Don Today

« **Reply #50 on:** 13/04/2009 at 21:45 »

Quote from: Hamish on 13/04/2009 at 07:22

Too much IMHO

I think £20 is a reasonable price

« **Reply #51 on:** 13/04/2009 at 22:10 »

Quote from: bigtroot on 13/04/2009 at 21:45

I think £20 is a reasonable price

I guess it all depends on the individual, I'm not being funny but this is a debate I want to get into right now Baz - sorry

Reasons why will become apparent in time

« **Reply #52 on:** 14/04/2009 at 19:32 »

Quote from: Jedi on 13/04/2009 at 19:49

Aye its easy when they are rising Baz its when they are not , its all about being in the right place at the right time.

£20

Jim

Barry and I have a very subtle approach to fish that are hesitant to rise...........orange blob at 30mph

« **Reply #53 on:** 14/04/2009 at 22:10 »

Another good day today, a lot of fish rising depsite a rather sparse hatch of LDOs, best fish 2lb4oz, will get some pics up tomorrow. Hatch (LDOs) started about 12:30 and fish were active from about 12 until about 3 with the odd fish still moving occasionally at 5pm, also saw big clouds of midge alough the fish were on Olives.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #54 on:** 14/04/2009 at 22:49 »

Hi Ben,
Well done . No hatches of orange blobs then

.

What were you fishing dries or nymphs , or a mixture ?

Paul.

« **Reply #55 on:** 14/04/2009 at 22:56 »

Hi Paul,

Had two on one of my beasthamers and the rest on an olive klink, missed two fish on nymphs / spiders first thing. I have not tried an orange blob on the Don, yet. I did have some success on a black fritz nomad rolly pollied on a type VI sink September though

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #56 on:** 14/04/2009 at 23:01 »

Ben,

are you off this week as well? or were you 'working'?

« **Reply #57 on:** 15/04/2009 at 11:51 »

I'm coming up and staying at the Colquhonnie Hotel next week and will be fishing Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday on the Don. I've never been to Scotland before and I know nothing of the area really. (I'm American). Can anyone tell me what part of the river (lower, middle, upper) this stretch is on?

« **Reply #58 on:** 15/04/2009 at 12:22 »

Hello Indieangler and welcome to the forum.

The Colquhonnie Hotel beat are certainly in the upper part of the river. The hatch of olives has started but on the last two Saturdays I have been out the fishing has been slow. However the weather forecast says the wind is due to turn southerly on Sunday with a lift in temperature so the beginning of next week could be OK.

Tight Lines

Irvine

« **Reply #59 on:** 15/04/2009 at 12:34 »

Hi Ben,

Quote from: Ben_D on 14/04/2009 at 22:56

Hi Paul,

Had two on one of my beasthamers and the rest on an olive klink, missed two fish on nymphs / spiders first thing. I have not tried an orange blob on the Don, yet. I did have some success on a black fritz nomad rolly pollied on a type VI sink September though

Cheers

Ben

Thanks for that. I tend to fish klink and dink if there is not much rising and then switch to dry if any semblance of a rise starts. I take it a beasthamer is a very large klink ?

I know we're joking about lures in the Don but I know of a certain Richard Walker (used to have a shop in King st , not the other one !), who used to swear by large black IPN's as a fish catcher throughout the season.

Maybe should,nt post that here.

Tight Lines

Paul.

« **Reply #60 on:** 15/04/2009 at 13:24 »

Thanks for the information Hares Lug! I'll have a car with me while I'm in the area, are there different beats of the Don I should check out while I'm around instead of just sticking to this area?

« **Reply #61 on:** 15/04/2009 at 14:17 »

Yes

Irvine (hares lug) knows the waters around Glenkindie far better than I (Glenkindie is 5 minutes down the river from Colquhonnie) and that water would be worth a look as would the beats at Littlewood, Castle Forbes, Whitehaugh and (ofcourse) Monymusk

Semeil waters at Strathdon also worth asking about when you're at the hotel.
That should keep you going for a bit

Hamish

« **Reply #62 on:** 15/04/2009 at 14:54 »

Thanks for the helpful information. I don't quite understand the licensing / beat system you guys use over here. Back in the US, you usually buy a license for your state and you're free to fish any parts of any of the rivers and lakes and it's not really divided into different sections of the rivers like it seems to be over here. What I'm getting at is, I'm assuming I'll need some different type of ticket/license than the one I'm getting from the hotel to fish their beat, if I choose to branch out to these other areas?

