[Liam Stephen]

To go down the river or not... 

Have left it too late? 

Liam

[Loxiafan]

Can't match excellent catches of 30 I am afraid, been a struggle on the dry fly over last week or so, despite a decent effort. Sunsets like this have made the blanks tolerable:



Sunday night at Upper Parkhill saw me stalking a big trout but too far out to cast to effectively  The evening ended with a pleasant as always chat with John Walker and concluded with scenes from Ross Kemp in Afghanistan with .22 rifle rounds appearing to be fired in my direction...or at swans on the river. Either way not great - see ADAA forum for full details. Maybe they'd seen my casting and were trying to put me out of my misery ? !

Monday night on way back from Balbithan I managed a couple of trout, one at 8 oz and this one of a pund on JT Olive dry(size 19):



These fish appeared to be taking Evening Duns' around 9pm ? Noticed one earlier at Balbithan, and a few of the notorious micro caddis.

Cracking night last night but was doing birdie stuff. Any one else getting oot ?

Lindsay

[Kev Danby]

Was out above Alford on Saturday chasing Tourists and managed three on a silver stoats and cadbury stoats tail (used the purple foil wrapper) floating line with Int sink tip. Fish were reasonably fresh biggest around 11lb smallest 4lb.

No pictures phone and camera left at home.

[Phil]

What a cracking picture of the Don  ! Absolutely beautiful! Looks like from a postcard... Haven't been out since a while, last time I drowned my cam in the Don  , have it drying since two weeks, hope it will work again...

Good to know that fish are active and around, can't wait until tomorrow...    :z18

Cheers,
Phil

[Loxiafan]

Kevlard, well done on the 'Rushdie's' ! Phil, hope you have a good day, camera used was a wee point n shoot Samsung £50 from Sainsbury's. The sky really looked like that, image not manipulated, only some contrast and sharpening of image was done.

Looking good the night ?

Lindsay

[Iain Goolager]

Cracking photo' Lindsay, did you take that from your foxhole?

Well done on the Salmon Kev 

I had an hour out tonight doing a little experiment.
 
Was out on Monday? fishing nymph and spider, dropping fish on a PTN tied on Tiemco 3761SP-BL's (spear point barbless), fish around the 3/4lb mark and finally one at 1 1/4lb'ish so I decided to change to the only other barbless PTN that I had which was tied on a jig hook. Granted all the fish were smaller after that but they all stayed on including one around 9 oz which was the largest.

I really like the Mustad R72 with flattened barbs but I'm sure I read that they were either discontinued or could only be bought abroad? I'll have to find an equivalent.

Armed with some R72 PTN's I headed to the river and 15 min's later the R72 had no prob's holding onto this nice trout. It was the only fish I touched so although inconclusive it has made up my mind - I don't care for the spear point barbless hooks. 



Iain

[Liam Stephen]

That's bonnie fish Goo, spade like tail 

If you plan on getting rid of your spear hook PTNs gimme a shout 

Liam

[Mike Barrio]

Nice fish Iain

Cheers
Mike

[Noel Kelly]

Nice 1 Iain

[Jim Eddie]

Bonnie Fish Iain 

 

Jim

[Loxiafan]

Nice fish Iain, well done especially so after dropping a few when confidence ebbs !

Inspired by you I bought a (big expensive !) stash of Tiemco 3761SP-BL a while ago to tie up some nymphs. Haven't used them in anger yet but I think I might know the problem. They are VERY solid hooks - looks like they will never bend. In a hook that 'gives' a bit then this to an extent cushions the jolts from the fish etc whereas these bad boys will possibly just pull/work there way out or the fish will wriggle off in the 'micro slack' that occurs ?  So, perhaps hooks that 'give' a bit aren't bad afterall, we just don't want them opening ! Probably cobblers, just think out aloud so to speak. Thought they worked well for you before ?

Liam, didn't realize that was you with Michael Thurs night at the Bridge car park Parkhill 11.00pm ! I was going through this thread last night looking at catches etc and noticed pics of you with Michael ( at......). At least you appear to have lost the totally gay beanie hat since then 

Had 4 to at 10 to 12 oz yesterday on dry fly, lost a decent one but not well enough hooked 

 Lindsay

[Liam Stephen]

Liam, didn't realize that was you with Michael Thurs night at the Bridge car park Parkhill 11.00pm ! I was going through this thread last night looking at catches etc and noticed pics of you with Michael ( at......). At least you appear to have lost the totally gay beanie hat since then 

 Lindsay
[/quote]

Haha FFS first Iain slags me off now you!  That is my lucky hat Lindsay, and I always have it with me even if I'm not wearing it 

Liam

[Loxiafan]

Haha FFS first Iain slags me off now you!  That is my lucky hat Lindsay, and I always have it with me even if I'm not wearing it 

Can't slag off a lucky fishing hat Liam, keep wearing it then - there is nothing wrong with looking like a dong as long as you are catching fish !   I still wear my 'lucky' Grey's hat even though I am now 'Team' Orvis ( my last bank statement can testify to this !).

Lindsay

[Iain Goolager]

Lindsay,

I like the way you analize everything (apart from your own dress sense  ) but the Mustad R72 is at least as beefy and they have never given me an issue, quite the opposite, never dropped a large fish on them to my memory. Only problem was availability and desire to go with a barbless alternative.

