Fishing The Fly Scotland
Index => Rivers & Lochs => Topic started by: Sandy Nelson on 21/02/2017 at 17:19
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Here's an opener for 2017.
I had a few finnock, both fresh and stale last week while spinning in the dirty water, but today the water was looking better and a decent colour. So i stopped playing pretend dryfly with the Bamboo flyrods and did a small cut job on a GT125 and attached a fast sinking tip.
Went for a swing through the river to see who was about :z3
A few nice fresh bars of silver were very forthcoming and i managed to get 3 , all about 11"-12", to the net, and so begins the year of the bamboo proper :z16
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/P2210003.jpg) (http://s252.photobucket.com/user/skuesapprentice/media/P2210003.jpg.html)
The fish were not grouped together in pods yet, all were found as individuals, but its nice to see them in the river and providing good sport already.
(http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh7/skuesapprentice/P2210007.jpg) (http://s252.photobucket.com/user/skuesapprentice/media/P2210007.jpg.html)
Sandy
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Dirty water today, so i resorted to the dark side.
Picked up a couple of Finnock, but not much happening, still lovely afternoon to be out.
heres one for Will :z16
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250217160033.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4007)
Most interesting thing was, for the second time in the last couple of days, there was a sprinkling of these little devils hatching off, sparse but still appearing :shock between 2 and 3.30.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-250217160257.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4008)
Hopefully this bodes well for a fortnight time :z16
Sandy
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It's only got one tail :z4
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It's only got one tail :z4
Thats how i managed to catch him :z4 :z4 :z4 :z4
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Lovely reel Sandy.There's something special about these old Mitchell reels.
Fished the Methlick area this afternoon using the 400 version but nothing doing.
Duncan
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Nice Harfin reel Sandy. Are they from Australia?
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Hi Grant
Yes the Harfin's are from Oz, Ashleigh Dunsmore makes a superb product in some very cool colours.
That one is actually the very first one to have arrived in the UK, so i'm quite lucky :z16
With the exchange rates they work out much better value than some of the high end American reels. Better quality too. :z18
Well worth a look if you are in the market for a top quality disk drag reel. :z16
Duncan, you are right there, there is definitely something about the older Mitchells. I love using that outfit as its my Grandads Sharpes Spinning rod ,1958 and all original. The Mitchell is also original and 1965, very tactile and sensitive which is perfect for Finnock hunting. :z18
Sandy
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Nice one Sandy! Yeah, I had checked out their website and fb page a few months ago. Smashing looking reel.
You know me, Im always in the market!!
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I was digging through some gear yesterday and pulled out a couple of Mitchell 300's I use on my Sharpes cane carp rods.
Sorry, they are not wonderful reels, they are bags of spanners! But I would not swap them for anything :)
Also found my 3 centrepins as well, so I am very happy, and an old J W Youngs "Ambidex" reel which I did not even know I had.
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Lovely reel Sandy! 👍
I have a couple of later 410s and they're fab. I have some 300s and a couple of auto bail models. I know the drags aren't up to much, but the line-lay is excellent, and I like back-winding!
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Anybody been out recently?
I crossed the bridge at Ellon on Sunday, obviously some heavy rain the previous day and the water looked like mud.
Monday would have been my chance to get out but gave it a miss due to what I had seen.
Hopefully now we're into spring the weather will settle down.
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Anybody been out recently?
I crossed the bridge at Ellon on Sunday, obviously some heavy rain the previous day and the water looked like mud.
Monday would have been my chance to get out but gave it a miss due to what I had seen.
Hopefully now we're into spring the weather will settle down.
Hi ,Minamoto Ive joined the Haddo House angling club this season I've never seen the water up there before yet alone fished it. Ill be nipping up there today hopefully, for a wee look at the water .Ill be throwing the wt 3 in the boot if I've time I might give it a few chucks. Ill let you know how I get on .
Graham
Ok. Managed a wee run up in the Afternoon some nice bits of water with some good runs and pools. There was a strong bitter cold wind blowing down stream .The water looked quite low but carried a bit of colour .
Tried a few casts at the Gight almost impossible with the wind tried a few runs the downside of Ythanbank not a fly was seen nor was a fin or rise of any kind .I just looked like one of those raw days when you know nothing is going to stir .
Tried mostly heavy nymphs upstream .
Hopefully ill get out again soon to explore a wee bit more.
Graham.
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Hi All.I had a wee go on the Haddo waters last Friday to learn the river a bit more for when the sea troot appear .It was a fine warm overcast day for the time of year with a stiff upstream wind.
Took the wt 6 floater with fast sink tip the plan was to try for a finnock with the wets and cover water . Took a bonnie wee Finnock about 1300 on a wee Dunkeld double on the dropper It hit the fly like a fish possessed so Im chuffed that is my Ythan season off and running .
On my last run of the day I hooked and released a Brownie of about 7"also on the Dunkeld.
Hardly saw any fly life so the wt 3 stayed in the car.
Question time ..Im away for a month again in about a week and fancy another go How much longer can I expect to catch Finnock
? When would I expect to see the Sea trout appearing from Ythan bank upstream.
Cheers Graham.
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HI Graham
The finnock will hang around all year, you get them mostly in Feb-aril and again in sept-october, but you can catch them all year in the river, they seem to run up and down with the tides.
