Fishery
The Spey District Fiisheries Board rules will apply. Fishing with prawn, shrimp live bait and the use of a gaff is prohibited. There is no fishing or testing of rods and lines on a Sunday.
Fly fishing only except when a combination of water height, colour and temperature dictate otherwise. Any decision to spin will be at the sole discretion of the Head Ghillie.
Fishing for Brown Trout is fly only. All Finnoch must be returned. Fishers must not take or kill any juvenile Salmon or unclean fish (Kelt) or any fish under 8 inches in length. All salmon caught bearing a tag indicating that the fish has been previously caught and released must be returned to the river. Although fishers may retain seasonable fish in accordance with the Spey Fishery Board Salmon Conservation {policy 2003, the estate encourages conservation of salmon stocks and the Estate Conservation Policy outlines our recommendations for the release of fish and the provision of rewards.
Drivers must follow designated car tracks. A speed limit of 15 mph must be observed at all times on all access roads on or to the fishings. All gates found closed must be left closed. Parked cars must not obstruct roads, tracks or gateways. All caravans, camping, lighting of fires and depositing of litter (including discarded fishing tackle) is strictly prohibited on any Estate land.
Fishing huts must be locked up and boats berthed and securely chained at the end of each days fishing.
The ghillie on the beat is to be the sole judge as to the use of boats.
All Strathspey rods will be required to wear approved flotation harnesses or jackets whilst fishing. Any rod refusing to wear approved safety equipment will be prevented from fishing. Flotation harnesses are available from the Estate and must be signed for at the beginning and end of the let. Any items lost must be paid for. On arrival guests will be expected to listen to a short Health and Safety talk given by your beat ghillie.
A day's fishing shall be from 9.00-5.30pm. The ghillie will set a rota on the Monday so rods can alternate the pools accordingly.
All catches including weights, lures and locations must be properly reported to the ghillie at the end of the day's fishing.
Strathspey Estate will not accept responsibility for the loss of any fishing tackle or belongings left in the fishing hut or on the riverbank, nor for any accidents to persons, personal transport or vehicles when fishing on the river or using Estate tracks. Fishers are responsible for any damage caused by them to equipment, fences, huts, livestock, etc.
Dogs must be kept under control on the beat. Fishers must not interfere with game or livestock on adjoining lands.
Ghillies will accompany fishers on the water from 9.00am to 5.00pm or for any similar period within reason by mutual arrangement between tenant and ghillie. If there is no fishing during the day due to bright hot and sunny conditions the ghillie by mutual agreement will return in the evening. The ghillie should be informed beforehand of any unaccompanied night fishing.
Any fishers infringing any of the foregoing rules and regulations may forfeit their permission to fish, together with all privileges carried by it.
River/Area
The Salmon and Seatrout season starts on the 11 February and finishes on the 30 September that year.
Scottish legislation requires that all salmon caught before the 1st April must be released. In order to protect the integrity of the Spey stock and to maximise their spawning poten al, the Spey Fishery Board's policy is that all fish caught up to and including the 31st May should be released alive. From the 1st June the policy set out below will apply.
The Board considers the Conservation of Fish entering the river before the end of May to be of the utmost importance.
The Board urges all anglers to release these fish if at all possible. Most of the larger fish arrive in the river in the early months and these are the fish which have the potential to make the most significant contribution to successful spawning and are likely to be the fish which spawn in the upper reaches of the catchment. The Board will continue to monitor the success of the Conservation Policy and further consideration may be given to a recommendation for total Catch & Release in these months in the absence of signs of further restraint.
SALMON
Each angler must return the 1st, 3rd, 5th etc... male fish caught
All hen salmon and hen grilse must be released
Throughout the season all stale or unseasonable fish must be released e.g. gravid, kelts.
Escaped farmed salmon must be retained.
SEATROUT
Release all finnock of 16oz / 35cm / 14" or less
Release all Sea Trout of 3lb / 50cm / 20" or above
Retain only 1 Sea Trout of takeable size per calendar day. Anglers are also encouraged to release their first fish and keep the second that is of takeable size
Release all stale or coloured fish
Release all unseasonable fish (smolts, kelts, over-wintered finnock)
SPEY FISHERY BOARD RESEARCH OFFICE
TEL: 01340 810841 E-MAIL: research@speyfisheryboard.com
WEB: www.speyfisheryboard.com
FishPal
EXTRA CORONAVIRUS RULES
These rules are to help ensure that not only you, but also other anglers, gillies and walkers, are protected as far as possible. They will apply to all past and future bookings made through FishPal.
