River Spey- the most prolific in 2006?

[robmason]

God I'm bored!!

Looking at the fishtweed site, Tweed is going to have to go some to top 10,000 IMO. According to the spey site the spey is likely to have achieved that figure. Obviously one could argue that the Spey is the "best" salmon river in the UK, but when was it last the most prolific?

Malcolm, over to you.....

[salmonking]

ITS CERTAINLY THE BEST FLY WATER IVE FISHED,A JOY.

[dunbar]

I wouldn't rely too much on the Fishscotland sites as a barometer for this year's catches - many beats don't subscribe to FS, and the Tweed always has the edge with an extra 2 months on top of the Spey. I think the view of those involved in running the Tweed is that it won't be as good as 2005 (14,000 fish I think), but is still expected to easily exceed 10,000 - size isn't everything though!

[robmason]

This is the view of the Spey board chairman, not FishScotland. The Tweed figures very accurately reflect total catches. I can't think of any significant beats that don't take part.

[williegunn]

The Tweed and the Tay will probably catch more than the Spey. I think the Spey will catch just less than 11 000 this year, the Chairman, still reckons 11+ we have this discussion everytime we meet, neither of us is confident enought to put money on the outcome.

The Spey is th best fly water, the Tweed is just a canal as I pointed out shortly before being thrown out of the bar in the Ednam Hotel.

[tynespeycaster]

Superb fly water.

Simply, the best!!

[robmason]

tynespeycaster said:

Superb fly water.

Simply, the best!!

Irrelevant. This thread is all about quantity not quality!

[easky]

no strictly on topic with regard to most prolific river in bonnie Scotland but Ireland's river Moy got just under 10,000 this year. It would normally be Ireland's most prolific salmon river.

[storlaks]

I think regading what river is the most prolific you should also consider, not just the quantity of fish caught but also the number of rods fished on the river.

Does the Spey, Tay and Tweed compare in this way or does one outrod the other significantly?

[macd]

thurso turned in 1305- a very good year. 26 miles and 12 rods.

how does that factor in relation to the spey etc?

glad to see such good returns all round.

[williegunn]

macd said:

thurso turned in 1305- a very good year. 26 miles and 12 rods.

Or
The Thurso River offers 25 miles of salmon fishing divided into 12 rotating two-rod beats. ( From Fishthurso)

+ the private water and the association water on beat 1.

[stoater]

Well now, let's not get too uptight!
In my humble experience the Spey seems a larger, more powerful river than Tweed. It has lovely fly water but plenty of slower stuff too.
It also has some of the most dangerous wading I have experienced.
If Tweed is a canal, I'm a Dutchman!
Tweed has a significantly higher proportion of fresh (and keepable if you want) fish over a season.
Tay is a mighty water that I don't know, but has the basic ingredients to produce more to it's whole system than both.
The Moy is incredible for Grilse, improving well for springers, but what was that about canals?
I fish 4 (affordable) beats on the Tweed system, and none of them publisise catches until the end of play, so it may go the wire yet......

[williegunn]

stoater said:

Well now, let's not get too uptight!
If Tweed is a canal, I'm a Dutchman!

Well come to the forum Van Stoater, the Tweed is a canal with a slight current.

[macd]

williegunn said:

macd said:

thurso turned in 1305- a very good year. 26 miles and 12 rods.

Or
The Thurso River offers 25 miles of salmon fishing divided into 12 rotating two-rod beats. ( From Fishthurso)

+ the private water and the association water on beat 1.

Apologies. the fig 1305 fig refers only to the fishthurso beats- those under the control of Thurso River Management Ltd.

For your info malcolm, there is also a stretch called No Man's Land, kept aside for the kids of halkirk between bts4&5

Nothing like being thorough though eh? Well done you

[robmason]

I suspect the Helmsdale tops everywhere else in terms of fish per rod.

The tweed does flow more gently than the spey but it flows from top to bottom and fishes well throughout its length. Can the same be said about the spey?

[tynespeycaster]

robmason said:

The tweed does flow more gently than the spey but it flows from top to bottom and fishes well throughout its length. Can the same be said about the spey?

Thought that was irrelevant to this thread

However, few would disagree that Tweed is about quantity where as Spey is about quality, in all respects. From Grantown down that is

[robmason]

I've never fished the Spey, but having fished many middle Tweed beats, feel I don't need to. The fly water is fantastic, and the locals more hospitable

[tynespeycaster]

robmason said:

I've never fished the Spey, but having fished many middle Tweed beats, feel I don't need to. The fly water is fantastic, and the locals more hospitable

I too have fished many of the middle and lower beats of Tweed and yes I thought the fly water good, compared to my home Tyne beat, but Spey is something else, you need to sample it, sooner rather than later!!
Hospitality wise, Malcolm and his merry men are also something else, you are also adjacent to many 'nectar' producing distilleries even when fishing!
Sorry but for me it has it all, no matter how irrelevant

[tynetraveller]

The Tweed is a great salmon river, but to wade the spey is just much more fun. The Tweed extends our season and is much more open to occasional rods thanks to fish Tweed, but I am sure Willie Gunn will even things up on that score in the fulness of time

I went up to the Kelso fair in May, and i know the water was low, but looking at the almighty junction pool (lake) was a bit of a let down compared with the rushing stream of the Spey, however many fish it may catch.

[sealicer]

I have fished many rivers in Scotland & IMO the Spey is absolutely made for salmon fly fishing, even better than the Dee.