today. Top rod today was that old angler from Fife Neil MacLellan with three fish of 12lb-12lb and 8lb. Two fish on shrimp patterns and one on spinner.I was taken aback this morning when that old tobacco tin was not to be seen!. Instead an old plastic box had taken its place which seemed to spring open voluntarily and I am sure an Ally Shrimp went for a swim unattached. I was told the old tobacco tin was laid to rest following a severe bout of rigour rust and had I any replacements. Gordon Nichol continued his success with two fish of 11lb and 12lb both on Willie Gunn. Alan Greene was also in on the action with the best of the day at 14lb on shrimp fly. Charlie McGhee ( Sirriousblack ) got his second in two days with an 12lb fish on Gold Toby. With the figures showing through the dam I think a big proportion of the fish arriving are being caught. Sawmill produced two today with an 8lb fish for Ally Gowans early in the morning and tonight a beautiful sea-licer of 11lb for Innes Smith.  JK

FIRST SALMON

Steve Watt with his best fish of the day

Portnacraig produced our only catch on Monday. That did not matter a jot to John Walker who landed his first Salmon ever a lovely fish estimated at 18lb caught on a Silver Toby. This morning fairly early Portnacraig bank produced two fish for Steve Watt around about 8-9lb mark. Both were caught on Grainhead specials Willie Gunn. Late morning and Steve Watt has landed another two fish this time on floating devon estimated at 10lb and 16lb. Early afternoon and I watched as Charles Mc Ghee ( Sirriousman ) played a superb fish on Portnacraig bank estimated at 18lb on a Silver Toby. The buzz from Charles was good to see. Late afternoon and Steve reported his fifth fish of the day from Pitlochry bank on the same Willie Gunn tube this time estimated at 15lb. Well done Steve I think somebody up there was looking after you today.    JK

FULL HOUSE

Despite high and pretty dirty water our visitors from Perth gave it a good try . Mid morning and the only encouraging sign was a follow from a fish to the Flying C. Before lunch on Portnacraig as the water showed a little bit of clarity Stuart Mc Arthur kept up our catch rate for the week with a fish of 8lb on a Junction Shrimp. This was the only catch today despite Stuart losing a fish in the afternoon and a fish lost on Portnacraig almost at the side in the afternoon. Pictured are the Perth boys Graham and Malcolm Fyfe along with Stuart Mc Arthur.   JK

RETURNS CATCHUP

With no internet connection yerterday I had no idea of the catches. It was after lunchtime today before catches were known and placed on Fishpal ect. Early yesterday before I left for Inverness my neighbour intimated there was a man in Sawmill fishing with a collar and tie on !.  Aye that will be Calum Mc Roberts.  Its nice to add a bit of class to the angling club. Calum duly obliged with a fish of 8lb. Well done Calum its nice to see a cheerful face early morning. I missed out yesterday not getting to the Dam beats when another two fish were caught on Pitlochry bank by well known Tay ghillie Bobby White and first time visitor Curtis Brunker at 11lb and 18lb respectively.( Bobby is the good looking one on the right ).  This afternoon despite the river level rising rapidly, club member Mr Roger Collins continued his good fortune recently with a beautiful fish of 20.5lb from Portnacraig on the same tube fly of his own design. I think Roger you will have to put a name to it.   JK

HILL LOCHS TROUT THAWED OUT

After the exceptionally long and hard winter in the hills this year,I am glad to report that both lochs are shaping up well.Boat and Bank anglers on Bhac have reported good catches of rainbows.On Kinardochy two regular visiting anglers had an excellent day landing 16 brown trout the largest being 3lbs 8oz and all were safely returned to the water.Clan Chief and Greenwell were the flies doing the business that day.The weather forecast for next week shows daytime temperatures more consistently in double figures so all signs are very encouraging. IB

Lower Tummel Salmon Fishing - July and August

STOP PRESS - We are pleased to announce that salmon fishing on the Lower River Tummel during July and for most of August which is prime time for grilse and summer salmon can be booked online from our website at the attractive price of £27 per rod per day for visitors (no additional VAT!).

Book this attractive beat soon to avoid disappointment!

DAM RETURNS UPDATE

Charlie Hammond with his brother Patrick's fish safely in the net prior to release.

Yesterday morning on Pitlochry bank Patrick Phelan caught two lovely fresh fish on Flying C both weighed in net at 16lb and 10lb. In the afternoon another fish estimated at 7lb was landed again on Pitlochry bank spinning.



