Fishing The Fly Scotland

Index => Rivers & Lochs => Topic started by: Mike Barrio on 08/02/2023 at 09:40

Title: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 08/02/2023 at 09:40
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2_16_02_14_5_23_15.jpeg)

The River Don Salmon season opens on February 11th and the March To The River Don to celebrate the river takes place on the first Saturday of the season, so the two actually coincide this year.

The event is open to all who would like to attend and Inverurie Angling Association hopes that a good number of anglers, guests and public will be there to enjoy the event.

As usual, everybody will gather at the Kintore Arms Hotel in Inverurie from 8.45 onwards for tea/coffee/biscuits and then the March To The River will commence at 9.30am.

The event will follow the traditional format, with Piper Paul Malley leading the march down to the river bank below the Don Bridge, IAA President Steve Corsar will say a few words, followed by trophy presentations, the blessing of the river by Minister Rhona Cathart, and the first cast this year will be by Provost Judy Whyte.

The March To The River Don also signals light at the end of the tunnel - only a few weeks to go until the Brown Trout season opens on March 15th.

I hope everybody enjoys a good season  :z16 


(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2_24_01_09_1_20_48.jpg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 19/02/2023 at 20:30
From the Alford Angling association today.

“it is with pride and pleasure I can report that our first springer was taken from our Haughton beat yesterday.  An 18lb fish was successfully hooked and landed by Stuart Mathewson then safely returned to the river.”

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-190223202353.jpeg)

Well done Stuart  *smiley-yippee*
I believe it may be the first one of the season with photos.
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Duncan McRae on 22/02/2023 at 19:55
Looks like there are a few runners on the go.
Another cracker off the Don today.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 15/03/2023 at 10:46
Hi All,

Happy Brown Trout Season!.......today is the first day, :-)

Wishing you all a great season.

I cannot wait to get out........need it to warm slightly though,  >)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 15/03/2023 at 10:55
Great stuff Steven ..... hope you enjoy a good one  :z18
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 15/03/2023 at 16:32
So it froze my fingers and  toes after a couple of hours, but the water was clear, if a bit cold at just 5 degrees
Just plain awesome to be out and exploring again.
Kicked the season off after a bit of searching with some heavy tungsten

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-150323162819.jpeg)

The fish seemed to be holding in what I would class as dryfly water. some real surprises too, this one had some lovely big red spots

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-150323162935.jpeg)

This one did not

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-150323163030.jpeg)

Still some Snowdrops about too, which is nice

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-150323163114.jpeg)

So for an opening day that I thought was going to be ruined, I've had a blast  *smiley-yippee*
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 15/03/2023 at 16:41
Awesome Sandy, well done, that's gonna get us all chompin at the bit  >)

Not so sure about the frozen fingers and toes though .......................... *smiley-grin*
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 16/03/2023 at 09:50
Sandy,

Looking at that I'm going out this weekend if the river stays fishable........I can handle frozen fingers if there are those kind of rewards!

Great stuff :-)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Matt Hart on 16/03/2023 at 14:15
Looks absolutely freezing  *smiley-funny*

Was that just upstream of the bridge of alford? I fished that early last season just to try it out as it was only a 10er or something for a day ticket on fishpal. Seemed like a great beat with some surprisingly deep holes in it!
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 25/03/2023 at 18:23
Hello,

And we are off.....first fish on the dry fly today.  And christened a new rod, :-)

A smattering of LDOs where I was from 1230 through to 1430.  The trout weren't rising to these,  :z8............for 10mins there was a great hatch of March Browns.  Some fish gave themselves away including this one, (right place at the right time)......took a size 10 DHE.

First fish of the year always deserves a selfie,  *smiley-lol*............Oh, and yes it was freezing!!

