Don Today

« **Reply #100 on:** 12/05/2009 at 08:54 »

Quote from: tinrib on 12/05/2009 at 05:49

Hi folks,

As a don virgin, I just wanted to get your opinion on the Castle Forbes fishing. I am back up to Scotland for a holiday (home from the UAE) and have booked up a day on their water. The thing that is worrying me is that on Fishdon.co.uk it was the ONLY fishery that had any availablity and seemed to free all month... Is it rubbish???? Why doesn't anyone else want to fish it in May???
Thanks in advance.

HI Tinrib

Not at all, very surprised at the availability as Castle forbes is one of the best stretches of the river, however it is probably the most expensive beat too.
Normally very hard water to get on, so i'd ask first as the fishdon site may not be quite up to date

Definatley well worth fishing if you have the chance

Sandy

« **Reply #101 on:** 12/05/2009 at 12:26 »

Rob,

It that Rob as in Piking Rob ?

Regards

James

« **Reply #102 on:** 14/05/2009 at 22:22 »

Quote from: piker on 12/05/2009 at 12:26

Rob,

It that Rob as in Piking Rob ?

Regards

James

Could well be

« **Reply #103 on:** 20/05/2009 at 08:20 »

Rob,

Sent you a PM

« **Reply #104 on:** 20/05/2009 at 08:52 »

going to head out on saturday i think....hopefully all this rain had lifted the river and maybe brought some fish through!

anybody been on the river this week? any reported salmon catches??

« **Reply #105 on:** 20/05/2009 at 15:35 »

gibbyboy

Haven't been on the river this week but noticed that not a single salmon was reported from any of the ADAA beats.This must be an unwelcome first for this time of year!
What's happened to the Don?

The first seatrout of the year should be starting to appear around now so it might be worth a cast in the evening.
I'm praying that their numbers increase this year.

Duncan

« **Reply #106 on:** 20/05/2009 at 20:36 »

There are salmon about, I had one this evening just below Kintore, about 9lb, no lice but still fairly fresh, size 7 gold bodied cascade on a Sink 1 line with 3ips tip. Did not see any other fish today but there were several splashing around at Kintore on Monday and, I also saw a few fish on Thursday before the water came up so would be worth a shot at Kemnay & above by now I would think.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #107 on:** 21/05/2009 at 14:44 »

Ben,
Is it possible to get a visitors ticket for Kintore...since I drive through the place every night on my way home? Makes sense to stop for a cast or 3.

Ta

« **Reply #108 on:** 21/05/2009 at 18:01 »

Quote from: Rob on 21/05/2009 at 14:44

Ben,
Is it possible to get a visitors ticket for Kintore...since I drive through the place every night on my way home? Makes sense to stop for a cast or 3.

Ta

You can buy a day ticket in Kintore post office. Open until 5.30 I think.

« **Reply #109 on:** 21/05/2009 at 22:22 »

I was out tonight for the Trout, hooked into a double figure Salmon just below the bridge at Kintore. No surprises, I lost it!

Still it was a bit of excitement.

« **Reply #110 on:** 22/05/2009 at 08:38 »

Nightmare! one of the few times probably you wouldnt want to hook into such a fish....rocking the lightwait trout gear...

Inverurie on saturday....if the weather stays reasonable it will be at a much better hight with the rains of this week.....more to come today I see?

« **Reply #111 on:** 22/05/2009 at 18:13 »

Quote from: Rob on 21/05/2009 at 14:44

Ben,
Is it possible to get a visitors ticket for Kintore...since I drive through the place every night on my way home? Makes sense to stop for a cast or 3.

Ta

Rob,
You might find this useful

http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/parks/fishing/fishing_season_permits.asp

Hamish

« **Reply #112 on:** 22/05/2009 at 21:32 »

Quote

There are salmon about, I had one this evening just below Kintore, about 9lb

Good show MR D!

Quote

I was out tonight for the Trout, hooked into a double figure Salmon just below the bridge at Kintore. No surprises, I lost it!

Still.............. gets the wee hearty going though Mr Bronzebommer

« **Reply #113 on:** 22/05/2009 at 23:32 »

Quote from: Hamish on 22/05/2009 at 18:13

Rob,
You might find this useful

http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/parks/fishing/fishing_season_permits.asp

Hamish

I found that link about 2 minutes after asking the quesion...lol..bu was to embaressed to say!.

Will pack a rod...just in case of course. Pity I was not in the ADAA...about 500 yards from the river..lol

« **Reply #114 on:** 23/05/2009 at 12:09 »

hey rob you can get day tickets for certain beats at sommers now i am pretty sure.

calum

« **Reply #115 on:** 23/05/2009 at 15:40 »

Was out at Kintore yesterday. (22nd) Fished from about 1200 to 1700. River was about two inches under red marker on the guage.
Was fishing the right hand bank. Started off fishing down through what i think is Laws pool with a sink tip and size 8 allys shrimp. No fish moving. About half way down i hooked a fish right under the tree on the opposite bank. got a pull then two sharpe tugs. It launched itself out the water and through the hook as quick as that!!! Was probably about 4-5lbs. maybe a sea trout.
Then worked my way down to Boat hole??? (new to these pools)
Fished down through this with no joy. Then had a walk back to laws pool and worked my way down it with a silver stoat. (can you tell i like this pool?) Never saw another fish.
An enjoyable wee afternoon, apart from the occasional heavy shower, and the closest i have come yet to a Don silver tourist!! lol.

