Salmon Fishing - Does Every Picture Tell A Story?

[burnie]

I wrote about this very thing on a Salmon forum I frequent, I had first hand experience on the Tay of a beat "cooking the books" and was savaged by the ghillie who did it. The returns need to be high on certain rivers to encourage the tourists in,this keeps the ghillies and keepers in a job. I understand it(the fish were actually caught, but not by the paying rods!),but it does make it difficult for someone like me who is an occasional visitor and would like to have a genuine chance of catching a fish.
I no longer use the fish returns when making a decision because I do not trust them to be accurate.

[Allan Crawford]

I wrote about this very thing on a Salmon forum I frequent, I had first hand experience on the Tay of a beat "cooking the books" and was savaged by the ghillie who did it. The returns need to be high on certain rivers to encourage the tourists in,this keeps the ghillies and keepers in a job. I understand it(the fish were actually caught, but not by the paying rods!),but it does make it difficult for someone like me who is an occasional visitor and would like to have a genuine chance of catching a fish.
I no longer use the fish returns when making a decision because I do not trust them to be accurate.

Most beats want to keep there catch returns up as you say and will invite local rods on when the lets are empty but now is this cooking the books or dishonest?
The fish are being caught on rod by what ever methods the beat allows.

[burnie]

Some beats enforce a strict nine to five fishing slot(worst time of the day for the most part)what they don't always tell you is the water was fished before you arrived and again after you were gone to keep the numbers up. So you pay to fish the beat all week and catch nothing, yet returns show that fish were caught,at a more suitable time to deceive a fish,perhaps on a method frowned upon in the day time.
Now that is not dishonest if the paying rod knows about it, I prefer a beat where you can fish for 24 hours(6 am to 6 am) so you can choose the time to fish and the time to have a sleep in the hut and feel you are getting value for your hard earned money.

[Allan Crawford]

Some beats enforce a strict nine to five fishing slot(worst time of the day for the most part)what they don't always tell you is the water was fished before you arrived and again after you were gone to keep the numbers up. So you pay to fish the beat all week and catch nothing, yet returns show that fish were caught,at a more suitable time to deceive a fish,perhaps on a method frowned upon in the day time.

Your totally right ! I wouldnt be going back either !
Any decent beat/gillie whats to see the paying customer go home happy.

[Billy]

That's another variable. I was told by a local fishery owner <name withheld> that one syndicated beat <name withheld> on a local river <name withheld> always put in low returns to keep the levy / rates down.

Its a catch 22 situation with some of the beats. If they put in low returns their rates are low but visitors dont want to fish it because it looks as if the fishing is crap and visa versa.

I think you need to take these reports with a pinch of salt. I know a lot of the regulars on a certain river dont report their fish when its good in case everyman and his dog end up down on the banks.

Billy

[Wildfisher]

All of which goes t prove that local knowledge and timing is everything in salmon fishing. Rivers at the top of the league table often don't produce anymore fish per rod than those further down. And most telling of all accurate rod/catch data would almost certainly make most fishing unsellable.

I think that's true. Small rivers like the Helmsdale are just spate  burns that get good runs in certain water levels at certain times of year. If the fish are in they will be in known holding areas that any duffer could cover. If someone dies and you are rich enough to get his prime-week rod AND are lucky enough with the weather before and during your week  the fishing will in all probability be excellent. If just one thing goes wrong you will be wasting your time and your money.

[Malcolm]

Totally agree with Roobarb here. Timing is everything. I keep a very detailed diary and over the past 4 years I have averaged one salmon every 15 hours fishing on my local river. In addition I get one 3lb+ seatrout (or brownie) every 12 hours. So one decent fish approx every 7 hours. Most of my fishing is done when I have a good chance of a fish and when it is really on I reckon on at least 2 fish in a day.

Fishing off-peak so to speak is much less productive for better fish especially salmon they just seem to go into a coma and I usually fish then for the seatrout that behave like brownies - rising to dry flies and wee nymphs but the fish tend to be under 3lb, for some reason the better fish are more reluctant to behave like brownies. 

[Inchlaggan]

For those selling fishing, big numbers suit best, adding value to the beat and the higher stipend is easily recouped.
I had a hotel guest out in the boat once and he took a good 10lb salmon. Putting it back, he asked if I would just put it down as a pike and booked for the same week next year.