1. Social Distancing. Always keep at least 2 metres away from ALL other people on the river (unless in your own household). In particular do not shake hands with anyone.
2. Do not share cars, boats, huts, tackle, nets, crockery, food etc with anyone else (unless in your own household).
3. No longer expect any ghillie to shake your hand, set up your equipment, make you cups of tea, or drive you round the beat. Do not hand any tip directly to the ghillie. Leave it where it can easily be found.
4. Bring your own food and drink and do not share.
5. Bring your own hand sanitiser and wipes and use regularly during the day, especially if you have to use any WC provided by the fishery (try to avoid if you can). Wash your hands regularly wherever possible.
6. Wear gloves when touching doors, gates, styles, fences or any equipment that is not your own.
In addition you must use your own common sense at all times to reduce the risk of cross infection. If in doubt, don't do it!
STANDARD BOOKING CONDITIONS
1. Once you have booked you cannot change your dates or number of rods (the only exception is when you book through the help desk, have notified us of any mistakes within 7 days of the date of making the booking, and provided proper evidence that the mistake is the help desk's and not your own).
2. If you need to change your rod or days, they can be booked separately if you need extra ones and they are available. If you need less rods or days, or decide not to come after all, then we can try to relet them for you, but cannot guarantee to do so. There is a £10 + VAT charge for trying and if successful a further 10% letting fee + VAT.
3. You cannot sublet the fishings you book without our permission and then only by private arrangement and at the same prices and conditions as for this booking. No agent other than ourselves or the fishery manager may be used to help obtain a sublet.
4. Rods may not be shared on any one day without prior permission of the ghillie or fishery manager, which is often refused and should never be relied upon.
5. In Scotland it is illegal to fish without written permission, so you must bring this confirmation, or a copy of it, with you when you fish.
6. Charges: All bookings are subject to a booking charge which will vary according to the amount being booked. The exact charge will be clearly displayed on the very first booking page once you have set what you are wishing to book. There are no charges for processing debit cards. Credit cards can not be used unless you confirm that you are a non EU angler and will be surcharged by 2.5%.
7. Please note that in line with general practice, we cannot give refunds for fishing spoilt by poor weather, water or fishing conditions. If for any other reason a refund is offered by the fishery it will be responsible for refunding you direct. Only if we still hold the relevant funds will we do it ourselves (funds are sent to the fishery at the start of each month)
8. You must ring the ghillie, or other contact set by the fishery, at least two days before you come, so he knows that you are coming and that you know where and when to meet him.
9. You must report full details of any fish caught to the ghillie or other contact provided by the fishery promptly.
10. We have asked fisheries to provide lifejackets or buoyancy aids of a design that will not impair your ability to fish in comfort. We strongly advise you to wear one when using a boat or when wading in strong or deep water. If you don't, you are doing so at your own risk. If you are not happy with the equipment provided, or any other safety issue, please ring us immediately, so that we can arrange for the situation to be rectified. A general guide to safety can be seen by going to this page
11. If you have any problems with the standard of service provided on the fishery, please tell the ghillie or fishery manager straightaway and if you don't get a satisfactory response, please contact the office immediately, so we have time to act before you leave. Failure to do so will severely hamper any chances of us obtaining fair redress for you.
12. To help prevent an outbreak of Gyrodactylus Salaris which has had catastrophic effects on some foreign rivers, all rods fishing must complete a Gyrodactylus declaration on arrival at the fishery. This states that either you have not used your fishing tackle abroad in the last three months, or you have done so and had it properly sterilised, or you have done so and NOT had it sterilised. In the latter case, you must agree to sterilisation taking place before you start fishing, and accept that there may be some delay in getting this organised. A copy of the declaration form can be seen by going to this page and more information on Gyrodactylus by going to this page
13. All bookings are also subject to the conditions set by the relevant fishery.
14. The booking system and its management are at all times acting only as an agent for the fishery. All letting contracts are therefore between the fishery and the person taking the fishing.
15. The system management and/or the fisheries reserve the right to immediately withdraw fishing without compensation from anyone who breaks these or associated conditions, or flouts normal standards of behaviour or fishing etiquette.
16. You need to bring your own fishing equipment (rods, reels, lines, flies etc) unless you have specifically agreed with the fishery well in advance that they supply this for you.
17. You need to be reasonably healthy and mobile to access most fishings. If you are not, you must notify the fishery or ourselves before you book, to ensure that you can be looked after safely and properly.
18. Anglers are reminded that parking of cars should be in designated parking areas and is always at the anglers own risk.