[Loxiafan]

Did you lose it in the weed? 

For once, no  Just 'bad angling' from too much slack line from reach cast, multiple upstream mends to avoid drag blah, blah. If there had been no wind I reckon I'd have had a pretty mental afternoon. I did find a Member's fishing waistcoat in the car park though....efforts being made to return it.

You did well in thae conditions too 'min, especially mono-leadering it - Plutonium headed bugs perchance ??!

Re GAC LEAVE THE PLASTIC AT HOME !

Lindsay

PS thus far the Helios 10' 4wt is my dream rod, absolutely brilliant !

[Iain Cameron]

Quite a lot of Medium Olives from 4.30pm onwards, skittering about on the surface in the wind. Feeshes were taking emergers or cripples though.

Good to hear Lindsay - I'me tied up until about 4pm today, but will get myself out for a late afternoon last fling on the lower Don.
Wind was crazy yesterday, so good effort on getting out,

cheers
iain

[danbruce]

Dan, did you venture out?

Unfortunately I never made it out Iain.
Looking forward to getting out today though, weather looks better than yesterday so should be good.

Dan

[Iain Cameron]

ah well, the trout are safe for another season!

Went out for a last fling, more just for the ritual of doing it than for anything else. Lovely evening to be out, and wee trout rising regularly, but seemingly not interested in the sedges that were fluttering about. 

Managed one little chap of 6-8oz, then just enjoyed casting a dry on running water for the last time this season. Though saying that, I saw what I suspect were grilse or sea trout slashing at sedges a couple of times. Maybe if the levels stay low, that could be an interesting option...

View from the start of the walk.



Bye bye trout! until next year

[Loxiafan]

Well, me and Dan gave it a go "upriver" - nothing showing, nada. Water very low, bright sunshine and downstream wind. Pants. So we tried "downriver" where I was yesterday.

On arriving, encouraging signs of Medium Olives and fish taking them. All the good fish were too far out (as usual). I did manage to return the waistcoat I found in the car park last night. Turns out it had around £500 of Salmon flies in it including original Ally McGowans ! And after all that spirited altruism how did Karma repay me ? By the magnet failing on my Waistcoat D ring and my £64.99 MacLean's Short Handled Weigh Net disappearing to the bottom of the river. Despite extensive searching I couldn't find it. ***T.

In between, I managed a 10oz, that, wait for it.......I nearly lost in the weeds. Dan thought I was in to a monster ! I also managed to hook a fish of just under a pound mid river (by wading) that I scoped last night. Very satisfying...until the hook pulled out. That fish possibly cost me my net.

All in all a mixed day, but at least some fish action and time spent in good company. Phuk Karma though.

Lindsay ( My Name certainly is not Earl ! )

[danbruce]

Yeah was an enjoyable day on the river. Shame there was nothing doing up at kemnay, I really liked the look of the beat. My final day of the season(much like me first day) ended in a blank. Can't complain too much, nice weather and good company made it enjoyable.
Today certainly gave me a few ideas for next season and also the remainder of the Salmon season.

I managed a 10oz, that, wait for it.......I nearly lost in the weeds. Dan thought I was in to a monster !

Certainly did, I looked down river to see your rod with a fair bend in it, thought it was going to be cracker.

Cheers for a good days fishing and bring on the winter Grayling.

Dan

[Steven Kidd]

A nice day on the River Don from this year.






Cheers,

Skidd

[Mike Barrio]

Great photos Steven

Cheers
Mike

[Noel Kelly]

Really nice pictures those Steve.

[Loxiafan]

Really nice pictures those Steve.

They are indeed, very arty. I'd wager a female photographer ?

Linz

[Mike Barrio]

Enjoyed a great day on the Don today

Kelly kettle coffee was awesome thanks Kev! Wading the river in the wrong waders was as slippery as ever! No fish for me today, but I had a grand time in good company!

Best wishes
Mike

[Peter McCallum]

Hey Kev your loops look almost as good as mr D's 

[Iain Goolager]

Nice Autumnal picture that 1st one Mike 

is it a prerequisite that to fish that particular pool 'anglers' must stand in the same spot and wear the same clothes? 

nothing quite like a fresh brew & bullshot on a cold day, nice one.

