Fishing The Fly Scotland

Index => Main Discussion Area => Topic started by: Ivor Duffus on 01/11/2021 at 11:54

Title: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 01/11/2021 at 11:54
Pleased I kept this clip from the green final. I just wish I remembered the year. It was mid 80s possibly 85/86 the water was dropping back from a big spate.

I remember it was to high for the bridge stream when I caught my fish. I walked down until I could get a cast just below the seat midway between the Don bridge and bridge stream. The water was still above the bank and on the path so it was fairly easy to land it.

Bert the council Bailiff come walking along and gave assistance.


Almost all that fish were taken on spinners or worm. Nobody could afford salmon fly fishing tackle back then. So when the water dropped back to good fly fishing levels the catches could of been much higher.  Plus a lot of fish went un reported.


Anyway it was great to have seen it and remember how it was back in the day  :z16


Ivor

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/11749-011121115353.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7044)
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 01/11/2021 at 12:06
Great stuff Ivor  >)
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 01/11/2021 at 12:43
That’s pretty cool Ivor , thanks for sharing.

85 was my first year on the Don. 86 my first at Inverurie. Seeing Fred and Duncan in the paper is amusing.
I can remember the amount of guys that used to be lined up along the rays early season. I also remember an old guy with a reliant robin that was always on the water and used to catch a lot of fish on Devons
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: James Laraway on 01/11/2021 at 13:40
so Ian Dossett would have been John Dossett ('the butchers') dad ?

I used to love chatting to John about fishing in his shop when I lived in Kintore...
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 01/11/2021 at 14:33
That’s pretty cool Ivor , thanks for sharing.

85 was my first year on the Don. 86 my first at Inverurie. Seeing Fred and Duncan in the paper is amusing.
I can remember the amount of guys that used to be lined up along the rays early season. I also remember an old guy with a reliant robin that was always on the water and used to catch a lot of fish on Devons


The old fella with the robin reliant was Asty Allan who along with Ian Dosset were masters at fishing the Devon at the correct speed and depth. Not as easy as a lot would believe.

Asty was probably the only lad that also used a multiplier reel.

I think they both worked shifts at Lawsons of dyce so they could fish a lot.


Ivor
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 01/11/2021 at 15:13
Cheers Ivor

Asty Allan, that’s the guy. I remember him well. I did have an inclination that his name was Asty but I wasn’t sure. I don’t specifically remember Ian but I’m sure I just spent a lot time in the vicinity of these guys when I was a kid. I was intrigued by anyone catching fish and wanted to know how it was done. Took me until 1988 to get my first springer. 3” black and white Devon on the 26th of March . It was 9lb and it tasted fantastic.  I’ll never forget taking it home.  *smiley-yippee*
How times have changed
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Duncan McRae on 01/11/2021 at 21:39
We're lucky to have these memories Ivor.

Duncan
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 01/11/2021 at 22:04
We're lucky to have these memories Ivor.

Duncan

Very true Duncan  :z16
Cheers
Mike
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Fred Hay on 02/11/2021 at 06:27
Wow Ivor !!!
That newspaper clipping brings back the memories - you forget what we had back then.
I can't help regarding the year but I suspect that the angler in the Reliant Robin was Jock Tait from Aberdeen.  He used to fish quite regularly at Inverurie, especially in the springtime when the water was high.
But you're right Asty Allan was there and if he caught a fish he used to shout out so everyone within a couple hundred yards knew he was hooked up - good old days.  And .....Asty actually fished with an old Hardy Silex reel - which was similar to a multiplier as it was free running.
Ian Dosset was the complete opposite - you never heard him if he caught a fish just quietly going about his business - both him and Asty were masters of the devon minnow.
Thanks for the memory.
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 02/11/2021 at 08:56
We're lucky to have these memories Ivor.

Duncan

It was an amazing few days Duncan. You could of caught a Salmon almost anywhere on the beat. The pools further up at Castle Forbes and Alford must of been stuffed with fish that year.

Ivor
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 02/11/2021 at 09:12
Wow Ivor !!!
That newspaper clipping brings back the memories - you forget what we had back then.
I can't help regarding the year but I suspect that the angler in the Reliant Robin was Jock Tait from Aberdeen.  He used to fish quite regularly at Inverurie, especially in the springtime when the water was high.
But you're right Asty Allan was there and if he caught a fish he used to shout out so everyone within a couple hundred yards knew he was hooked up - good old days.  And .....Asty actually fished with an old Hardy Silex reel - which was similar to a multiplier as it was free running.
Ian Dosset was the complete opposite - you never heard him if he caught a fish just quietly going about his business - both him and Asty were masters of the devon minnow.
Thanks for the memory.