Incidently.... at about half two there was a rise of small black flies (dont know what they were?)and several trout were rising steadily for about half an hour. Even in the high water.

« **Reply #116 on:** 26/05/2009 at 00:06 »

fished last night after the Don Trust day until about 11PM, fish came on about 10 and between us we had several nice trout biggest was over 3lb, seemed to be taking very small caddis that appeared just as it was getting dark. fished at Monymusk today, was not much of a hatch, small number of olive uprights, a few sedges, black gnats and a handful of medium olives with very few fish showing. Managed one trout at 2lb, one at 1lb11oz and several others between 1/2 & 3/4lb, all on size 16 olive Klink (tied on 15BNX) and lost what was definitely the largest trout I have ever hooked. Biggest I have heard of today was a 4lb7oz, going back tomorrow

Ben

« **Reply #117 on:** 27/05/2009 at 19:39 »

Tough day on the Don at Monymusk yesterday..... managed one fish of about a pound on a bloody HUGE green nymph under a dry 'kiwi' style.
Plenty of flies about, but a quite coloured river really put a downer on things

So pointless was it that I had a kip for an hour or so

Hopefully Ben has an amusing pic of the lengths I'll go to retrieve his flies from trees......

Pity it was so pants as it'll be the last chance I'll get to fish the Don for some time

Oh well

That's fishing

Hamish

« **Reply #118 on:** 27/05/2009 at 20:45 »

Was tough Hamish, baffled by the increase in colour as the day went on, makes little sense when the river was very obviously dropping. fun day all the same. Saw only two decent trout move all day, both moved only once each, two small fish was all I managed for the day, given conditions, I am happy with that.

Away down to the river just now although it is still carrying a fair bit of colour at Kintore. I want that brute that tried to snaffle the trout that Paul was playing at the weekend, I know where he lives and I will wait as long as is necessary but, I will get him eventually

I do have the picture of you in tree surgeon mode Hamish, I will get all my pics banged up tomorrow, I have stacks to upload.

Cheers

Ben

« **Reply #119 on:** 27/05/2009 at 22:05 »

Good stuff lads keep em coming. Looking forward to your pics Ben.

« **Reply #120 on:** 28/05/2009 at 06:38 »

Has anyone been out early morning yet? Thinking of trying that tomorrow.

« **Reply #121 on:** 28/05/2009 at 07:26 »

As yet no, once the summer is more fully on us then it would be worth a hurl early on in the day IMHO

« **Reply #122 on:** 28/05/2009 at 10:00 »

Ben/Hamish,

We went down to Beat 6 and 7 on Tuesday night after you had left. Not much activity early on. However at 10pm there was a substantial hatch of Olive Uprights,probably the most I have seen at any one time at Monymusk. I spent 20 mins after a fish 2 rods lengths away. The rises were very difficult to discern as they were in 'dark' water. Eventually got it on a Klink with a fluro yellow post and 'guessed' it had taken my fly and it was 2lb 14oz. Unbeknown to me there was another not 5 yards upstream that I estimated at over 4lbs that I had not seen (the rises were not loud or big) due to the dark water.

Paul got one on 'silver paper' water upstream of me which went 3lb 1oz.

Just for the record on Monday we saw 4 rising fish which we thought were of a good size. Took it in turns to go for them, hooked all 4, one got off and the other 3 were 2lb 8oz(19"),2lb 12oz(18.5") and 4lb 7oz (22.5").

We went down yesterday to Beat 1 but left at 2pm without casting a fly. It was blowing a gale with very little rising so we sacked it early and headed home.

Thanks to you both for the weekend,the hospitality and the company.

Richard

« **Reply #123 on:** 28/05/2009 at 10:16 »

Meant to say that on Tue night I got mine at 10:25pm and Paul got his at 10:35pm on a not very good day but the wind did drop after 9pm. Similarly at Kintore on Sunday it was windy but the fish came on after 10pm after the wind had dropped.

On the way down the road we agreed that if we were locals we would be on the river late on now for the best chance of a big fish.

Ben I want to know when you nail that other big fish (not the one that grabbed Pauls little fish) that was rising in the pool that we fished late on........sure it's over 4lbs so good luck!

Richard

« **Reply #124 on:** 28/05/2009 at 11:47 »

Loks like I will have to pack a rod in the car and take a slight detore home via Monymusk

I really want to try rivers more this year.

Quick question..I was pretty much nymphing as there was no surface activity, but my nymph gear is different to my dry fly gear..what do you guys do? Do you set up just for one style, have multiple outfits..help????