River flow, Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) movement and rod catch in the Aberdeenshire Dee

Abstract

The relationship between river flow and rod and net catches of salmon and grilse have been analysed for four of the major fisheries on the Aberdeenshire Dee. On the lower two fisheries there is a good correlation between the rod catch and the average flow on the day of the catch and the preceding 3 days but there is no such correlation at the highest fishery. There is also a good correlation between the annual flow during the rod season and the total annual rod catch at the lowest fishery, while there is an inverse correlation between the flow during the rod season and the net catch. When the nets are off there is no longer any correlation between river flow and rod catch at the lowest fishery.