Ross Gardiner releasing fish netted for him by Charlie Hammond

Today Pitlochry bank produced the first of our catches with a lovely fish of 15lb on a purple dressed tube for Patrick Hammond . In the afternoon Ross Gardiner had a fish of 11lb on Toby from Portnacraig. Ross has the best ratio of fish caught to hours fished I know. Tonight the usual suspects fished the Dam with Jim Fisher getting the biggest fish of the day estimated at 18lb on Pitlochry bank. Davy Stewart continued his good run with another fish from Portnacraig estimated at 10lb on a shrimp style pattern.    JK

OUR BEST DAY AT THE DAM THIS SEASON

Today for the first time this season I could see fish showing all over the beat and felt catches could be good. Davy Stewart had a great day with three fish in the morning at 8lb-13lb- 9lb and another superb fish of 16lb in the afternoon all on shrimp patterns. As the evening session was about to open first on the scene was Les Dargie on Pitlochry bank and I anticipated more to come. Les never lets you down and reported another two fish of 7lb and 12lb on a willie gunn tube. Gordon Nichol was the last in on the action with a fish of 11lb. What a great start this week.    JK

GOOD WEEK ON TUMMEL

Garry Watson finished a good week at the Dam beats with a fish of 15lb caught on a Orange Dominator tube. I think this is one of the newish UV patterns. Also on Sawmill yesterday new club member Colin Timmins had his first Spring fish of 10lb on a Rapala. Gordon Nichol kept things ticking over with a 9lb fish in Sawmill on a Cascade. Lets see what this week brings.   JK

BANK MAINTENANCE WORK

Group of members trimming back on the Sawmill Beat bank.

Jimmy Ross (on the left) and Dave Stewart, again working on the Sawmill bank.

Club work parties organised by Jimmy Ross, the Club President, did an excellent job today in trimming back bankside vegetation below the dam and on the Members’ Sawmill Beat.

TUMMEL RETURNS

A regular visitor on the Tummel in springtime Stuart Clements started our days catch on Portnacraig bank with a fish around 7lb in the morning. Its been a fairly good week for Stuart as I heard he had a 16lb fish on West Haugh on Tuesday. In the afternoon on Portnacraig bank club member Mr Roger Collins had success with a 12lb fish on a tube fly of his own design. Tonight on the same bank Davy Stewart had a fish of around 9lb on a dressed fly a kind of Sparkly Allys. Last night Brian Joseph reported a 8lb fish in Sawmill on a Vision 110.    JK

LATEST RETURNS

Last night in Sawmill Ross Glover opened his account with a fish of 13.5lb on a Yellow flying C. This morning on Pitlochry bank John Paton had one about 15lb on a Fluorescent red tube. Davy Mac Pherson also had one about 9lb on the opposite bank in the morning on a Gold bodied Willie Gunn. Late afternoon Ally Gowans got a fish around 6lb on a Black and Yellow tube. Tonight Steve Watt caught the fish opposite estimated at 16lb on a tube from his S/W  Collection. We are having a good week so far apart from three broken rods.   JK

TUMMEL RETURNS ON THE INCREASE

Early this morning Innes Smith started our day with a fish of 18lb in Sawmill on a Monkey pattern. While at the Dam beat Steve Watt had two fish early on. The first fish at 11lb and the second a magnificent 21lb both caught on a Willie Gunn from Portnacraig. The weather conditions got steadily worse and Steve changed tactics and on went the spinning gear with that old friend on the end (Pictured). The change produced another two fish before lunch both 12lb. In the afternoon Iain Mc Laren gave a good demonstration of casting in the gale force wind and was duly rewarded with a lovely 10lb fish on a Monkey dressing.  JK

GREAT START TO OUR WEEK

 A great start at the Dam beat with three fish caught and another lost after a great tussle of around fifteen minutes. First fish of the day was caught by Calum Mc Roberts on a Monkey pattern and was estimated at 8lb. (Pictured ) Next up was that old stalwart Davy Stewart with a magnificent fish estimated at 18lb on a Willie Gunn. Both fish caught on Pitlochry bank. Early tonight Jimmy Ross got in on the action with a fish of 10lb on a Willie Gunn from Portnacraig bank. Sawmill produced a 9lb fish for Ally Gowans today. I heard West Haugh also got a couple of fish today. At last it looks as if fish are coming our way.   JK

2013 COUNT AT PITLOCHRY DAM NOW 2

The counter in the salmon ladder at Pitlochry Dam just above our Dam (Portnacraig Pitlochry) Beat now shows 0002 (at 1115 pm on April 20). These two salmon went past the counter today. It is good that the water has warmed enough for salmon to be able to move from the river below the dam into and up the ladder.

Now that salmon are on the move up the ladder, please click on the Pitlochry Dam fish ladder counter link for an up to date counter reading

ANTI---CLIMAX

The anticipated rise in water level raised hope of things to come this last week. The results were not great!  On Monday we had a 10lb fish caught by Martin Schaffield on a Black & Yellow tube ( Portnacraig ) and two fish lost. Tuesday-Wednesday- Thursday the river was very unsettled, rising and falling continuously.Friday was a little better as the water level began to fall and two fish were caught on Toby spoons. Sawmill on Friday saw Innes Smith get his season under way with a fish estimated at 12lb on a Monkey pattern. Today Davy Stewart had success on both banks of the dam beat with fish of 9 & 12lb on a Black & Orange tube. Lets hope we have further success from now on with the change in climate. News Flash Hip Hip Hooray " El Presidente " was back in action at the Dam last night.     JK

Important Reminder - Monofilament & Litter.

15m of line recovered from rocks at the water's edge.
A serious threat to wildlife.