Great Days Fred.

I always thought it was Asty who had the Robin Reliant. He was a demon caster with that reel hitting 6" inside the far bank every cast.

I remember seeing Ian standing beside his car one day. I was still a school kid so it was late 70s. He shouted come over here and see this fish, He opened the boot and it was his 25lb Springer from the Blackpot. It must of filled the boot in that old car.

As it turned out Ian caught it in the Blackpot and landed it in the mill stream  *smiley-shocking* *smiley-shocking*.

Ivor
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 02/11/2021 at 09:41
More recent, but still goes back a few years  :)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-021121094052.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7048)
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 02/11/2021 at 09:56
I can also remember when I used to do the Don reports for Trout & Salmon, I don't have any copies now - the magazines have long gone in clear outs  *smiley-unhappy*

Trying to get the catch info from river beat owners every month was 'somewhat challenging'  *smiley-lol*
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 02/11/2021 at 14:21
Found another one  >)

Anybody else got any clippings stashed away?

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-021121142054.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7050)
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 02/11/2021 at 14:45
More recent, but still goes back a few years  :)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-021121094052.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7048)

This photo must be 80s as well surely Mike.

I used to speak to the older chap back left with what looks like a deer stalker on. I used to see him in the bookies. He was a paper mill worker and mostly fished the mill water.

Do you know his name. was it Jim perhaps  :z8.

looking at it again. is it Bert the bailiff  :z8

Ivor
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 02/11/2021 at 16:25
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-021121094052.jpeg)

Back left is Jim Simpson? ...... not sure, I'd have to check with Brian Brand, Jim was pals with his father.

Not sure about those at the back now, although it's Pete Dow and Logan Hadden on the right.

Left to right at the front are:   myself - ??? - Raymond Bisset - Stevie Cruickshank
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 02/11/2021 at 16:54
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-021121094052.jpeg)

Back left is Jim Simpson? ...... not sure, I'd have to check with Brian Brand, Jim was pals with his father.

Not sure about those at the back now, although it's Pete Dow and Logan Hadden on the right.

Left to right at the front are:   myself - ??? - Raymond Bisset - Stevie Cruickshank

Yes i thought it was Jim.

I used to get a update on the mill catches when i was in the bookies  :z16


Ivor
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 02/11/2021 at 18:25
I’ve got this one.
Looking at Daniel on the left I hazard a guess it’s possibly 2004/2003


(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-021121182539.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7057)
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 02/11/2021 at 18:38
Yep, that'd be about right for David  >)
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Duncan McRae on 02/11/2021 at 19:37
I wish the permits were still this price :)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-021121193437.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7058)


(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-021121193615.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7060)

Duncan
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: James Laraway on 02/11/2021 at 19:39
Amazing...
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 02/11/2021 at 19:55
Cracking post Duncan.

A wish i had kept more stuff like that.  If the salmon fishing keeps going downwards it will be 50p again   *smiley-grin* *smiley-grin*


Ivor
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Brian Brand on 03/11/2021 at 17:14
Yes it is Jim Simpson, my father Bert Brand is in Sandy's  photo 2nd from the left, many would have known him from JJ Watson's shop.
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Duncan McRae on 06/11/2021 at 18:22
I can also remember when I used to do the Don reports for Trout & Salmon, I don't have any copies now - the magazines have long gone in clear outs  *smiley-unhappy*

Trying to get the catch info from river beat owners every month was 'somewhat challenging'  *smiley-lol*

Found one of your reports from 2004 Mike.
Kept this copy because of the exceptional salmon catches that year.
What i remember most about my October catches that year was that most of the fish were Silver and many were sealiced.
2004 is not that long ago so what has happened to the backend run :z8


(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-061121182821.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=7072)


Duncan
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Mike Barrio on 06/11/2021 at 19:08
Nice one, thanks for sharing that Duncan  :z16

Cheers
Mike
Title: Re: Back in the day.
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 07/11/2021 at 15:12
Cracking Report.

Don and Deveron in great form. Its only 2010 that Scottish rivers had a record year since they started recording in 1952.


I guess the biggest mystery is the speed of the decline we are seeing now. but its happened before . Richard Waddington wrote about it in his book and it was the Autumn run that dissapeared. They did eventually come back. will they come back this time  :z8 :z8.

I guess another factor this time  is the decline had already started before the Autumn run disappeared  and the Rivers are not as healthy for catches to rebound  :( :(


Ivor