« **Reply #63 on:** 15/04/2009 at 17:28 »

Quote from: indieangler on 15/04/2009 at 14:54

Thanks for the helpful information. I don't quite understand the licensing / beat system you guys use over here. Back in the US, you usually buy a license for your state and you're free to fish any parts of any of the rivers and lakes and it's not really divided into different sections of the rivers like it seems to be over here. What I'm getting at is, I'm assuming I'll need some different type of ticket/license than the one I'm getting from the hotel to fish their beat, if I choose to branch out to these other areas?

Yes the river is broken up into beats, which are sections of the river. A beat may be left bank or right bank only which means you cant fish from the opposite bank, you can wade right up to it though

Have a look here for beat information, prices and contact info.
http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/river-don-brown-trout-fishing.html
Your hotel should be able to help you out as well i would presume.

« **Reply #64 on:** 15/04/2009 at 20:31 »

Quote from: grhe on 15/04/2009 at 12:34

Hi Ben,

Thanks for that. I tend to fish klink and dink if there is not much rising and then switch to dry if any semblance of a rise starts. I take it a beasthamer is a very large klink ?

It is a large Klink tied on a size 12 Partridge 15BNX hook, black body with an opal mirage rib, pink post and grizzle hackle, I use it as an indicator also when fishing NZ style. The fly brings fish up from nowhere when there is no hatch (unless you are on the Don), I have had good success fishing NZ style on the Don but really enjoy fishing spiders

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #65 on:** 15/04/2009 at 20:52 »

I'm sure it's been mused over many a time but I've no real confidence in the positive hook up ability of the dry when fishing a Klink & Dink NZ style.
What's the general opinion?
Iain

« **Reply #66 on:** 15/04/2009 at 21:08 »

I am not usually expecting to get fish taking the dry when fishing like that, it is there as an indicator mainly although it does catch me fish occasionally. I dont know how it affects hook up as I usually remove the nymph when fish begin rising freely and have never really experimented. I will leave a nymph on next time I am fishing to rising fish and report back. for me the main point is that the Klink does not always sit right with a nymph on the bend, that must surely affect the chances of a fish hitting it in the first place.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #67 on:** 15/04/2009 at 21:23 »

Yeah,
I'd heard that it's a good way to fish the nymph and an indicator of when the fish are prepared to come to the surface, fair enough - I just think I'd be piddled if I was to miss a 'oncer' due to the dropper being tied to the sighters' bend.

Anyone fish the Klink & Dink with the dry tied off of a short traditional dropper length?

Just interested.

Iain

« **Reply #68 on:** 15/04/2009 at 21:27 »

There is a guy I know who fishes the Clyde who uses a klink on a dropper, he rates that set up and he catches a LOT of fish, stupidly I have not really played about with it but on the basis of his success it must be worth a try

Ben

« **Reply #69 on:** 15/04/2009 at 21:32 »

Will definitely give it a try next time I'm out

« **Reply #70 on:** 15/04/2009 at 21:54 »

Quote from: Goolager on 15/04/2009 at 21:32

Will definitely give it a try next time I'm out

Never took you for a float fisher Iain

Sure you dont just want to take a thingymabobber instead

« **Reply #71 on:** 15/04/2009 at 22:16 »

Baz,
an extract from Isaac Waltons' 'The True Fisherman'

"Blessed is the angler whom caste a floating fly on the merest of dropper gut whilst supporting a slip of a nymph beyond"

BLUFF

« **Reply #72 on:** 17/04/2009 at 17:08 »

Went down today, tried to convince myself I was not frozen but gave up quickly. Cold NE wind, not a fly in sight. Sat watching for about half an hour then sense prevailed. Well if you call spending a small fortune in B&Q sense

Looking like more of the same weather tomorrow so herself will be happy, diy may have to be attempted.

« **Reply #73 on:** 17/04/2009 at 17:54 »

Quote from: rattrala on 11/04/2009 at 22:42

Their have been some runs of grilse coming through the river Don over the last couple of days. I Lost one on Friday and watched someone return a lovely grilse around 4-5lb this afternoon from the same pool. Couple of other fish seen running.

Grilse runs, late last year and seem to be early this year???

rattrala,

I don't think these fish are grilse, they are likely to be small springers. There have been quite a few small springers around the 5lb mark being caught on the Dee since the season opened and has continued. The river board are concerned and have requested the Ghillies and anglers to take scale samples as they intend to carry out a review to confirm if they are 1SW or 2SW fish.

I had a fish from the Dee on opening week that was 5lb in size, I put it down to it being an early fish. My Dad had a fish off the Spey at the beginning of April that was also around the 5lb mark.

Runs don't seem to be getting earlier, so I would guess they are fish that are not getting a good feed in the high seas.

SAY

« **Reply #74 on:** 18/04/2009 at 16:13 »

Out for a few hours today, good hatch of olives and plenty fish rising. Had about 1/2 a dozen but all small. A lot of folk fishing today.