If Carlsberg did fishing beats – Yes, you’ve guessed - Delfur!

So, having had the pleasure of fishing many beats on many rivers, I have to say, yes, it’s now official, Delfur is in fact the best in the world.
OK, so people will obviously have their own views on this one, and I’m sure for those not fortunate enough to access Delfur, jumping onto a couple of planes then a Helicopter to eventually arrive at a camp in the middle of the Russian Tundra, will have more appeal. Or, possibly, those fortunate enough to fish Alta in late June and July may also disagree. However, personally, I cannot think of anything quite like this beat on the Spey during the months of May, June, July and August.
My first experience of this place was not fishing, but as an 8 year old boy accompanying my father, watching and learning about salmon fishing. Although this is not where I was to land my first salmon, that being the River Ugie, I never the less often think back to this as being my first memory of a real salmon river, which is why it was so nice yesterday to be back there fishing for salmon. Fishing the Otter off the high left bank was fairly simple, no wind meant, a single Speycast off the left shoulder with around 25 yards of line was more than enough to cover the main part of the pool. Fishing The Broom was slightly more difficult, again, a left hand single spey, but this time from waist deep in the water. Below the Broom I then fished the Collie, A huge pool, but as with all large rivers, we must read the pool and ask ourselves, where are the fish lying? The easiest way to find this out is to use that most ancient of human skills, communication, yes, for as good as you think you may be at reading water, the ghillie, if he or she is local to that beat, will know much more. No matter how experienced you think you are, it never does any harm to ask!
After lunch it was over to Beaufort just about the fishing hut and wow, although lovely to fish at this time, I thought, what must this be like to fish in the summer! An incredible piece of water with the most even of current. What I mean by this is – Over around 300 yards, The pool turns very slowly to the right so the deep water is middle to left. At this height of water the current is evenly spread over the whole width of the pool which means the fly needs no mending , a fly fishers dream. This was a pool I knew I would contact a fish and I was not disappointed, in fact I contacted two, and the Ghillie another.
As is normal under those conditions, I fished a Swallow tied on a size 4 double, this on an intermediate line with fast sinking tip. Nothing much make me change from this fly, my 40 years on the river, tells me what’s right.
The beat fishes five rods over more than 2 miles of double bank fishing, unlike most beats; this allows all pools to be properly rested, so providing fishing guests with an excellent chance of a fish both before and after lunch. Whilst some will say, this will not matter, as is typical in salmon fishing; there are others who will have an opposing view. My question to all would be - Given the choice after lunch, what would you rather fish, virgin water, or a pool that’s been hammered? As is nearly always the case with salmon fishing, the real answer is a no brainer!