[Mike Barrio]

The Don Salmon season opens on February 11th and the march to celebrate the river takes place on the first Saturday of the season, so this year it is on February 15th.

The event is open to all who would like to attend and Inverurie Angling Association hopes that a good number of anglers, guests and public will be there to enjoy the event.

As usual, everybody will gather at the Kintore Arms Hotel in Inverurie from 8.45am for tea/coffee/biscuits and then the March To The River will commence at 9.30am.

The event will follow the traditional format, with Piper Paul Malley leading the march down to the river bank below the Don Bridge, IAA President Steve Corsar will say a few words, followed by any trophy presentations, then the blessing of the river by Minister Rhona Cathart and the first cast by Provost Bill Howatson.

The event is sponsored by Glen Garioch Distillery, who will offer a dram of their excellent whisky and there will also be soft drinks and nibbles available.

[Jim Eddie]

Staying in Cullen that weekend Mike so won't make it

 
Jim

[Mike Barrio]

Staying in Cullen that weekend Mike so won't make it

 
Jim

Enjoy 

[Duncan McRae]

Picked up my season permit today and with it a smashing new cap courtesy of Mike.
Thanks for your generosity Mike.

Think this is going to be my lucky cap on the Don this year but nothing doing on the Ythan this afternoon.





Duncan

[Mike Barrio]

Thanks Duncan, cracking photo

Fingers crossed that mine brings me luck on the Don too 

Cheers
Mike

[Duncan McRae]

Managed a couple of after work sessions this week but nothing doing apart from one small kelt.
Felt great to get going again.

Duncan

[Mike Barrio]

Cracking opening day for the trout season for anybody that is out on the river

Edit : I may have spoken too soon     

[Sandy Nelson]

Not too bad a day, if you could find some shelter.
Water temp still just 6 degrees but nice and clear and a few LDO's around but not enough to get the devils looking up.



We puddled around with some nymphs through various runs and picked up a few fish, nothing of note but pretty early season fish.



Colin got off the mark as well, so the monkey is away and back in the closet.



So no dry fly action, in fact we saw no rising fish, but at 6degree water temp i'm not surprised, however the flies are starting and if the water stays in the same shape there should be a plenty fish for folk to go and have  a shot at.



Sandy

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff 

[Sandy Nelson]

After a blank during yesterdays couple of hours, i managed to sneak another couple of hours this afternoon.
Again dodging the wind and today the water was carrying a little colour, but my luck was in and after some serious searching through some likely spots, i did manage to drop a fly on one of their noses.
Didn't see any flies, but i was out later today 2-4. A bit better size this time too, put up quite a scrap and was in pretty good nick for march.

[Sandy Nelson]

Water temp is still running 6 degrees C and it feels damn cold when you are out in it.
On a positive note i saw a lot more flies today, with sporadic bursts of LDO's and the odd march brown from lunchtime right through till 3 o clock. Worked the nymph through plenty good looking runs and had just the one touch



In some areas, the flies, come 2 o'clock, were popping up every 10mins or so in small numbers of 5 or 6 drifting past me, this even meant a fish or two started rising and those were the first i have seen all week.
I had no luck trying the dry, but as i knew where they were i ran the nymph over them and they were quite obliging.



So the best day of the week for me so far, even if the conditions havent changed much, it was nice to see a few rising fish.
Nothing significant, but bonny fish in reasonable condition, water was clear enough to start trying some underwater stuff too, fish had other ideas



Sandy

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff Sandy 

[Dave Robb]

My April / May plans have taken a big hit with the kids now being out of school   

Other than weekend days, I’m going to probably have to wait for summer evenings.

[Sandy Nelson]

Not technically the Don today, but fancied a wander up the Ury with some lightweight gear.
So i took my new 2wt out for a few casts and to try some lines and see what it likes.

The wind wasnt quite as troublesome as on the main river, but it was still challenging in places, however with a wee weighted nymph i managed to winkle out the odd fish, decent sizes for the little river too.



a lot of fun with the lightweight rod, even a 16"r puts a huge bend in it



But its a bonny wee river and somewhere people should explore a good bit more, it can be surprising where the fish can be found
And today it was 7 degrees, so a touch warmer than the main river too.



And they were in pretty good condition too. even if the light wasnt great at times



Sandy

[Duncan McRae]

Bonny trout Sandy.
The Ury is practically unfished these days but it used to be very popular when I was a kid.
Bet there are some big trout lurking in the deep,slow moving pools.

Duncan

[Allan Liddle]

Good stuff Sandy, Ury has some excellent fishing and some fantastic water, hogweed central later on though and really needs some serious work with a sprayer.

[Mike Barrio]

From Inverurie Angling Association Facebook page.

[Sandy Nelson]

Sad but necessary in the current environment
Precedents need to be seen for them to work .

[Dave Robb]

But yet you can go out for a run. 

I personally don’t see much difference between going for a walk / run on your own or fishing on your own.

Just saying.

[Mike Barrio]

Sad but necessary in the current environment
Precedents need to be seen for them to work .

Yes, we are all in this together 

A time for rod building, fly tying, books & videos ............ just like the season hasn't opened yet.

[Duncan McRae]

Yes, we are all in this together 

A time for rod building, fly tying, books & videos ............ just like the season hasn't opened yet.

Also time for some gardening Mike.

With a bit of luck we will be back just in time for the best of the evening trout rises and the night time seatrout run.

Duncan

[Mike Barrio]

Nobody been out on the Don yet ...... I haven't had a chance.

[Gavin Stevenson]

I was out early yesterday morning got a few on dry's and PTN but nothing of note. I did see a few salmon running up river

[Fred Hay]

I've not been out but had over 60 brown trout to 2.75lb and 1 seatrout of 4lb reported from both the Burgh and Ardmurdo/Keithhall beats since the fishing re-opened on Friday so the warm weather appears to be helping although the water is desperately low and in need of a freshen up.

[Sandy Nelson]

I've finally got round to sorting myself out and downloading the photos from the last few days.

Been an interesting few days, i started friday night after work to see what the evening rise might be like.
It wasn't bad with with fish feeding on Olive upright spinners most of the evening until around 10pm



Some nice ones in amongst them, but all readily rising for the fly
after 10 they switched to chasing sedges and wanted it twitching. Still struggling with the camera settings in the dark.



Saturday morning i went out early to see what like, not much on the top, but plenty to the nymph through fast water.
River looking lovely with ranunculus





Lots of good size fish up to a good size, but none of the special ones.



Sunday night, was similar to friday, although with a suggestion from a mate, the camera issue could well be sorted



Yesterday i fished a new beat for the first time, lots of pocket picking in the sun. a lot of fun with plenty fish up to a decent size
and some big rocks!




Some lovely runs and glides too, ranunculus looking lovely in the sunshine



Some little fat buggers too, lots of fun



Today was on a more familiar beat and it was a morning of nymphing up the runs and getting a few up to a reasonable size and then streamering back down to the car, which eventually paid off.



Lots of olive uprights still hatching during the day, but it seems the spinners are the preferred stage, just now



So now i'm Happy, sitting with a dram and sore shoulder from 2 solid days of nymphing and streamers, watching the rain come down, hoping there is enough to freshen things up again so in a week or so, the big ones start to chase the sedge on a night

Sandy