Iain

[Iain Cameron]

'anglers' must stand in the same spot and wear the same clothes? 

it's either identikit Orvis guide gear, or else they only had one set of clobber between them... i'm betting on the latter, since you don't see them both in the picture at once ....

[Iain Goolager]

now that'd be a quick change situation that I wouldn't like to witness..gadz!

[Ben Dixon]

Few more pics, cracking day out






Coffee with your sugar Sir?








Ben

[Mike Barrio]

Photos of Kev and Ben were in the same pool as I was enjoying my fishing so much during the day that I forgot to get the camera out

Cheers
Mike

[Peter McCallum]

Few more pics, cracking day out






Ben

See you were in Muirs car then

[Ben Dixon]

Yes Pete, glove box kept twatting me so I had to fix it as Kev was struggling to find his "special tool" (broken specs & piece of coathanger) that he uses to open & close it.  I like the look Pete, I'm calling it art.

Ben

[Sandy Nelson]

I'm calling it art.

Piet Mondriaan will be turning in his grave

Bonny pictures though

Sandy

[Peter McCallum]

Yes Pete, glove box kept twatting me so I had to fix it as Kev was struggling to find his "special tool" (broken specs & piece of coathanger) that he uses to open & close it.  I like the look Pete, I'm calling it art.

Ben

Hey the V & A  are opening a gallery in Dundee, looks just the sort of cack art they may be interested in   

[Kevin Muir]

It was a great day out and it was very interesting to watch other people approach a pool.

That jacket is very good, the great think about it in colder weather, it has fleece lined handwarmer pockets.

The wind was a nightmare for a good part of the day, it made casting more than a little trcky especially with fast sink tips.

I see the cat has been let out of the bag regarding my glovebox tool, I was just about to apply for patent protection for that too, never mind everyone can now make one like it if they pull the handle off their glovebox in a fit of rage just like I did.  Stupid car, where are my 3" screws, a 6" nail would be a little rough?

I need to get a Kelly Kettle, it boiled the water so fast, that will be on my list of toys to buy this winter.

I also need to spend more time tying Salmon flies, no hardship there and it is great to see a new fly box being filled.

Mike, your photos captured the colours very well, it was a great day out sharing a few pools on the Don.

It was very interesting watching Ben as he fished his way down the pools, no simple chuck it over and let it swing back here, very technical and not what I was expecting.

Thanks for a great day out guys.

Kev, (off to order a new glovebox handle now )

[Allan Liddle]

Nothin wrong with it Kev.

Crackin pics guys, looks like a good day out.

Allan L

[danbruce]

A friend of mine and I recently had a trip to the upper don for a days salmon fishing, with the heavy rain fall last week we were watching the river levels with great interest hoping for the level to drop back to a decent level for our day.
Armed with a load of info on how best to fish the beat we were quietly confident of our chances. We arrived at the beat after driving through rain and light snow showers, this seemed to have pushed the water up slightly but by the time we tackled up the sky had cleared and it was a lovely day all be it quite chilly.

We fished all the pools on the beat right through and the main holding pools got a good going over on a number of occasions. Sadly neither of us had anything to show for our day except the odd knock and a 8" brownie that hammered my Junction shrimp. What I did find strange was that we never saw a salmon the whole day, guess the drop in temperature maybe put them down. Never the less it was an enjoyable day and a lovely beat to cover on a single hander(although I have to say the 7wt barrio slx I was fishing certainly made casting fast sinking tips and small tubes easier)




Do have a couple of photos but will add them to the post when I get near a computer.
Dan

[Matt Henderson]

As the saying goes if you don't have your fly in the water you won't catch any fish!

I had planned to be at the river at dawn today but given the rain yesterday and some advice from two local experts that the river would be unfishable.  So I waited until after lunchtime to go and walk the beat that I hadn't fished before only to find the pools fishable and the water clear. Lost a good fish on an emerald Stoat. Quite a few fish caught by other guys today on the beat.





Cheers Matt