Fishing The Fly Scotland
Index => Main Discussion Area => Topic started by: Quickcast 84 on 14/07/2011 at 19:49
-
hi folks
me and a mate will be heading for the river don for some salmon fishing in august.i dont have a clue about the river,good beats,flies etc etc,never fished it.could someone fill me in please,where whould we be best to start? i am a complete novice at salmon fishing.
cheers darren :z3
-
Let's start with what gear you have/intend to use and then go from there :z17
H :z3
-
hi hamish
i have all the gear,salmon rods,fly rods,spinning rods and can put them out a fair distance,so no problem there.i have got all the spinners,lures,tobys,rapalas,flies etc etc,again no problem.the problem whould be whats the best part of the river to start fishing from and what works in that part of the river.i got all my gear from a freind of my fathers,who can no longer fish because of ill health.now i whould like to pay him back with a nice don salmon :z12
cheers darren
-
folks
all i need is a part to start from,monnymusk,inverurie,castle forbes,whats best??? this forum is full of don bred anglers.
please help.
don't want to put a few day's fishing to waste fishing on the wrong part of the river.
any info is greatly appreciated :z14.i will also followup with a in depth photo report of how thing's went on the outing.
cheers darren :z16
-
Depends whether you want to fish a single or double hander?
Further upstream lends itself better to a singlehander and downstream more a double hander. The council beats are reasonable value for money.
However by my understanding the Don is having a terrible season for silver tourists.
Cheers
Matt
-
Further upstream lends itself better to a singlehander and downstream more a double hander. The council beats are reasonable value for money.
However by my understanding the Don is having a terrible season for silver tourists.
thank you very much for the feedback matt.like i said,i don't have much knowledge of the river.i would like to take a tourist on a single hander 10ft 6-7wt preferebly,chance's are slim,but that is my goal and i aim to achieve it in a couple of day's fishing! which part of the river would i be best to ping a line in?
cheers darren :z16
-
Good luck with a 6/7 weight is there not river don maps you can buy sure that would be of help ???
-
Hi Darren,
Your #6/7 will be fine, I often use a stiff #6. Think you've gone about this the wrong way mate, I can't see anyone here sharing much knowledge with you after voicing your intention to knock a fish especially in a season when salmon have been so scarce. You buy your ticket and you have the right to take a fish should you so wish but I would maybe think carefully about what you take, small cock fish if anything and make sure it is fresh otherwise your efforts will be wasted. Salmon once in the river for a while taste pretty grim, not sure how much salmon fishing you have done in other places but if you're not sure about what makes a good "keeping" fish, contact the Biologist at the Don Trust and he'll help you out.
If it was me, I'd be taking and would rather see a well taken pic of a salmon being returned than a dead fish in the flesh.
Cheers
Ben
-
If it was me, I'd be taking and would rather see a well taken pic of a salmon being returned than a dead fish in the flesh.
Agreed :z16
As to where to fish I (personally) would base it on what you already know to begin with.
For example, if you're more confident/comfortable with a single hander then that will kind of point you in the direction of where to go for a cast. Again (personally) I'd look above Inverurie.
Spinning is limited on some beats, so check carefully what's permitted on the water you fish.
H :z3
-
hi ben
i never keep fish,whether it be on a fishery or river,but i have been asked to keep a fish for my dads freind,if i catch one.if i were to catch a big fish,it would be returned safely to the river,after a quick photo.a small fish is all i am after to take home.
hamish,
definately more confident with a single hander and would try to avoid using a spinner.i have heard good things of the beats up past inverurie.i think that is were i will be heading :z16
-
O.K, understood Darren.
See how much rain we get tomorrow, the Don is coming up just now. Once it settles and starts to come down try literally anywhere above Alford as far up as Glenkindie. Be aware that above the Bridge of Alford there is no spinning on most beats. Small fly, #10 or #12 fished on a floater with a polyleader fast enough to keep it 6" or so below the surface, you'll need to change tips as you work a pool to give you the best chance.
Cheers
Ben
-
cheers ben.it would be the tackle shop in inverurie for the permits?
-
Here is a link to the council beats on the Don and Ury
http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/parks/fishing/fishing_season_permits.asp#Permit
:z18
Jim
-
You can also try the fish Don website which has beat descriptions and contacts for permits. I can't remember the address but you can get it through the fishpal site.
-
thanks folks,thats most helpfull :z16
-
O.K, understood Darren.
See how much rain we get tomorrow, the Don is coming up just now. Once it settles and starts to come down try literally anywhere above Alford as far up as Glenkindie. Be aware that above the Bridge of Alford there is no spinning on most beats. Small fly, #10 or #12 fished on a floater with a polyleader fast enough to keep it 6" or so below the surface, you'll need to change tips as you work a pool to give you the best chance.
Cheers
Ben
Hi Ben (and all),
Does the Don Code 2011 not stipulate that there is 'no spinning above the Bridge of Alford?'. I thought this was the case, without exception?
Thanks, Manxman.
-
Indeed it does, but that doesn't mean that some proprietors/tenants really give a sh*t as it is a voluntary code.
H :z3
-
As H said, the code is voluntary and its enforcement is down to the proprietor, unfortunately most don't really care.
Ben
-
Ben,
Knowing what I do about the Don and those who fish it, which clearly isn't as much as you guys, this really surprises me. The beat I fish are very keen to follow the code (well, we haven't ever considered breaking it to be honest!) and thought it was pretty well followed generally. It obviously depends as much on the individual as the beat by the sounds of it.
Very surprised actually...Manxman.