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FISH OF THE MONTH
Head gillie Gavin Brown prepares to release a 31lb bar of silver (107cm x 56cm) caught by John Craig, from the River Tweed’s famous Junction Pool. John landed the mighty fish, thought to be the largest
February springer from the beat in 40 years, on a 14ft 6in Hardy Ultralite rod, Rio Game-changer F/I line and 15ft Wet Cel 3 tip with a black-and-orange Franc n Snaelda 1in conehead tied by Gavin.
“I’ve been doing pretty well with the fly," said Gavin, "and had a fresh fish on it the day before, so I thought I’d put it on again."
The fish took the fly as it swung behind the boat, before rolling opposite them and then heading upstream. Gavin said, “I saw that it was silver but couldn’t tell the size.”
The powerful fish was willing to swim around the pool, but the moment Craig tried to raise his rod and gain control, it would tear off 60 yards of line in protest. This battle of wills went on for more than
40 minutes, with Gavin tightening the reel’s clutch to try to bring the fight to a speedier conclusion. Gavin said, “I told Craig to keep the rod tip down and try to lead it towards the bank, but the moment he tried to lift its head, it would power off again. In the end, I asked him to keep the rod low and not raise it until he saw the leader appear. He slowly led it towards where I had beached the boat, and by the time he saw his leader, the fish was in the net, first time.” As T&S went to press, Craig’s salmon was the largest landed in Scotland this year and a strong contender for the Malloch Trophy. It was rested in the net before Gavin returned it, with Craig saying “And away, away, away,” before celebrations began.
AND WE’RE OFF…
The first salmon of the Scottish season was caught from the Taymount beat of the River Tay on the final day of January and weighed 7lb. Three days later, Stuart Lang landed a sparkling 12-pounder from the river’s Glendelvine beat, while further downstream on the same day, Sam Mercer-Nairne landed this lovely sea-liced 7lb springer from the Castle pool of the Meikleour and Upper Islamouth beat. The fish took a pearly-pink Tomic lure in high water and after giving a great account of itself was safely returned to continue its journey upstream.
Head gillie Calum Roberts said, “It’s been a much more encouraging start to the season than last year.”
A CLOSE SECOND
Well done to Angus MacGruer for landing this 13lb spring salmon from the River Oich on the opening day of the season, the first from the Ness system. Angus is proprietor of the river’s south-bank fishings. His fish is thought to have been the second salmon landed in Scotland this year after the Tay reported its first on January 31. It took one of Angus’s Alistair variants.