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-250323182042.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-250323182208.jpeg)

Tightlines all,

Steven

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-250323182312.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 25/03/2023 at 18:31
Great stuff Steven  >)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 25/03/2023 at 20:06
Superb stuff Steve, you did well to get one on the dry today in the cold :z14
I was just upstream from you as you know and I could only manage on the nymph today.
Yesterday saw me get my first on the dry , just after the rain when I found half a dozen fish feeding on LDO's

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250323200108.jpeg)

The tungsten PTN has accounted for the others, this one was very blue

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250323200227.jpeg)

And this one was a proper scrapper

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250323200358.jpeg)

Today the water was a touch coloured and a good bit higher than yesterday , so the white bead came out to play.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250323201835.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 25/03/2023 at 20:13
Awesome Sandy......never seen that White bead thingy before....

Looking at your photographs I really need to get a new net insert for my MacLean landing net, that old string type is a total pain in the ar$e.........less than pleased with my selfie actually, never realised at the time it was still wrapped round the fishes fin. ::(

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 25/03/2023 at 20:20
I like a white bead when there's a bit of colour in the water.
Its a Liam Tip and it works  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 27/03/2023 at 17:13
Stunning afternoon on a river fining down after the wee blip yesterday
Still running at just 6 degrees but nice and clear.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270323170750.jpeg)

Didn't get down until 2 and sat for a good while watching the pool as there were plenty March Browns about.
Took a while but eventually I got a nice fish to christen the new Steffen 8'6" 4wt with the new GT125 4wt, with the MB CDC spider
Great condition and a cracking scrap.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270323170951.jpeg)

Had to wait a few minutes for the next one to show itself , but it did.
So a stunning afternoon, some patience and really balanced set up, made for a fantastic afternoon on the water

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270323171230.jpeg)

Really nice to get a couple of Crackers on the Dry  *smiley-yippee*

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270323171352.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 27/03/2023 at 17:39
Just brilliant Sandy, and its not even April yet!

I love seeing those big March Browns, :-)........Tied up a few more big size 10  scruffy DHEs today.

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Iain Cameron on 28/03/2023 at 07:38
Brilliant pics Stephen and Sandy. Nice to hear abooot some MBs showing.

Stephen - aye, I hear ya.  I  replaced  the default net on my McLean weigh net quick sharp. The default net caught itself on  everything possible, and that was just in the boot of the car before even getting to a river.  Annoying.  Much better with a simple eBay replacement .

Cheers
Iain
Ps, one lightly used, original, classic, McLean’s net bag up for grabs…. a bargain for £20 😀
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Matt Clark on 02/04/2023 at 21:24
Brilliant afternoon at Inverurie today lots of LDO and fish willing to rise to them. Quite a few in the 1lb range and above which was great to see.
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Gavin Stevenson on 02/04/2023 at 22:38
Same at Parkhill numerous on CDC's 1 to 2 lbs between 2 and 3pm then went quiet
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 04/04/2023 at 19:49
I've been out and about exploring the last few days, some new bits, some favourites.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423193801.jpeg)

There have been some good hatches and some nice rising fish.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423193621.jpeg)

The LDOs seem to come off first, around 12 but It has been the smaller fish taking them

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423193725.jpeg)

However when the March Browns start its been a different story 2pm onwards seems to have been the routine.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423193935.jpeg)

Sunday was a particularly exceptional day on most beats including the one I was fishing, with a sustained hatch of LDO's from 12-2 and the March Browns from 2-4
And feeding fish to be found all over the river

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423194156.jpeg)

From yesterday, I noticed that the bright sunshine is no longer helping things and has put the fish down a bit, so the switch has been made, now we pray for clouds.
However the sunshine made this guys red spots and deep orange fins stand out from 3/4 of the way across the river, was lovely to see them up close.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423194415.jpeg)

Today I found only a handful of rising fish, but this beauty was making itself known as it charged around looking for March Browns

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423194310.jpeg)

So a few days of solid dryfly action, the plume tip scored on the LDO feeders and it was the CDC spider and DHE for the March browns

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423194643.jpeg)

Not all the photos worked either  *smiley-tongue-out*

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-040423194731.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 04/04/2023 at 20:27
Just superb Sandy,......sounds like I missed a nice day Sunday, (I was trying to fish a Loch from a Boat.......to no avail! ::()

I went for a wander with the rod today and picked away.  Just a small hatch of MBs where I was for a short time.  Bit of a cold breeze.  But still had a great day, :-)

5 on the dry, very varied in colours and markings, all stunning wee specimens:-)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-040423202525.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-040423202602.jpeg)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 05/04/2023 at 13:56
Great stuff guys  :z16

Yep, that wind still feels a bit sharp!