Iain

[Loxiafan]

I like the way you analize everything (apart from your own dress sense  ) but the Mustad R72 is at least as beefy and they have never given me an issue..

S'wot I do, only way I learn IME. However, I'll spare you my "dissertation" on how 'authentic' 19th century North Country spiders were actually tied with quite 'heavy' hackles and that this sparse hackle fashion is a modern 'fad'.....albeit a sensible and effective one (at times).

Crivvens those hooks were difficult to get (in a particular size) and weren't cheap   I'll gie them a try next season in April if I can deviate from the dry. If I get same results as you - Ebay.

Lindsay

PS your broon troot above - hint of Sea Trout that has stayed in the river for a Season (or two) after spawning ? Small pointy snout, spade tail, general body markings. A grey area I know, but possible. Caught a couple in the River Ae (trib of Annan) near Dumfries 25 years ago that we (fisheries students) reckoned were "Bull Trout" ala those mythical beasts of the Coquet and Tweed. The male fish was nearly 4 pounds in weight and had rows of teeth like a shark ! Cut my fingers to burgerry removing the hook.

[Loxiafan]

The thing out the River Ae looked exactly like this:

http://www.lochwinnochac.net/Trout/bull.html

Sometimes called slob trout (estuary trout). I had a great game fishing book when I was a nipper and the guy really extoled the virtue of "Bullies" on the Coquet and Tweed as being the hardest fighting beasts pound for pound.
Got a photo of mine somewhere from 1984.

Anyone seen this type of mythical fish in the Don (or Ythan) ?


L

[Rob Brownfield]

Seen at the mouth of the Don..well, at the Bridge of Balgownie. I had one of about 2.5 pounds on a Rapala (was a long time ago before I realised the damage a Rapala can do).

I have heard of them there since then.

[Liam Stephen]

Has anyone been out of late or had any joy? This thread seems dead 

 
Liam

[Noel Kelly]

Has anyone been out of late or had any joy? This thread seems dead 

 
Liam

I'm presuming that you have! So why not tell us about it

[danbruce]

In between moving house and unpacking boxes i have managed a few hours on saturday morning at upper Fintray and a few more on Saturday afternoon at Kintore.

Not much in the way of fish rising so was just a case of working my way through the river with spiders.
Had a few small trout 6-8" at Fintray on march brown spiders, did have a go at one decent sized trout on the dry fly it rose twice to my fly but pricked it on the second cast and didn't see it again.

Saturday afternoon saw slightly better catches but it was windy which made casting tricky (for me anyway)
Again had on or two small trout. Then while casting out and swinging some spiders through some nice looking water i got a nice solid take from a fish which pulled most of my fly line from the reel as it shot down stream in fastish water, after a spirited fight i finally netted a nice plump 1-1/2lb brownie.

Pretty chuffed as i now seem to be at least getting some action most times i go out.

Cheers,

Dan

[Liam Stephen]

I'm presuming that you have! So why not tell us about it

Of course I have   it's been shite. Nothing over 2lb for 3 weeks now, I have located a few big ones but they are tricky fish   This weeks forecast looks all doom and gloom to  

You need to get down the river some evening soon Trig  

Liam

[Loxiafan]

I too have been thinking it was becoming 'unfashionable' to post on this thread but possibly the August 'blues' ?

Have had 3 days out since (and including) last Sunday and although no blanks no 'red letter' fish either, but plenty perfectly conditioned wild brownies around 10 to 12 inches. All targetted and all on dry, sometimes in difficult conditions so overall can't complain. Saturday evening I made a total of only 4 casts and caught two fish that were 'midge-ing' (on a tiny cdc olive), best 12". Friday morning/afternoon there were rising fish at Parkhill and managed to catch on the dry while out with my nephew. Lots of Sedge around including many Black Silverhorns, but for me Sedge imitations haven't done the biz this year, wtf ?  Needle flies now out in abundance too ( Seaton Park beat) yesterday.

Looks like I'll be sticking with dry fly for the remainder of the year, though the way the river has been looking I've nearly been reaching for the 10' 4wt and French leader ! 

Another competition this Sunday both Parkhill beats guys. Then another SNFFL 'premier league' one in early September. Just as well we have other beats !

Lindsay

[Ewan Lindsay]

it's been shite. Nothing over 2lb for 3 weeks now,

Liam

 

Your a hard man to please Liam! 

Ewan

[Noel Kelly]

Catches are about what I'd expect for this time of year then. Every year I promise myself that I won't fish the river in August and this year I have pretty much stuck to that. Too much time for too little return plus there are always other matters backed up that need attention.
I have had a very poor season anyway despite putting the hrs in during may/June.
Hope to get some action in sept on streamers/wets. Had a few decent trout last sept.

[Phil]

I decided to try something new and went to one of the upper beats above Alford on Saturday. I have never been so far upstream before, absolutely stunning scenery and the Don looks so beautiful  ! Caught some lovely little brownies, all small, about the size of my hand... but on dries... And a guy caught a salmon of about 8 pounds, already coloured... I have seen one as well, jumping. But I had to go home after 4 hours of fishing, after having hay fever like crazy and I forgot the allergy tablets  ... well, next time I will be better prepared...

The season for me was so far more or less... It's not easy...I had one of 1.5lbs and lots of small ones... I ordered the Oliver Edwards DVD on Wet fly fishing and Anatomy of a trout stream, maybe that helps 

Phil