Record salmon rod catches, but lean times ahead scientists warn
IT IS bewildering to have to digest the variety of conflicting reports on the status of Scotland’s Atlantic salmon population in recent weeks.
Continue Reading2010 a bumper year for Scots salmon anglers
SALMON anglers in Scotland had a bumper year in 2010 according to provisional figures released today. Rod catches of salmon are expected to be well over 100,000 – the highest since consistent records began nearly 60 years ago. More than two-thirds were released back into the water. But the record-breaking total – and the prospects…
Continue ReadingArgyll salmon farming agreement collapses as rod catches falter
RELATIONS between wild game fishing interests and the Scottish Government over fish farming controls have suffered another reverse with the collapse of a key agreement set up to try to establish peace between the salmon industry and anglers.
Continue ReadingRiver Oykel sets the salmon pace for July
FURTHER evidence of healthy grilse and salmon runs emerges from Sutherland where the Oykel produced a record-breaking return for July with a staggering 730 fish. In a month of fluctuating spates producing near-perfect conditions, 12 rods accounted for 286 fish between July 12 and 17 alone. Richard Donkin’s entertaining blog has more details. Of course…
Continue ReadingTay catchment grilse runs show promise
THERE WERE encouraging signs from the Tay system last week of greatly improved salmon runs. The recorded catch total of 211 was nearly treble the previous week. Water levels dropped back steadily and the lower river produced more than half of the total catch. Almondmouth and Coupar Grange topped the returns with 44 and 31…
Continue ReadingOpinion: Why it’s your turn to play politics with salmon
FED UP with the mealy-mouthed political wrangling in the big election debate? Take the increasingly cynical view that it’s all a bit of a waste of time? Well if you have ever enjoyed a day’s salmon or sea trout fishing on a Scottish river, and think politics doesn’t really matter when it comes to having…
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