Fishing Reports

This week so far

See each day's largest fish and individual beat catches on our Latest Catches page which is updated each time a ghillie uses our automatic telephone reporting system.

Last week

(Last updated: Monday 20th May)

A better week for FishDee with FishDee beats reporting 160 salmon and 5 sea trout. Some sea liced small fish were running to the upper beats but not in the volumes anglers hope for in the spring. In the last few years the upper beats have had good sport with the lower beats having to wait patiently as fish rocketed through their beats unseen. This year the reverse has happened with fish having a distinct preference for staying in the beats around Banchory. That is where I have received reports from for this week's report. Invery and Tilquhillie had 24 salmon between both beats and Lower Crathes 15, the Blackhall beats reported 17, Ballogie beats 16 and Crathes Castle 11. It's not all gloom and doom in the upper river though. An angler is reported to have had two fish of 28 and 25lbs at Lower Invercauld and Monaltrie last Monday; no further details are available.

Here is the report for the week at Invery & Tilquhillie as reported by Ghillies Karl Revel and Jim Turnbull. 'On Saturday 11th May Graham Ritchie from Fraserburgh was rewarded for purchasing the two rods donated by Invery/Tilquhillie to the Atlantic Salmon Trust Auction where he caught the beats one hundredth salmon of the season. This was one of three fish he caught on the day one a one inch self tied Willie Gunn. This week has continued well with 24 salmon (Invery 12 and Tilquhillie 12) and two sea trout added to our total. Top rod has been Colin Harvey from Worcestershire, a frequent visitor to the Dee over many years. Colin caught 12 salmon to 14 lbs and 2 sea trout. On our best day six salmon were caught from six different pools, the highlight being a first ever salmon, a lovely sea liced six pounder for Mike Salter from Banchory. The others were caught by Colin (2) and by renowned Naver Ghillie Bob McBain. Invery and Tilquhillie beats have produced 125 salmon for the season to date.

Comments received from Simon Bragg who caught his first fish recently at Borrowston who advised 'I was a guest of Bert and Gail Wiegman at Fernybank on Millden Estate. The fly was a Cascade Tube lovingly made by Bill Palmer. I caught the fish at Top Slip. To get the bite was a real surprise and so exciting as I was near mid stream. I had to gradually and slowly walk out of the river whilst letting the fish run and then reel in. Hearing the 'Zzzzzzzzzz' as the line pulls out is a great noise. Bill gave me some excellent 'orders' so that I didn't lose the fish. It took a little while after getting on the bank to reel her in, but once landed I had great sense of pleasure and achievement at having caught my first salmon. The River Dee is a super river and one that I look forward to coming back again soon.

Robert Harper wrote with news from Lower Crathes 'Morning Ken, The first e-mail was of Mr George Farr with a 24lbs fish, later in the day he caught a 20lbs fish, photo attached, also photo of Mrs Farr (aunt) with 12lbs fish on Saturday, Mrs Farr also caught a 20lbs fish sorry no photo. We had some other good fish.' Another good week at Lower Crathes should see them land their 200th fish for the season. Dinnet and Deecastle saw 7 salmon landed with Marcus Humphrey grabbing the headlines with a lovely sea liced fish, ably netted by son Edward Humphrey. The anglers, who I enjoyed the day with on Saturday at Dinnet / Deecastle, had a lovely holiday and were in high spirits despite the heavy rain on Saturday.

Orvis of Banchory have details of their free beginners fly fishing courses, which will be held between May and September. For further details contact Orvis of Banchory by visiting their store at 2-8 Bridge St, Banchory AB31 5SX or call telephone number 01330 824319. Please write with any news of catches or anecdotes with images to ken@riverdee.org so I can share this news in the weekly report and FishDee blog. It should be another better week for anglers and hopefully we shall get some good news to report next week. Tight Lines to you all! Copyright FishDee. Ken Reid © FishDee Ltd.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 18th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Kingcausie 3, Tilbouries 1, Upper Drum and Lower Durris 1, Park 5, Lower Crathes and W Durris 15, Knappach 1, Crathes 11, Invery 12, Tilquhillie 12, Lower Blackhall and Kinneskie 6, Little Blackhall and Inchmarlo 1, Middle Blackhall 6, Upper Blackhall 4, Cairnton 6, Woodend 3, Lower Woodend 6, Commonty 5, Sluie 2, Ballogie 4, Borrowston 3, Kincardine 5, Carlogie 7, Dess 8, Birse 5, Aboyne Water 2, Aboyne Castle 3, Craigendinnie 7, Waterside and Ferrar 2, Dinnet 3, Deecastle 4, Headinch and Cambus O'May 3, Monaltrie and Lower Invercauld 2, Crathie 2.
Total: 160 Largest: Monaltrie and Lower Invercauld 28lbs
SEA TROUT: Crathes 1, Invery 1, Tilquhillie 1, Cairnton 2.
Total: 5 Largest: Invery 3lbs
TROUT: None reported

Malcolm was celebrating his 73rd birthday, when he caught the fish - what a great birthday he had.


Two super photographs of an estimated 25lb fish caught by retired dentist Malcolm Tocher at Lower Crathes.