[James Laraway]

over the 50 cms mark - what a brute 

Never really fished tazzys for Brown Trout, although I have for sea trout on the Ythan. They certainly work ( although i prefer a sutherland  )

I had my biggest don brownie very near the end of the season on a raplala at the corner at the golf course. It was high water and i was just lifting the rapala out when out of the bankside weeds i say a fish come up and miss it. I too thought coloured salmon and next cast it nailed it. Turns out it was not salmon...
The issue i had was the bank was high, the water was high and i had left my net slightly upstream and there was no way to get to it so i had to 'beach' it on floating rushes. It made me sweat I'll tell you. Twas > 6lb.....

[Stevie Rennie]

Hey James,

I bought a few initially for my nephew to try and get him into fishing and they seem to work well. So fly rod being out of action in wild wind conditions, thought I’d give it a go, albeit with a twist as you say 

It was a real pleasant surprise to finish off whats been a great trout season.

I know that spot at the golf corner  well and a good sized fish was caught there yesterday. I’ll send you the photo in pm.

[Stevie Rennie]

Giving it my best shot for a salmon before the season ends but there doesn’t seem to be too many about where I am.

The only one encountered was the remaining half of a considerably sized, semi fresh fish, found laying in the bank reeds.

I’ll save showing you the gruesome end but you’ll get the idea of scale from my boot & hand.
Guessing it’s original size around 36” and anywhere between 15 to 20lb.






I presume a hefty otter or two are responsible as it was pretty mauled and everything above the dorsal missing but can only imagine how that tussle would go.

A pity it never made it to spawn first but I can’t grudge an otter his breakfast, lunch & supper.

[Duncan McRae]

Hi Stevie

Looks like the tail end of a hen fish to me.
Difficult to tell from the photo,but the fish looks thin round about the vent area suggesting that she may well have spawned.

I hope she did.

Duncan

[Stevie Rennie]

Hey Duncan,

I did notice that too and a spent fish  would certainly explain it being an easy target for an otter, rather than my original statement of it being semi fresh. Likely lightened up since laying there.

Fulfilled her destiny sits well with me