I see @ScottCumming is finding a few fish too,   :)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-050423134652.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-050423134930.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 07/04/2023 at 20:49
Grabbed a few hours this afternoon, my first time on the river this year  :z16

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-070423204234.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-070423204317.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-070423180922.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-070423204533.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-070423204646.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 16/04/2023 at 19:37
Been a tricky week with the water going up and then down and then up again and then dropping off nicely over the weekend.
Good week for bugs, Orange striped Stonefly
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193035.jpeg)
 Patchy rises early in the week before the water went up, no monsters, but some good fish kicking about.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193120.jpeg)
Still LDO's coming off and the March Browns later in the afternoon
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193211.jpeg)
By Friday the river was starting to return to a fishable state
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193324.jpeg)
Saturday I caught up with some friends and we did a full beat trek, with lots of trees to negotiate. Worth getting to some of the obscure spots though
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193430.jpeg)
When you found one rising fish you found 3 or 4,  just a pity finding one was so tough
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193516.jpeg)
Fairly typical mid April behaviour with the fish showing in some spots and other seeming totally dead, no sustained predictable hatches or rises.
Things settling down after the initial burst of Sport at the end of March.
I did see some House Martens though, so the Olive uprights wont be far away.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-160423193655.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 29/04/2023 at 12:03
( This is a back up post - originally posted by Stephen Barraclough )

Loving the pics and updates, would love to tag along with someone one day, my ultimate dream is fly fishing on the rivers  :)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 29/04/2023 at 12:39
( This is a back up post - originally posted by Michael Kearney )

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-290423123922.jpeg)

I've fished different beats over the previous three days, all featured emergences of Olive Uprights with trout rising to feed.  My tie of Sandy's CDC spider on a size 14 hook was good enough. The river and its inhabitants are in great condition.
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 30/04/2023 at 09:47
Nice one Michael, fingers crossed for some settled weather this week  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 30/04/2023 at 14:23
Nice fish Michael, great to see a few of you out and about.

The last couple of weeks have been varied between the bright sunshine

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423141417.jpeg)

Which makes for great underwater shots in our lovely clear water

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423141513.jpeg)

So plenty LDOs coming from from lunchtime with the March browns kicking in a touch later meant even with the bright sky there were still some great fish to found feeding off the top
 
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423141641.jpeg)

My fishing buddy found a couple too

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423141716.jpeg)

And the week was a blast, then last weekend. It went back to snow and hail and negative o-night temps. This dropped the water temp from 11 back down to 7 in the space of a couple of days and the fish started to sulk.
Still one or two rising to the March browns as the water cleared nicely, even though it stayed cold

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423141928.jpeg)

Mid week last week I saw the first swallows over the river, the martins have been back a couple of weeks but these were swallows and not 30mins later did the Olive uprights start to appear

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423142034.jpeg)

This extended the small rise from a handful of fish right up until 5pm.  The last couple of days has seen a rise and fall in the river again but we have a nice relatively warm week ahead so fingers crossed I can find a fish like this , which was the best from a couple of weeks ago caught by a good friend on the dry

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300423142216.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Allan Liddle on 01/05/2023 at 13:56
Fantastic stuff guys and interesting to see MBs still around.
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 01/05/2023 at 13:57
Fantastic stuff guys and interesting to see MBs still around.

