River Don 2017

« **Reply #275 on:** 14/09/2017 at 08:00 »

Fished a very soggy upper Don with my boss yesterday. Never stopped raining and the river was on the rise. Managed 6-7 small fish to about a 1.5 lbs from some very interesting pools. Mt boss still remains fishless

Three biggest trout to woolly buggers, the rest on dries (although they were wet before I had even tied them on!!) and tungsten PTNs. Probably had about a dozen fish actually on, but the smaller fish flipped off the barbless hooks.

« **Reply #276 on:** 19/09/2017 at 22:00 »

Finally managed another day on the river, where the weather had not totally buggered things up

And it was a beautiful afternoon to be on the river, the water was like Dark Tea and running a wee bit up, but these are good conditions for dryfly

Huge hatches of Rosebay willow-herb greeted me as i arrived.

And in amongst the seeds the fish were happily supping down a hatch of LDO's, very small and pale but definitely LDO's

Managed a few nice fish,

And found lots of Sedge hiding in the reeds, i don't think they interested the fish as there were Chocolate olives on the menu, but i enjoyed getting up close and personal with the Caperers (i think)

Now hoping that the weather tomorrow is OK so i can get out on Thursday too

Sandy

« **Reply #277 on:** 20/09/2017 at 16:49 »

Different day today I suspect Sandy?

« **Reply #278 on:** 30/09/2017 at 19:43 »

Last day of the Brownie season on many beats ..... so a day not to be missed if possible

We arrived to find a fairly brisk upstream wind this morning, something that doesn't usually fill me with confidence. Then enjoyed a walk up and down the water for a few miles in search of rising fish, but no such luck today, only spotting a couple of 'One-cers' that failed to make a second appearance

A great day to be out in the fresh air in good company ( Cheers Brian ) the coffee and sandwiches were good, but the fishing just didn't get going for me today ...... such is life, roll on next time

Had fun trying a couple of flies ( and tactics ) that I haven't fished for a while

Cheers
Mike

« **Reply #279 on:** 08/10/2017 at 10:39 »

Ventured out yesterday to swing some flies in the hope of a back-end tourist - nothing doing so I ventured to the dark side and out came the spinning rod

About four or five casts in I connected with something rather strange yet powerful. The fish was just charging about the pool and refused to surface. When it eventually did I couldn’t believe my eyes, nor was it a salmon or trout but a rather plump pike

Managed to net the fish and take some measurements as I haven’t ever landed one before. Spoke to a local pike angler who estimates it’s weight to be around the 3.5/4lb mark. Just wondering how much of them actually are in the river?

Cheers,
Ash

« **Reply #280 on:** 06/11/2017 at 08:34 »

I see that the Don has been designated a Cat 3 river for 2018....so 100 % C&R. What a sad state of affairs. Back when i started fishing the Don, in 2005 at the backend of the season at Kintore the river used to be 'jumping' with fish. Sadly no longer...

« **Reply #281 on:** 06/11/2017 at 12:24 »

Quote from: Ashley Thomas on 08/10/2017 at 10:39

Ventured out yesterday to swing some flies in the hope of a back-end tourist - nothing doing so I ventured to the dark side and out came the spinning rod

About four or five casts in I connected with something rather strange yet powerful. The fish was just charging about the pool and refused to surface. When it eventually did I couldn’t believe my eyes, nor was it a salmon or trout but a rather plump pike

Managed to net the fish and take some measurements as I haven’t ever landed one before. Spoke to a local pike angler who estimates it’s weight to be around the 3.5/4lb mark. Just wondering how much of them actually are in the river?

Cheers,
Ash

A few...but many end up on the bank

, although that situation is changing

I had two this year, both about 4lb, although one was badly damaged. I suspect someone had stepped on it and just pulled the lure free as one side of it had a bad abrasion and the mandible (lip) was hanging off and bleeding badly.

Largest Pike I know of on the Don was a fish of 23lbs killed on an ADAA beat at least 25 years ago. My biggest river pike in Scotland was a shade over 30lbs. I was given permission to fish a lower Dee beat for Pike many many years ago, but never caught.

I understand there are Perch too, as well as Dace and Gudgeon.

« **Reply #282 on:** 06/11/2017 at 12:35 »

Quote from: Rob Brownfield on 06/11/2017 at 12:24

A few...but many end up on the bank , although that situation is changing

I see - I had always wondered how many of them were kicking about. The one I caught was in prime condition and my very first so was a real surprise when it eventually surfaced. Went back like a train.

Ash

« **Reply #283 on:** 11/12/2017 at 13:29 »

Hi Folks

A few years back,there was word of possibly setting up a roving ticket for Brown trout fishing which would include several Don beats.I think it may have been the Don trust which was trying to organize this but my memory fails me.
I thought it was a great idea at the time but for whatever reason it did not come to fruition.

It seems to me that this might be a good time to resurrect the idea.
With both salmon and salmon angler numbers at an all time low, beat owners might be more willing to get involved in anything that will bring in revenue?
It's sad to witness such a decline in Salmon fishing on the Don but if it sparks a resurgence in fishing for our magnificent Browns then that can only be good.

Anyone any thoughts?

