Post by scanny on Jun 28, 2011 18:10:04 GMT
Its been a long season so far, with not much to show for it. I havent fished much recently after aninjury in April, and unfortunatly, i had to cancel my trip to the Junction in July recently. i was delighted when i a friend offfered me the chance to fish the Murthly Beats on the River Tay for two days.
I must have taken 20 or so days on the Tay in the last 18 months, and only had kelts, a good soaking and a sea trout for my efforts. The week before my days, friends fished Murthly 2 on the Top water and caught well, so hopes were high, that was until the weekend of rain that followed.
I was on Murthly 1 and Donald was to be my Ghillie for the two days, a superb gentleman and always keen to share his knowledge. Tony is the Ghillie on Murthly 2, and has been very helpful whenever ive been fishing the Tay in the past, both first class Ghillies.
Thursday Morning arrived, an early one at that, and thankfully it was bright, warm and with a whisp of wind. I headed up the A9 and on to the Low Water, to meet with Donald.
Murthly Low Water is opposite the Glendelvine beat, with each being fished on alternative days, it is of course the beat that Miss Georgina Ballantine caught the 64lb Brittish record salmon, above the Bargey Stone in the Boot Pool.
The water was falling after the recent rain, but wasnt too coloured, and looked perfect for the fly. After a chat with Donald, tactics and flies disscuessed, and a coffee, it was time to get fishing.
I opted for a 14’ Dtx, Floating shooting head and a fast tip, and a Size 9 Cascade. I set of downstream to start fishing the Boat pool, from the right bank, just bellow the Bargey Stone. The wading was good and over large rounded rocks, the water had a peaty stain to it but the fly fished well, and it wasnt long until a fish appeared. It was a lump showing just behind the large tree in the edge of the pool. I fished to Caputh Bridge, and then under it and the Sparrowmuir Pool. A long pool with a light flow, the remainded of the morning was spent fishing this out and without seeing any firther fish.
I met the other rods over lunch, then Donald showed me the Spruces, where i was to fish for the afternoon and i swapped to a 15' Dtx with a 65' Floater with an intermediate tip. At this height wading was waist deep, but comfortable, and again a good flow for the fly. I started a few hundred yards up from the hut, and fished the pool down. Again, waiting for a pull but nothing was to show or make an offer. I fished down towars the Bargey stone without sucess, then retired for dinner and wait for th elight to drop to have another run through.
I fished the Boat Pool from the left bank in the evening, which was a contrast to the right bank. Starting on the bend, the water is fast, so a Tungsten Conehead longtail Munro was used to get some depth. Further down the pool it calmed down and fished well, however the only offer was from an adventurous trout taking the cascade- funny i never seem to fail to catch a Trout on the Tay.
Back over to the Hut and i fished Spruces down as the sun fell, a very nice end to what had been a superb day.
I got home and tied up a few flies with some Shaddow fox in the tails instead of bucktail to get a little more movement for the next days fishing, it turned out a very good idea.