Your help please

[jaybee]

Maybe not a true wild fisher forum topic but I thought I would ask....

My daughters boss is looking for help providing reasonable salmon fishing with tuition/ghillie as a birthday gift for for her father who will be 80 this year. Her father has never caught a salmon. He is an active established trout fisher based in Dundee. I thought a 2-3 day accommodation/fishing package would possibly give him the best chance of catching a salmon but as with all fishing nothing is guaranteed.
Not wishing to tell her just to book any old fishing package from the internet I thought I would ask forum members if they had any good recommendations. Price is an obvious factor but I think a number of family members will all be chipping in so a reasonable package is affordable.

Anywhere in Scotland preferred

Thanks in advance for your help

Jim   

[sinbad]

Not really what i do a lot of but somewhere he can spend some time harling would be good as you can cover the water well with out getting tired out. As an older fisher my dad always spends at least part of his time harling he is 83 and and it lets him mix the day conventional fly fishing and in the boat for a rest. He is lucky enough to have some pals who have weeks on the Tay I'm not sure how you go about booking a few days , but I'm sure it would nt be too hard to find out. Hopefully someone with first hand knowledge can help you better.
Ian.

[burnie]

You could start here http://www.fishpal.com/Scotland/FindFishing.asp?dom=Pal, I use them quite a bit, you can book on line if you want for most beats.
Where you go depends on the time of year you want to book, boats on the Tay are expensive and so is the Tweed.

[Hill loch gold]

A lot of the salmon rivers in scotland are very water dependant (spate rivers) and if your unlucky and the days you have booked fall in the middle of a dry spell of weather, it could really be a waste, as the fishing can be really hard going. You would probably be better trying to find something on 1 of the bigger rivers such as the tay thats always fishable (unless there's a monsoon, just b4 or during your trip!) and most beats have boats where the ghillies take you out and cover all the best bits of water and lies. I personally think that would be the best bet if he's wanting to have a good chance of catching a salmon.

Alan    

[Part-time]

I'd phone Frank at Turriff Tackle and Trophies and I'm sure he could find a beat on the Deveron that would suit what your looking for.
http://www.fishingthedeveron.co.uk/Turriff_Tackle_and_Trophies.htm

Montcoffer and a few other beats have self catering cottages, ghillie for the tuition and at prices a bit less than the bigger rivers. If the salmon don't play the trout fishing's no bad either

[Fishtales]

Ballathie House Hotel near Stanley on  the Tay?

http://www.ballathiehousehotel.com/offers/fishing-breaks/

I've fished the beat and it is fishable in both high and low water.

[alancrob]

All depends on the budget. I enjoy staying at the Hilton in Dunkeld. Fished from there last year and the ghillie seemed a nice, knowledgeable chap.

As we know the ghillie at the Newtyle beat always makes us welcome.

A.

[Hill loch gold]

Re: Your help please
« Reply #5 on: Today at 12:29:08 AM »
Quote
Ballathie House Hotel near Stanley on  the Tay?

I know my brothers fished this beat a few times and quite likes it. He took 1 of his pals here with him a day last season and he got his 1st springer, a 17 lber out in the boat harling with a kynoch. I'm sure he's also got 1 of the ghillies phone numbers, if thats of any help.

Alan

[Hoolet]

Give Calumn Towns a call, I'll Pm you with his number, he has some wonderful fishing on the Tay and the Dee
Otherwise I'd pick the Tay each and every time, I get my Dad some days every year for the Harling....he couldn't fish for Dalmon otherwise.

Hoolet.

[jaybee]

Thanks for all your suggestions folks, much appreciated. As Alan says there are dubious characters/fishing offers out there and I did not want to provide advice just based on me searching the internet. ,

I will pass your suggestions on.

Thanks again

Jim