Duncan

« **Reply #284 on:** 11/12/2017 at 17:01 »

Duncan,

It was originally the RDBTIA (River Don Brown Trout Improvement Association) that tried to set up the roving ticket scheme.
As I was the 'Secretary' of the RDBTIA back then, I started the 'negotiations' on the roving ticket scheme in late 2007. By mid-2009 I left Aberdeenshire with work and I estimate I was about 80% of the way to actually making the roving scheme a reality for the 2010 season.

My original idea was to make the scheme an affordable way for anglers to fish C&R exclusively on beats across the length of the river.
Naturally some beats were not going to offer their fishing as they already had more rods than water available. Well, so they said at the time

But it was looking good.....

There was significant interest from the smaller beats as the RDBTIA would have taken on the role of 'facilitator' along with FishPal who would have potentially been 'the' outlet for the tickets.

River politics can be fascinating and maybe the concept was too ahead of the game for some, unfortunately the momentum was lost and the initiative didn't materialise - probably as much to do with getting the River Don Trust up and running fully than anything. I still think that the roving ticket scheme is very much the way forward - not only for the Don but other rivers and I still think it should be 100% C&R.

However, it would take someone with serious Don connections to start up the idea again (effectively from scratch after a decade) and make it happen. The timing though, is bang on as the desire to make it happen should be strong. The ADAA effectively have a roving ticket scheme on their waters which came along and (to some extent) could serve as a rough framework for a river-wide scheme as its in operation and works.

H

« **Reply #285 on:** 12/12/2017 at 10:53 »

Hamish
A real pity you had to move when completion of the scheme was so near.

On a different note,i was sitting in a queue of traffic on the old Port Elphinstone bridge this morning looking down on what used to be the Inverurie paper mill water.
The mill closed around seven years ago and since then the water has remained unfished and as far as i'm aware, unavailable for fishing.
The beat must be around three miles long and must be one of the best Brown trout fishings on the Don.What a waste!

Duncan

« **Reply #286 on:** 12/12/2017 at 15:46 »

it will be interesting to see how the Don brownies survive as they have gone 100 % C&R on the salmon....

« **Reply #287 on:** 12/12/2017 at 16:57 »

How will 100% C&R for the Salmon have an effect on the Browns?

« **Reply #288 on:** 12/12/2017 at 17:37 »

Am with Liam on this one, if anything the fewer numbers of salmon have increased the numbers of trout, we're seeing far bigger trout on the don these days.
So I can't see how a C&R of fewer fish has any effect at all.

Edit: I might add that Liam has poached most of the big trout this season

« **Reply #289 on:** 12/12/2017 at 17:46 »

The bigger trout have always been there ........... ask Duncan

It's just that you younger folk are starting to learn how to catch them now

- and I'm starting to forget

« **Reply #290 on:** 12/12/2017 at 20:47 »

Hi Mike
Seems like an awful long time ago when I used to enjoy my trout fishing.I might need a refresher course from some of these young guys.

They really do take some tremendous fish.Will 2018 be the year us seniors make a comeback?

I don't think the trout will suffer as a result of the Salmon ban.There will always be an odd rogue but most anglers realise that these fish,especially the big one's,are too valuable to kill.

Duncan

« **Reply #291 on:** 12/12/2017 at 21:22 »

Quote from: Duncan McRae on 12/12/2017 at 20:47

I might need a refresher course from some of these young guys.

Now that i very much doubt

Sandy (former Duncan stalker)

« **Reply #292 on:** 12/12/2017 at 22:21 »

Quote from: Liam Stephen on 12/12/2017 at 16:57

How will 100% C&R for the Salmon have an effect on the Browns?

I was thinking along the lines of if people can't take a salmon home the next best option would be a trout. I hope not but...

« **Reply #293 on:** 18/12/2017 at 09:35 »

When the broom is in bloom ....................

« **Reply #294 on:** 18/12/2017 at 19:45 »

.... you might catch something

« **Reply #295 on:** 18/12/2017 at 22:17 »

Good try Hamish

A slightly better clue:
When the broom is in bloom, use a ...... ...

« **Reply #296 on:** 18/12/2017 at 22:31 »

Yellow may?

Steveb

« **Reply #297 on:** 18/12/2017 at 22:31 »

Use a yellow fly.

« **Reply #298 on:** 18/12/2017 at 22:36 »

Well done Liam

Yes Steven, I think we must let Yellow May qualify too

« **Reply #299 on:** 20/12/2017 at 09:19 »

When the Broom is in bloom.....use a worm!

I am not sure where I heard the yellow fly saying, but it must be a good 30 years ago. Maybe Browns Tackle?

A bright yellow 6" Butt monkey streamer always works

Rob Brownfield

Sandy Nelson

Mike Barrio

Mike Barrio

Ashley Thomas

James Laraway

Rob Brownfield

Ashley Thomas

Duncan McRae

Hamish Young

Duncan McRae

James Laraway

Liam Stephen

Colin Sunley

Mike Barrio

Duncan McRae

Sandy Nelson

James Laraway

Mike Barrio

Hamish Young

Mike Barrio

Steven Sinclair

Liam Stephen

Mike Barrio

Rob Brownfield