I guess the weather is currently more March than May  *smiley-lol*
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: James Laraway on 01/05/2023 at 14:53
oooooooft - some nice trout there
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 02/05/2023 at 21:59
A cracking afternoon upriver with Sandy and Simon today  :)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-020523215226.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 08/05/2023 at 17:43
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523173431.jpeg)

Ive been out a few times over the past few days, the weather has not been pleasant, but it was good for the fishing

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523173620.jpeg)

Some great hatches of olive uprights, times seem to vary and sometimes they were in bursts and sometimes in sustained hatches

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523173656.jpeg)

some good fish looking upwards

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523173825.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523173853.jpeg)

Lots of wandering around to find some fish, but if you found one there was often 3 or 4 together

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523173956.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523174047.jpeg)

Included one of the prettiest fish i've ever seen and it was a chunky monkey too

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523174152.jpeg)

Another week of holiday left to go and find a few more, so hopefully the rain doesn't spoil things too much

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-080523174312.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 08/05/2023 at 17:45
Magic Sandy, :-)

Saturday I'll be out and about, can't wait.

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 08/05/2023 at 19:10
Great stuff Sandy, nice pics  :)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Gavin Stevenson on 08/05/2023 at 21:23
Was out on Don today cracking few hours on the dry's. No pics but fish to 3lbs. Worth getting wet!
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 14/05/2023 at 17:31
Been varied conditions this week, Tuesday afternoon I got totally soaked and watched this guy from under a tree for a while

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172412.jpeg)

The rising water, washed out the upper river on Wednesday but Thursday afternoon I found some fish happily picking off olives

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172511.jpeg)

Friday saw a variety of flies with some Brook duns in the mix along with hawthorns and grannom

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172604.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172631.jpeg)
Different fish seemed to be after different  flies
So a bit of careful watching was required

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172734.jpeg)
A lot of them were quite close in but Friday was a good afternoon  >)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172824.jpeg)

Today I found lots of grannom clustered together on the vegetation, interesting as I’ve. Not noticed this before

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523172957.jpeg)
When the rain stopped they took to the air in a biblical mass, not a fish to be seen other than a few wee ones taking the uprights.
Lots of spinners about too including the Brook duns which are very impressive insects

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-140523173124.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 14/05/2023 at 18:38
Great fly pics Sandy  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Michael Kearney on 17/05/2023 at 20:45
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-170523215353.jpeg)

A lovely day on the Don today. The water is noticeably warmer and at a good level. As I’ve seen for a week now, thousands of adult Grannom drifted upstream and downstream from 10am. The rising trout were more interested in Olive Uprights, although they ignored my size 14 CDC Spider. I switched to a Jeremy Lucas Plumetip in a size 16 and, when that was refused, a size 18. That worked.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-170523214536.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 17/05/2023 at 21:58
Nice one Michael, all part of the daily jigsaw puzzle  >)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 21/05/2023 at 23:21
Hello,

Funny day today where I was ......... cold North wind  *smiley-unhappy* ........... still managed a good few bonny fish, fishing Clyde Style, 'Yellow of the Mavis'.  :-)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-210523232103.jpeg)

It surely has to be better days soon!

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 22/05/2023 at 14:44
'Yellow of the Mavis' ...... I like it  :)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 24/05/2023 at 19:25
Nice stuff, good to see a few folk out and about.
I've stuck to daytime hatches with plenty to choose from ,Uprights still appearing and their spinners are dancing too

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-240523191911.jpeg)

Been some good sport if you take the time to watch and figure it out, even on the brighter days.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-240523192000.jpeg)

hawthorns, grannom, other brown sedges,
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-240523192415.jpeg)

Small dark olives and even a few iron blues make for getting the fly choice right a bit tricky.
I've found fish in different parts of the same pool picking off different bugs

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-240523192132.jpeg)

I've not been down for an evening mooch around yet, but I will be giving that a go next week. im expecting to start to see yellow mays very soon too.
Getting warmer already, which is never great, even though the water looks really beautiful just now with the trees in full leaf

