Monday morning on Dunearn the water rose and fish were showing steady for a while in Morgan’s Haugh. Both rods out had half hearted offers in the same pool and we were hopeful of some success, but things went quiet and they didn’t see a thing after midday. The water and weather conditions were perfect and it should have been a productive day’s fishing. There is still signs of Saprolegnia with the odd diseased or dead fish around and that seems to really spoil the chances of catching one of the healthy ones.

Tuesday on Altnahara was absolutely perfect fly water. It was an enjoyable day as every stretch fished perfectly, but again very few fish were showing an interest despite the ideal conditions.

Total Catch: 0
Dunearn: 0
Daltra/Altnahara: 0
Day Lets: 0

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

Our first blank week of the season. Despite rain over the weekend and a slight rise in the river, conditions were difficult at the start of the week with reports of resident fish showing signs of disease and some dead fish. The rain was more consistent on Tuesday and later that night there was a rise of over a foot. The river was dirty on Wednesday, but it dropped off nicely and conditions were ideal for the rest of week. Only a few fresh fish were seen entering the river meaning a frustrating end of the week. On Saturday we received reports of a mid morning run of fish through Loop on Daltra, and shortly after a fish was on briefly. There are fish in most pools now which is encouraging for the week ahead.

Total Catch: 0
Dunearn: 0
Daltra/Altnahara: 0
Day Lets: 0

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

Paul Kelly and Jack Christison were out on Altnahara on Monday. Paul reported that although the beat was pretty quiet, Jack landed a 13lb salmon on a small orange tube in the Chair pool just before lunchtime. It gave a very good account of itself with long runs and leaps out of the water. Eventually it was netted and safely returned. 

The May heatwave finally reached the Findhorn during the week. Fishing conditions were extremely difficult with clear skies, rising temperatures and no rain. The river temperature was close to 68°F (20°C) by Friday and some of the resident fish were really starting to struggle. Fortunately we had some scattered showers at the weekend and week ahead is expected to be much cooler and wetter.

Total Catch: 1
Dunearn: 0
Daltra/Altnahara: 0
Day Lets: 1

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

James Verney got the week off to a good start on the Dunearn Beat on Monday with a 6lb salmon from Morgan's Haugh on a size 8 Willie Gunn in medium low water. It was safely released. Unfortunately that was the end of the scoring for the week. Even with a nice 8" rise mid week and fairly ideal fishing conditions, there were very few fish showing.

Total Catch: 1
Dunearn: 1
Daltra/Altnahara: 0 
Day Lets: 0

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

It was a much cooler week with scattered showers not really bringing a significant river level rise until heavy downpours on Wednesday meant the river was up over a foot on Thursday morning and very dirty. It had settled down and cleared by Friday morning and at midday we finally had some success  when Jason McCruden landed a 7lb bar of silver in the tail of Loop on Daltra, using 8 ft sink tip and his version of a Crabby Pattie fly. Jason also noted 3 fresh fish running through the tail of Island.

Total Catch: 1
Dunearn:  
Daltra/Altnahara: 1 
Day Lets:  

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

There was a cold start to the week with reports of around a dozen fish running through Daltra. On Monday morning on Daltra Paolo Bamelli caught and released a 13lb salmon in the Loop on a 2" Vimu Sunray Hitch. The grey skies and cooler nights have meant the river water temperatures are remaining reasonable and the fish are looking healthy, and with rain expected in the coming week the conditions should improve.

Total Catch: 1
Dunearn: 0
Daltra/Altnahara: 1 
Day Lets: 0 

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

First Fish!

Gerry O'Neill scored our first fish of the season when he landed a 13lb very fresh salmon from the White Stream on the Daltra beat on Monday. He also reported a pod of fish heading and tailing their way upstream early in the morning.

On Wednesday Gerry lost one in the morning in Sand, but then Andy O'Neill had double success with a 12lb salmon in Dalnashaugh followed by another 12lb fish in Daltra.

Roger Dowling was on the Dunearn beat on Friday and reported fresh fish in Lady Mary’s. So far this spring the salmon are healthy and the cooler temperatures over the weekend mixed with a little rain next week should improve conditions.

Total Catch: 3
Dunearn: 0
Daltra/Altnahara: 3 
Day Lets: 0

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

The Forres Angling Association hosted the annual opening ceremony on Wednesday 11th February 1pm at the Stoney Pool. Around 50 people attended the traditional ceremony with guest speaker Tommy Balch. The first salmon of the season was reported on Saturday 21st February from the Broom Pool on the FAA waters. The salmon don't usually arrive on the Lethen beats until late April/early May when the water temperatures rise above 42°F and the salmon start to ascend the Poolie falls at Sluie.

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

Heavy rain on Saturday evening meant the river was up by over a foot on Sunday. As always it dropped off quickly but hopes were up for the last two days of the season. Monday morning at 10am on Altnahara Jason McCruden caught and released a 5lb grilse in the Princess pool on a Phartagorva and intermediate tip. On the Dunearn beat Jack Christison also had success with a 5lb grilse and 7lb salmon. Jack had more success on Dunearn on Tuesday with a 10lb salmon from Morgan's Haugh at around 10.20am. Richard West was out for a last cast on Mini Daltra on Tuesday. With his 6th cast of the morning in Laird's he hooked a 14lb coloured cock fish on an orange tube that swam away strongly. 

Total Catch: 5
Dunearn: 3
Daltra/Altnahara:  
Day Lets: 2

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website

Martin Dingemans, fishing Daltra this week, reported he caught a 10lb dark hen fish in Laird's on Monday morning at 10am on a yellow tube. He also saw plenty of fish in Daltra around lunchtime but they were not interested in the fly.

Ewan Maclachlan and friends had a great couple days at the start of the week on the Dunearn beat. They managed 6 fish over the 2 days. On Monday Murray Smith landed a 3lb grilse in Green Bank on a Park Shrimp and a 4lb grilse in Nettle Hole on a Frances. Greg Gibb also had success with a 5lb grilse in Kennel on a 1" Purple Tube and Ewan Maclachlan landed a 13lb salmon in Lady Mary's on a Phartagorva. On Tuesday afternoon Greg Gibb had more success in Kennel with a 6lb salmon on a size 12 Flamethrower and Murray Smith completed the scoring with a 14lb salmon in Lady Mary's on a Sunray.

On Wednesday George Middlehurst reported a quiet morning on Dunearn with not many fish moving, apart from in Lady Mary's where there were around 5 fishing jumping. Patrick Hanratty caught his first Findhorn fish around 11am with a 3.5lb Sea Trout coming to the net on a red Ally Shrimp in Lady Mary's. After a short exciting fight this was released.

On Thursday in very low water and what should have been tough conditions - Rupert Laslett caught his first ever salmon on his second cast of the day at Lady Mary's on a Willie Gunn. After a good fight and some heart pounding moments the 6lb cock fish made it to the net. It was released after a round of high fives and swam away strongly.

It was an early start on the Dunearn beat on Saturday and upon arriving at Lady Mary's first thing in the morning, the pool was electric with fish jumping everywhere. Patrick Hanratty hooked and lost a fish on his first cast into the pool, but hope was not lost and he quickly hooked up again a few casts later. After a short exciting fight, a 6lb salmon came to the net. Pat was elated as this was his first ever salmon. Caught on a Red Ally Shrimp, it swam away strongly after a quick picture. 

Total Catch: 9
Dunearn: 8
Daltra/Altnahara: 1
Day Lets: 0

This feed was drawn from the Lethen Estate website