Tay - Ballathie

[Peter Terndrup]

Hi;

Anyone who has experience with this beat: Ballathie for spring fishing..

[altmor]

It can be average to ok for spring fish - better late summer and back end. The Hotel I believe, control the lettings at this time of year, and give preference to those staying in the hotel. Not a daft idea, I know, if your traveling for a few day's fishing, but infuriating if you're reasonably close to the river and don't intend to stay over.

Nice Hotel all the same, and the food - very good.

[Fruin]

I've only fished it once. It is immediately below the Islamouth beats. It is split into an upper and a lower beat and is opposite the Cargill beat. Cargill and Ballathie alternate between the upper and lower beats on opposite days, to give guests both banks.

I have only fished the top beat of Cargill and found it to be bit limited for the fly. The first 800yds has excellent fly water, with deep fast runs. However, the rest of the upper beat suffered a bit in the lower water that I fished it in last year, as there was very little push of current going through the likely looking spring lies.

I imagine that it would fish better with the fly in higher water, but I am unsure if the spring fish stop here in higher water.

I would take a spinning rod if you intend to cover the whole beat.

[hairyscotsman]

You should be able to get rods at this time of year fairly easily. The fishing is reflected in the price at this time of year.

www.fishtay.co.uk/ballathie/river.asp?dom=FishTay

[buster1571]

food is absolutely amazing!

[toucan]

Ballathie/Cargill is a low water beat of the highest quality - the lower the better usually, especially for the fly fisherman, hence the reasons why it fishes so well from July onwards. It will produce surprisingly well on the fly but there is always a bit of a battle against the general preference to harl/spin and motor up and down in the boat. Undisturbed, the fish come out of the deep holes and lie on the shallower rock ledges. Note that if you are fishing the top beat, you'll have to put up with the Cargill rods motoring through some of your pools before you get a cast at them. Maybe it brings them on - but it's best to be prepared for how things work.

The beat is at its best in the summer and early autumn, when the main grilse run is in and a few big summer salmon are running but it should still produce in the spring if the conditions are OK.

It is worth fishing just to see and fish the famous and historic pools like the Cradle, the Rumbling Stone and the Pot Shot which have produced more than their fair share of 40 and 50 pounders in the good old days.

Mark

[castlikeaghille]

Cargill/Ballathie a low water beat of the highest quality?

Cargill Boats motoring through your water if you fish the Upper Beat?

eh..is there another Cargill/Ballathie in a parallel universe?

In response (as a Cargill rod):

A lot of experinced rods shy away from these beats becuase in summer level the lower beat becomes one big 8-)canal that only holds fish at the head and tail. All six rods and two boats are crammed into the craddle and red sands (head) with the odd venture down to Mermaids (tail). You'll catch fish, but it's like being on association water and at £200 - £500 per rod per day in summer and autumn that is not a value for money experience, particularly if you are a fly swisher. When the water is above 1' the attractively named tail of the maggot comes into play as does much of the rest of the lower beat. I've seen a slamon caught off it (on the snakes) in 10' and rising.

However, the upper beat is a dream to fish when the water is at about 1' above summer level becuase you can start at the Bridge and expect to fish it all the way down to the rumbling stones from the left bank. Catching a slamon on the fly from the Pot Shot as the evening draws in is one of life's truly memorable fishing experiences. Once below summer level even on the upper beat the available water is restrictive for 6 rods and two boats.

As for motoring, that's just wrong, unless something changed last season when I didn't fish it (in which case I stand corrected and unimpressed at this development). The beats are split in two. The estates rotate so they have both banks just like down on Taymount/Stobhall. Both estates have two boats moored in both halfs (i.e. 4 each). So when they fish there is no question of them motoring other than on the beat that is their's for the day.

Otherwise, the good news is that the beats are starting to fish better in March, April and May than for a long time. So a good shout for a spring visit (low water less likely to be an issue).

Hoping to be a poacher rather than a lurker

CLaG

[toucan]

When I fished here in the past (quite a few years ago now), the boats all embarked from below the Cargill hut or opposite there above the hotel. I am glad to hear this has changed and I'm sorry for the misinformation.

The question of "quality" is of course subjective. The beat holds a lot of fish in low water and is very productive (as the numbers show) but the pleasure is certainly diminished because of the overcrowding, and also the nature of the fishing, especially on the bottom beat. Taking the whole beat rather than an individual rod would make it easier to manage that aspect.

Mark

[castlikeaghille]

Always best to take the whole beat if you can; at least then you only have yourself to blame for the scallywags you are fishing with rather than having them forced upon you.....

[donnieW]

I'm thinking of booking a day there (Ballathie or Cargill) in the next 2 weeks. Should I go for upper or lower beat this time of year?

[castlikeaghille]

donniewhiteford said:

I'm thinking of booking a day there (Ballathie or Cargill) in the next 2 weeks. Should I go for upper or lower beat this time of year?

Donnie

Always go for the Upper Beat if you can; it has far more and interesting to water to fish. Plus some of the best spring lies are now the new skelps dug out above the Cargill hut.

Later Fella

CLaG

[donnieW]

Thanks for that, I'll try for the upper. "Skelps?" Yeah, I always fish "Skelps". (What the f*** is a skelp - or is it the only thing I'll see that is dug out?)

[castlikeaghille]

donniewhiteford said:

Thanks for that, I'll try for the upper. "Skelps?" Yeah, I always fish "Skelps". (What the f*** is a skelp - or is it the only thing I'll see that is dug out?)

It's a term for hole's dug out in the gravel that you find quite a often of on some middle/lower Tay beats. Good skill, and I look forward to reading your report

[donnieW]

Thanks for your help, CLaG. Booked Ballathie (upper) for the 5th. Got to turn up at the Hotel at lunch time................(9am)

[castlikeaghille]

Look forward to reading the report. From a sheer pleasure of fishing perspective (and with the current number of springers about on Tayside that should be high on everyone's list) it is one of my favourite beats on the Tay. Even the pool names sound encouraging, unlike on the lower beat where you can fish the Maggot, shimmy on down through the Tail of the Maggot and end up in the Stinking Harbour Which reminds me, perhaps a good thread would be unsual/memorable pool names.

Good huntin' fella

CLaG

[kercock]

Good luck Donnie, I think the skelps will be well filled in after this past winters floods though. Watch out for the Terns if they are around there yet,they get shot because "they eat fish " according to one boatman on the beat.

[donnieW]

A knowledgable boatman!! I'm filled with confidence.......... Are the terns to blame for the lack of fish on the Tay? On a brighter note, I'm on Kercock next week. I'm quite taken with the term "skelps" so any chance you and Gary could dig a wee one in preparation for my visit? ;D

[donnieW]

Superb fly water from the bridge down. I was lucky and had the bank fishing to myself so fly fished it all morning and then took an 8lb sealiced fish on the rapala late in the afternoon. ;D ;D ;D

[castlikeaghille]

donniewhiteford said:

Superb fly water from the bridge down. I was lucky and had the bank fishing to myself so fly fished it all morning and then took an 8lb sealiced fish on the rapala late in the afternoon. ;D ;D ;D

What in the sunshine? Outstanding work fella - did you get the usual lecture about how Rapalas don't work on the Lower Tay before or after yer fuishie - or have they finally thrown the towel in on that one ?

Yours aye

CLaG

[donnieW]

Some "quiet murmurings" about Rapalas but the towel has now been ditched and is probably wedged somewhere in the depths of the Linn Pool! Glad I took your advice and fished the top beat though - thoroughly enjoyed fishing the fly from the bridge down and look forward to another visit in the future.