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-240523192520.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 25/05/2023 at 09:19
Nice pic of the upright Sandy  >)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: John Wastle on 25/05/2023 at 13:41
Some lovely fish above. On the subject of Uprights, I fished the Tweed last night for my first evening session. There were few duns hatching but the air was thick with spinners and before long so was the water. I found the usually reliable polywing spent spinners completely ineffective. I had noticed that a lot of the spinners coming down were not truly spent, with wing(s) still upright so dug around and the closest I could find was a  Greenwells Glory tied with a reddish furnace hackle and cdc wing. That sat much higher, was easy to see and worked a treat for the brief spell the rise continued.  It was reminder not to dismiss the traditional fully hackled  flies we used to rely on in a spinner fall . A few pheasant tails and greyhen and rusties need to be tied!
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 25/05/2023 at 14:22
Makes perfect sense John

This photo captures the underside of the upright spinner that I had and it just screams Greenwells with a reddish hackle  :z16 even down to the gold rib.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250523142243.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Michael Kearney on 27/05/2023 at 21:13
It has been my good fortune to spend most of the previous five weeks on the river. The mid and upper Don offer engaging fishing in glorious country. Being on the Don in springtime is special. I hope to return next April.
I want to thank all who participate in this forum for generously sharing their insights and experience; visiting anglers can get a head start by paying attention.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/12615-270523210423.png)
 
I’m grateful to Mike, Hamish and Sandy for making the effort to ensure that FTFS thrives.
I’ll be in Tasmania in September and October, and South Island, NZ in November and December. If these places are in your plans, get in touch, I’ll do all I can to help.
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 28/05/2023 at 07:35
It was nice to meet up with you on the water, Michael.
Have safe trips back around the globe and we shall see you again for next seasons prime time on Don. :z16

Sandy
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 28/05/2023 at 09:57
Great stuff Michael, I'm really pleased that you enjoyed your time on the river  :z16

Best wishes
Mike
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: John Wastle on 29/05/2023 at 12:42
Makes perfect sense John

This photo captures the underside of the upright spinner that I had and it just screams Greenwells with a reddish hackle  :z16 even down to the gold rib.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250523142243.jpeg)

That's a great photo which demonstrates perfectly Sandy.

Hopefully these will fit the bill

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/12485-290523195817.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 06/06/2023 at 10:35
Hello,

Finally got out on the river the last two nights......great sport after 10pm where I was.  tried the first night to catch this fella and failed........however last night, we got to shake hands, :-).  Caught during the gloaming using an old Clyde Style Wet fly the Cran Swallow.  I just could not get a decent drift with a dry over where he was.......

This fish ran me ragged on the 3wt.......with the water temperatures slightly up, please make sure you recover these fish for a while before releasing, :-)

Fly life has been small sedges which the fish are waiting on at night, along with some olive uprights and a smattering of yellow sallys'.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-060623103332.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-060623103406.jpeg)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 06/06/2023 at 14:01
Great stuff Steven  :)

I went out just to try a line last night - and it turned into a couple of hours  *smiley-grin*  of great sport with spiders and wets.
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 06/06/2023 at 14:07
There are Seatrout about as well............

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Eddie Sinclair on 06/06/2023 at 22:01
Cracker Steven, well done :z16 :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 11/06/2023 at 16:54
Hello,

Out last night somewhere.....first time i've had the whole fly line out the rod tip and 20yards of backing as well............what chaos!

During a very sparse sedge hatch at around 2235. :-).........this time the Fly was a Blae and Hares Lug, (Clyde Style once again,  >))

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-110623165429.jpeg)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 11/06/2023 at 17:00
Great stuff Steven, nothing beats a bit of chaos  >)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 24/06/2023 at 21:25
Went for a wee walk this afternoon, the river desperately needs some fresh water to bring the temperature down  *smiley-unhappy*
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 25/06/2023 at 21:02
Fresh water has arrived it seems.. :-)

I was out last night and despite a great hatch of sedges, there wasn't alot of activity from the fish where I was.