Most anglers are responsible nature lovers who care for our countryside however some could perhaps just exercise a little more care in the disposal of monofilament line and in setting up their tackle so that if breakage occurs only the minimum amount of material is left in the river and about its surroundings. Breaking strain of terminal traces and leaders should be significantly less than that of the main line to ensure that worst only a short length of mono will be lost. Several justified complaints regarding mono debris about the river have been made, entangled birds and animals can suffer a lingering death or serious injury, please comply this reminder of the conditions under which permits are sold. (see PAC Rules).

Please ensure that you do not discard line or other litter about the countryside, assist by removing any that you find and dispose of it in a safe and appropriate manner.

Thank you in anticipation of your help with this matter.

OOR GORDIE

Our Sawmill " Heron " Gordon Nichol caught and released a magnificent Salmon on Saturday just before lunch. Gordon took measurements before returning the fish. The Chart Rating suggests 22lb. The fish fell to that old standby the Cascade. Well done Gordon you deserved that one. Today the Tummel has risen over 4ft, so lets hope a few more fish come our way.  JK

LOCH PERMIT UPDATE

Loch Kinardochy is at long last clear of ice and will be open for fishing from April 15. 

Loch Bhac still in the grip of ice April 13

Loch Bhac access is impossible but if the weather warms as currently forecast  and the roads improve it is hoped that we will be able to open the loch on April 22. If you have made a booking for any date prior to April 22 please contact us on 07541404048 for advice.

Loch Broom road - stuck!

The road to nowhere!

Members only fishing.  The road to Loch Broom is still blocked with snow and opening has been further postponed until April 22 and hopefully the snow will have gone by then.

These dates are subject to change and updates will appear here.

PORTNACRAIG SALMON RETURN TODAY

Early afternoon on Portnacraig bank and John Knox saved a blank day with a beautiful fresh fish about 15lb caught on a Silver and Green Toby. The weather forecast for next week brings a bit of optimism with a rise in temperature and maybe a bit of rain.    JK

LOCAL ANGLER STRIKES AGAIN

Last night on Pitlochry bank new club member Jim Fisher doubled his catch return at the Dam with a lovely fresh fish about 14 - 15lb on the dreaded Tummel Monkey.  JK

DAM RETURNS

Rob Fairclough releasing his fish

Yesterday on Portnacraig bank Robert
Fairclough had a nice fish estimated at 8lb on a Yellow Ally Shrimp.

In the evening local angler Jim Fisher reported a 12lb fresh fish on Pitlochry bank on a Tummel Monkey while just down to try out a new line ( aye that old chestnut ). Well done Jim that gets your Tummel season started.   JK

FREEZE CONTINUES!

With no let up of the exceptionally cold weather forecast to last through this week, again opening of our lochs has had to be delayed and it is hoped that by April 14 conditions may have improved sufficiently to proceed. Even after access is possible it is likely to take several days for the ice to melt. Conditions will be regularly reviewed and updates issued. 

There is no truth in the rumour that the delay is due to filming a Scottish series of Ice Road Truckers. Conditions are too bad for that!

Holders of permits issued for dates prior to April 14 should contact the Club ASAP for advice.

Loch Kinardochy ice rink!

Happy Easter - latest efforts to keep cormorants off Loch Kinardochy appear to have been successful!
Picture by Jimmy Ross, 28 March 2013 

LATE PITLOCHRY DAM REPORT

Late afternoon yesterday after almost two days fishing Brothers Barry and Terry Newport opened our account for the week with two liced fish of 12lb and 9lb respectively. Both caught on Flying C. Our total so far stands at a meagre 11 fish at the Dam compared to 30 this time last year. The exceptional low water and extreme cold conditions are surely the cause. Low Tay beats are enjoying a great start to their season in these conditions and we cannot grudge them that. I anticipate with a rise in temperature we will have good catches in the next couple of months.    JK

FREEZE on LOCH BOOKINGS!

Exceptionally cold and inclement weather is currently forecast to extend into the first week of April 2013. Our lochs are currently partly frozen, access to them is  to say the least hazardous and delivery of the boats is impossible meantime. Consequently we have postponed opening Lochs Bhac, Kinardochy and Broom at least until April 8th in the hope that the weather will improve sufficiently by then. Please however assist by delaying bookings until we can confirm that access is possible. If you have already booked permits between April 1 and April 8 and we have not been in touch with you regarding the situation please contact us for a remedy.

Updates will be posted on the NEWS pages to keep you informed. 

FUND RAISING EVENT ON RESCOBIE

Please click on the poster to see a larger version

Pitlochry Angling Club member and Scottish Ladies Internationalist Kathleen Shepherd is running a competition on Rescobie on 20 April in aid of the team competing in Ireland in June. A very good cause, and it should be a good day out too. We are hoping some of our visitors and members might take part.

The competition is from 9 am - 5 pm, catch and release. Cost £25 per person. Breakfast and lunch included - hot rolls and coffee before the start, and a lunch around 1 pm. Some good prizes have been donated, and there will also be a raffle.

To book your place, contact Kathleen on kathleenshep@talktalk.net or phone her on 07909000158