[Mike Barrio]

Hi folks

Took a wee walk down the Don today, it's always nice at this time of year ..... pre-season

The water had obviously risen a tad since yesterday and looked in good form. Didn't see any trout, but I did see a couple of large looking "silver tourists" head and tailing Great to see, nothing splashy, but I would guess that they were probably kelts.

Pity I didn't see any trout rise though

Cheers
Mike

[Ben Dixon]

I hope you had a word and invited them to stay until the 11th Mike   
Very nice stretch of water, will definitely be taking a Council Roving ticket when the season starts and intend to give it a good going over, dropped two salmon there in September in what seemed like hopeless conditions.  Bit off track but....  Hamish took me for a guided tour of the upper river yesterday I have not fished or seen much of the river above Ardhuncart before then, other than in print and I have to say some of it was the most inviting looking trout water I have ever seen.  Roll on April 

Ben

[Mike Barrio]

Hi Ben

Yes, the upper river is beautiful, isn't it

There is so much cracking water to explore

Cheers
Mike

[Rob Brownfield]

I am off "upstream" myself tomorrow..having a scout about...i can't wait! Is there any loch fishing up that way...the only one i can think of is at Mossat..have around 4 hours to kill near Kildrummy you see

[Cameron deBoth]

I am off "upstream" myself tomorrow..having a scout about...i can't wait! Is there any loch fishing up that way...the only one i can think of is at Mossat..have around 4 hours to kill near Kildrummy you see

Yea closest one is Mossat. There is one up Strathdon but its a bit further and its alot smaller.

[Irvine Ross]

Hamish took me for a guided tour of the upper river yesterday I have not fished or seen much of the river above Ardhuncart before then, other than in print and I have to say some of it was the most inviting looking trout water I have ever seen.  Roll on April 
Ben

Steady on lads. I've had the whole of the upper Don to myself for years now. I'm not sure I could stand the crowding if another two angers turned up.

Rob
There is a small trout pond at Ardgeith on the road across from Logie Coldstone to Donside, near the old Boultenstone Hotel. However they don't expect many anglers in the winter so stock may be a bit low. Otherwise Mossat is your best bet.

Irvine

[Cameron deBoth]

Steady on lads. I've had the whole of the upper Don to myself for years now. I'm not sure I could stand the crowding if another two angers turned up.

Rob
There is a small trout pond at Ardgeith on the road across from Logie Coldstone to Donside, near the old Boultenstone Hotel. However they don't expect many anglers in the winter so stock may be a bit low. Otherwise Mossat is your best bet.

Irvine

Hold your horses I lived in Strathdon for 15+ years! Moved into Aberdeen for Uni.

Thats the other Pond I was talking about. Owned by Pat Anderson. Used to go there all the time when I was younger. Was a good little pond.

Cam

[Ben Dixon]

Steady on lads. I've had the whole of the upper Don to myself for years now. I'm not sure I could stand the crowding if another two angers turned up.

Irvine

Dont worry Irvine, you wont see me, neither will the trout, I will be in camo 

Ben

[Rob Brownfield]

Ben,
I guess you have not seen my fishing get up..lol...Max 4 Hi def...I look like this!..... Can you see me..lol

And here is my bedroom

[Noel Kelly]

Today i was having lunch in my car, parked in the ADAA car park at parkhill. There was a large flock of gulls feeding over the river so something must have been hatching. It was 4.5c ??? 
Rob i cant see you, are you hiding under the covers in your cammo pj's

[Irvine Ross]

Dont worry Irvine, you wont see me, neither will the trout, I will be in camo 
Ben

Don't pin your faith in that camouflage Ben. Against a field of newly germinated barley you will be seen for miles. Anyway Sandy manages to catch trout wearing that lurid orange waistcoat of his.

Cammy
You must have been out poaching at night when you were fishing the upper Don. I used to go for weeks without seeing another angler. Or were you wearing camouflage too?

Irvine

[j.r fartley]

i walked the kemnay beat yesterday with my son, the river was 2/3 feet above normal levels,seen 2 salmon near the coffe pot! the river was looking awesome!

[Sandy Nelson]

Anyway Sandy manages to catch trout wearing that lurid orange waistcoat of his.

My autumn orange camoflague will be great the day i fall in the river, or fall down the banks where i hurt myself, and someone needs to spot me
The fish are usually looking over my head anyway

I'll be back on Inverurie this year

My home stomping ground, so looking forward to revisiting a few favourite spots

Great value for a season ticket

Sandy

[Iain Goolager]

Sandy,

Have you any comments on the Urie? Does it fish well? What's the slower, deeper water like further up towards the back of the Civic Ammenity Site?

Only had a wee dabble years ago but it's good to have option for river work on the Sabbath. (I'm sure it's permissable to fish it on a Sunday).

Iain

[Iain Goolager]

Rob,

Why do I get the feeling that it's totally possible that the picture actually is of your bedroom. with perhaps a Fraggle Rock duvet set as your 'spare'

[Brian Brand]

I am same as some above, I will be taking out a permit for Inverurie Burgh this year, some great Trout fishing area's.

Iain, yes you can still fish the Ury on a Sunday (but not the Don at the Burgh)
I used to leave the car behind the cemetery walk across the field then through the woods & then fish back to the bridge.

The Ury is where i started fishing when I was about 8 or 9, was only a couple minutes from my home.
When I was about 10 I used to go down there myself go home for something to eat then head back down to the River, no over protective parents in those days.
Nostalgia is not what it used to be

Regards,
Bri.
 

[gibbyboy]

not long until season starts now.....

what like is the water usually at the start of the season? i take it its more than suitable for the fly from the get go or do folk (that usually use the fly) start off with spinners??

[Graham Ritchie]

You can fish the fly right from the start, in fact it is often more productive than spinning.

[gibbyboy]

good stuff.....ill get a feel for the water soon enough im sure 

[Mike Barrio]

It was good to see the paths, stiles, benches and rod rests in pretty good condition at Inverurie today







Who is looking after these "Bri"? They are doing a good job and the huts were clean too

There are a couple of trees down here and there, but these looked like recent falls and were easy enough to get round.

Best wishes
Mike

[Brian Brand]

I would assume it was the council, if it is then that's a good sign.

I haven't been down myself for a look but will ask around, there was a joint meeting between the clubs and council last November so it may have come up then.

Regards,
Bri.

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff Brian

I was impressed today, I haven't seen the beat looking so good for years and ready for the start of the season too

Cheers
Mike

[Noel Kelly]

Great stuff Brian

I was impressed today, I haven't seen the beat looking so good for years and ready for the start of the season too

Cheers
Mike

I think your getting the river itch Mike

[Mike Barrio]

I think your getting the river itch Mike

Caught that a long, long time ago Noel .... and apparently there's no cure

Cheers
Mike

[Duncan McRae]

Mike

Your photos show work carried out at the top end of the beat by some of the regular local anglers.
I believe that they have been forced into purchasing their own strimmer due to the council no longer maintaining the river banks.
The local angling club were unable to help them out so they have decided to go it alone.
They have done a really great job but it's a relatively short stretch of the beat that they look after.
Come July,most of the beat has become an overgrown wilderness with many good pools unfishable.The situation is even worse on the river Ury.
In early October i decided to have a try for Salmon on both the lower Inverurie beat and the Ury and in many spots i couldn't get near the water for the Dense vegetation.
Given the splendid job they have done at the top end of the beat,i think that these local guys should consider forming their own club and take on the maintenance of the entire Inverurie beat.

Duncan