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 25/06/2023 at 22:18
The rain dance worked  *smiley-grin*
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Duncan McRae on 30/06/2023 at 23:39
Managed to get to the river this week for the first time this season.
Having completed my house move, decided to try out my new 'home' water on the upper river.

After the heavy rain, the water felt cold to the touch, so alright for late evening fishing.

Fishing a small pennel and invicta, i was feeling confident of getting something but was surprised at the size of trout i did catch.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-300623232756.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-300623232852.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-300623232940.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-300623233028.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-300623233108.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-300623233154.jpeg)

Best two measured 21" and 24"
The bigger fish looked pale around the mouth area and i wondered if it might be the bacterial disease that's on the go just now. Didn't notice this at the time only when i looked at the photo.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 01/07/2023 at 16:08
Nice one Duncan, looks like the new 'home waters' will be fun to explore ...... enjoy  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Duncan McRae on 02/07/2023 at 20:48
Cheers Mike

I have fished these waters many times for Salmon over the years but never tried them for trout.
Really looking forward to the remainder of the season.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 08/07/2023 at 15:55
Nipped down the river for a couple of hours after the mail run yesterday. Conditions felt good, muggy warm and overcast - although the wind was a bit of a pain in places.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723001800.jpeg)

The couple of hours ended up being till the back of 10.30  *smiley-grin*  but I was having fun!

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723145649.jpeg)

Netted lots of nice Brownies and would have gone home more than happy with that.

But I had the bonus of a couple of cracking Sea Trout that were feeding in amongst the Browns.

All on Sandy's CDC Spiders  >)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723150359.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723150457.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723150608.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723150642.jpeg)

Typical Sea Trout, leaping about all over the place!

The first one would've been around 3 lbs, the second more like 5 ( only half went in the net ) and I lost a third - which entertained me with a few cartwheels before giving me the finger  *smiley-funny*

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723151732.jpeg)

Got a photo of the first one.
Had the second one sitting nice and calm on top of the net in the water, I went for the camera - the fish headed for Strathdon  :X1

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723152342.jpeg)

I don't usually get many pics when I'm on the river by myself ( Billy no mates  *smiley-grin* ) so I was trying out something new, basically setting the camera up on a wee tripod, pointing it in the general direction of where I was going to be fishing, and telling it to take a shot every 10 seconds.

Focus was not ideal, there were lots of pics to delete when I got home, but it actually worked quite well.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-080723153726.jpeg)

A most enjoyable couple of hours .....  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 08/07/2023 at 20:25
Mike,

That is a cool idea with the Camera......if the weather feels right one night next week i'll be up for meeting for a cast or two, :-)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 09/07/2023 at 08:52
if the weather feels right one night next week i'll be up for meeting for a cast or two, :-)
I'll give you a shout if I'm heading out Steven  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Duncan McRae on 09/07/2023 at 10:42
Sounds like a great evening Mike.
Great to get the seatrout in daylight hours.

I have the same camera and didn’t realise it could be set up as you have done. Good to know.
Still haven’t had the guts to plunge it under the water either.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 09/07/2023 at 14:22
I have the same camera and didn’t realise it could be set up as you have done. Good to know.
Took a wee while to work out the settings Duncan, but it's easy once sussed  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 28/07/2023 at 10:09
Out for a few casts with Steven last night  :z16

Fish seemed a bit picky, but there were plenty of them about.

Darkness is starting to arrive earlier and it felt like a short evening - how time flies when you're having fun!
 
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2-280723100814.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 28/07/2023 at 10:24
Lovely evening it turned out to be........I really need to get back out at least twice a week!  :-)

Plenty of great trout about. 

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 07/08/2023 at 14:13
Hello,

I had a great afternoon on the river yesterday.  It seems things are changing with the late evenings being a bit less productive than they were....at least the last few nights have shown this?
It was a bright day, nothing rising much at all so I fished spiders and weighted nymphs through some deeper channels.  This ended up being really productive, with many bonny fish to the net.

