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| River Tay salmon opening day first cast |
The traditional opening of the River Tay salmon season will take place at The Kenmore Hotel, Kenmore, Perthshire from 09.30am on Friday 15 January 2010. Everyone is welcome at this historic event. Free coffee, bacon rolls and a dram of Dewar’s fine whisky to get you going so come along and contribute to the happy gathering and exciting atmosphere of Scotland's most celebrated salmon season opening day. Whatever the weather!
The opening ceremony will be performed by Mark Stephen of BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors and master fly fishing instructor and writer Ally Gowans. The customary march to the river will be led in great style by the fabulous Vale of Atholl Junior Pipe Band. Jane Grimley of Dewar’s World of Whisky will offer the toast, then lines will be cast, fish will be caught, stories will be told and another salmon season leaps into life at Kenmore!
The River Tay salmon season opening ceremony has been staged at Kenmore since 1947 with more than £70,000 raised from 2009 opening and closing events being donated to Angling for Youth Development (AFYD) and the Children’s Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS).
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| Tay salmon opening day blessing the water |
AFYD instructors will be offering free casting tuition throughout the day and a number of their young members will be enjoying their first ever experience of salmon fishing on the River Tay. Salmon fishing permits for the opening day at Kenmore cost £25 and all proceeds will be donated to CHAS and AYFD. The Kenmore Hotel beat extends to about 2 miles on both banks of the Tay and includes several very good salmon pools including Chinese, Dairy, Battery and Hotel Pool.
Well known expert fishery scientist and author Richard Shelton will be signing copies of his highly acclaimed new book To Sea and Back which traces the life cycle of the Atlantic salmon at the Kenmore Hotel on January 15 opening day.
The MacTaggart Kenmore Trophy (and a gallon of Dewar’s whisky) will be awarded to the angler landing and returning the biggest fish of the opening day from anywhere on the Tay system at the Grande Charity Auction Dinner at Kenmore Hotel on the evening of January 15 to which the winner and his ghillie or friend will be invited. So make your day really special, take a decent picture of your catch, measure its length and girth (immediately in front of the dorsal fin) make sure that you have a witness and call Kenmore Hotel - 01887 830205 as soon as you can afterwards. (Save this number to your mobile, you might need it!) Tight lines 2010! |
