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: Friday 5th April)

Despite a vast covering of snow that fell across Galloway during the weekend of the 22nd March (producing complete chaos on the roads), river levels failed to rise as had been expected because of a gradual rather than sudden melt that ensued the following week. Never the less anglers were hopeful and fishing the Cree, the rivers first fish of the season were landed.

Denis Dyson, who had taken a weeks fishing with Mochrum Park, claimed the first Cree salmon of the season, caught and released below the A75 road bridge on the 25th of March. Jamie Hyslop released the second reported Cree salmon of the season, at Linloskin two days later, weighing 7 lbs.

If you have photographed a recently-caught salmon and would like your picture displayed on the FishGalloway website, please send your catch details and photo to mail@gallowayfisheriestrust.org FAO Rowan - Thank you.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 18th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Mochrum Park 1, Newton Stewart AA 3.
Total: 4 Largest: Newton Stewart AA 11lbs
SEA TROUT: None reported
TROUT: None reported

The first spring salmon of the season on the river Cree caught on the 25th March.

Jamie Hyslop returning his first spring salmon of the year at Linloskin on the lower Cree, Wednesday the 27th of March

John Ryman with a maturing 11 lb cock salmon released at Dalreagle on the Bladnoch, Saturday the 6th of October. A day earlier, John Haley caught a 19 lb salmon on Mochrum Park and on Clugston, the largest fish recorded from a Galloway river this season was released back into the Bladnoch - estimated by its length of 42" to be 31 lbs - caught by Reg Mearns.

Five of six salmon caught on the River Bladnoch and Tarf on Saturday the 25th of August during the Galloway Fisheries Trust Annual Kirkcowan Angling Competition. Pictured from left to right are Scott Pagan, Allan Wright, Paul Ryman, Jamie Ribbens and Bobby Greenhill - who took home 'Best Fish' for his 9 lb salmon caught on High and Low Barness, lower River Bladnoch.

Fishing the private beats of Stair Estates on the lower River Luce, Michael McNeill landed this fine looking grilse in high water on the 14th of September 2011.

Having played his salmon for 20 minutes, Willie Watson is rewarded by finally netting what turns out to be his best fish this season,upon the upper Dalbeattie Angling Association beat on the lower River Urr.

Willie Watson returning a 15lb fish from the Castle pool.

Season review

The Bladnoch opened on the 11th of February and two days into the season, the river was a colossal size - a combination of enduring rain and snow melt. A few anglers did brave the first week of the season but only kelts were caught and this situation was mirrored on the Cree which opened on the 1st of March.

March saw dry and very cold weather engulf Galloway - snow lay on the ground right up until the end of the month but a slow melt failed to produce much water for the rivers. On the 25th, Denis Dyson had the first spring salmon to be reported locally - a 10lb beauty that he returned below the A75 road bridge on Machermore water. Jamie Hyslop caught his first spring salmon at Linloskin two days later, of 7 lbs in weight. Altogether, winter gripped the region during March and little was seen entering the rivers by anglers that braved the extreme cold.

By the end of the first week in April, water temperature is finally starting to improve to around 5 degees celcius. The River Bladnoch has just recorded its first spring salmon of the season - on the lower river at Kirwaugh - weighing 10 lbs, caught and released by Leo Connolly.