Hatches were sporadic and seemed to be mainly tiny little olives throughout the day, not a great deal of sedges into the evening, so most productive time for me was between 1500 and 1700.  Once the sun went down it got really cold, the car temp gauge read 7deg at 2230.  That is about a 10deg drop!

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/907-070823141258.jpeg)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: James Laraway on 07/08/2023 at 14:45
yeah, due to the weather having been rubbish for weeks now evenings are cold and a 'no-go' for fishing sadly...
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 09/08/2023 at 15:48
I got out for a day last Thursday, first time since end of May.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-090823154310.jpeg)

Had a wonderful day despite the weather, made a new mate who thoroughly enjoyed his day

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-090823154406.jpeg)

Some to the nymph in the morning and then a really nice BWO and LDO hatch in the afternoon

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-090823154501.jpeg)

So some decent dryfly sport from 3-5 (same as Steven found) some of the better ones were in really awkward spots

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-090823154616.jpeg)

But a 16 plume tip seemed to cover the bases, especially when a small sprinkling of Iron blues appeared

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-090823154704.jpeg)

Water was a nice height after the rain and is at long last running a good temp at 14 degrees. Don’t think it’s going to go back towards 20 again this year so hopefully a few more days out will be on the cards .
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Steven Kidd on 13/08/2023 at 20:47
Hello,

Yesterday....I did a thing!!..........For the second time ever I tried some of that tight line french leader nymphing and actually managed to catch fish doing it!.....behold!

Now, it is quite an enjoyable method on the right piece of water, I can see why people love it, :-)

Always good to try new things, :-)

Steven
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 27/09/2023 at 16:19
I managed to get out today to test a few new rods

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270923161318.jpeg)

Had fun picking away with different techniques, managed some on dry, nymph and streamer.
There was a nice steady hatch of LDO's from around lunch time

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270923161439.jpeg)

meant there were a few risers here and there, this one was a nice plump fish and gave the new 4wt a good test.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270923161638.jpeg)

Nice stretch of water on a bonny day

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270923161758.jpeg)

nice productive testing too, quite few different lines

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-270923161833.jpeg)

Might be Last one, might not, we shall see *smiley-tongue-out*
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 27/09/2023 at 22:58
Nice one Sandy, it felt like a good window for it today!

The rods are looking great in the pics, looking forward to trying them  >)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 30/09/2023 at 17:35
An afternoon on the dries again, nice hatch of LDO's water was looking decent. The trout were all in lovely Autumn colours.
If thats my last chance, then I thoroughly enjoyed it. a nice end to what has been a fragmented but excellent season. I'll leave it with a few photos.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300923173504.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300923173518.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300923173533.jpeg)

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-300923173547.jpeg)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 01/10/2023 at 09:44
Great stuff Sandy - a nice collection of Autumn Spotties   >)
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 07/10/2023 at 17:58
My last fish of the season from yesterday.
Nothing massive but all on the dry again. Even in the wind I managed to Winkle some out. So that’s it until March  *smiley-sad*

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-071023175807.jpeg)

Roll on March
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Mike Barrio on 15/10/2023 at 15:12
Roll on March
Yes, I guess it is time to get the vice out and prepare for 2024 Sandy.

I have really enjoyed my season again this year  :z16
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Duncan McRae on 31/10/2023 at 18:10
With the water height at around 4ft i really wasn't expecting to catch anything today.Certainly not a day for the fly :(
However,it was the last day of the season and i wanted to get out for a last walk of the water.

There was only a couple of fishable spots on the beat i was on and somehow i managed to winkle out a good sized fish on the Devon minnow.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-311023180840.jpeg)

A nice end to quite a disappointing season.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: James Laraway on 31/10/2023 at 19:32
Blimey, nice fish...
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 31/10/2023 at 22:03
Cracking fish Duncan. A proper Autumn fish. I haven’t seen one of them for a few years 👌
Title: Re: River Don 2023
Post by: Fred Hay on 01/11/2023 at 06:14
Nice fish Duncan, well done and pretty fresh for this time of year