As for the sea-trout, they are already in the Don, so will be running the Ythan too, another couple of months for it to be regular :z16 and then they will be there right till the end of the season.
Sandy
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Cheers Sandy. Hopefully there will be a few on the go next time Im home ,early May into June .
The Hot orange JC Dunkeld was the closest thing i had to Yer SSS :z7 :X2
Cheers Graham.
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I wasn't fishing but did have a look at the river whilst in Ellon yesterday.
Thought it looked quite low but fairly clear. Maybe it was just that section at the car park but a lot of visible weed just under the surface. Looked good though.
Typical my days off coincide with school holidays. Be a while yet until I can get back out.
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I wasn't fishing but did have a look at the river whilst in Ellon yesterday.
Thought it looked quite low but fairly clear. Maybe it was just that section at the car park but a lot of visible weed just under the surface. Looked good though.
Typical my days off coincide with school holidays. Be a while yet until I can get back out.
Yes,the water is clear and I think that makes the water look deceptively low.
Managed to get out with the single hander for the first time this season,for an hour at dusk.
Took a very lively Finnock of 13" and three small brown trout.A very enjoyable but brief session.
Wish I gone out with the single hander earlier in the season instead of chasing very elusive silver tourists elsewhere.
Duncan
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Went out to Ardlethen tonight for a couple of hours. Saw it through to darkness but nothing doing. Fairly cold wind that just wouldn't go away.
Set up with a couple of wee doubles and didn't change as I couldn't be bothered what with the darkness looming, but probably wasn't going deep enough giving the conditions.
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Hi All.
Its been very quiet here .
I see the water is up just over a meter today and starting to drop again already hopefully this will encourage a few troots up the river a bit.
With it being the first wee rise in months i suppose the water is like soup with lots of crap coming down,Has anyone had a look?
Might have a wee chuck tomorrow as im away on Friday .
Not very hopeful as even the estuary has been very slooo .
Regards Graham.
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Managed 5 hours On Thursday water was dropping and clearing nicely.
Never touched or saw a fish .
Fished the Tarvis beat .
There were 2 other rods who faired the same all spinning.
Cheers Graham.
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Headin up to Peterhead next month to see my auld Ma and hopefully squeeze a day/night or two on the Ythan or maybe the Ugie depending on conditions. Not fished either for probably 25yrs now so it would be a nice trip down memory lane.
Got a nice seatrout yesterday off the Earn at 3lb 6oz so still keeping my hand in
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Haven't been out at all for a few weeks so was really looking forward to getting out tonight. Wish I hadn't bothered.
I went to Ardlethen but the banks are ridiculously overgrown with some bits seeing the grass up over my waist.
River looked nice enough but God knows how you would get a decent fish out of the water if you got one. Trying to get close enough to the water to net a fish would be near impossible in most areas.
The ADAA seriously need to get someone out to cut it back. And the bridge still isn't fixed yet.
Packed up in a bad mood in under an hour. Plenty of small fish splashing about but little else. The old quarry water on the far bank looked very pleasant. What a waste that is just sitting there, especially with the landscaping that's been done. Looks primed for a fishery to open again.
Drove through Newburgh to have a look at the estuary. Tide was out but saw a good few fish of various sizes right out in the middle so there are definitely some going about.
I've never fished the Machar Pool and tried to have a look tonight but I think I must have drove past it as I ended up back at the roundabout in Ellon.
If I do give it a go there (if I ever find it), am I best fishing when the tide is in? Is it hard going with wading in mud?
Cheers
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Waist high grass!? Pah, that's nothing. You want to try fishing some of the Don stretches that aren't frequented by the salmon fishers. You need a bloody machete to hack your way through it. 6-7ft tall living walls! :z4
Never fished the Machar pool but have heard it can be dangerous if you don't know it. Maybe try to fish with someone who has experience fishing it.
:z18
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The ADAA seriously need to get someone out to cut it back. And the bridge still isn't fixed yet.
Been a lot of complaints about the banks of many of the ADAA beats.
I witnessed an older gentleman fall and hurt his back on one of the high banks at Garthdee and I myself ended up face first where the wee burn comes in at the Pump House as I did not see the drop through the grass. First time I have ever fallen in!
Whilst I understand that its a never ending job and a thankless task, as the gentlemen said, someone is employed to stay on top of the issue.
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It is annoying when we pay fees to fish particular beats, only to turn up to find some are unfishable.
The thing is, I've fished parts of the Don where the grass was high, but at least if you made it to the waters edge there was usually a gradual gradient as you entered the water and you could wade through the pool.
Not so at Ardlethen. If you misjudge the edge due to the overgrown grass, it's several feet until you hit the bottom. A guaranteed soaking at best. There is no gradual entry into the water.
It's also annoying when you hear the ADAA are sitting on a healthy lump of money. Numbers are already dwindling and seeing unfishable beats will just continue to turn people away when it comes to renewing their season ticket.
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Following the recent rise in water, fished one of the Middle beats last night and was rewarded with a good sea trout.
It weighed around the 5lb mark and was in great condition for so late in the season.Normally the hen fish are turning dark by now.
Sea trout catches on the river seem to have been reasonable this summer.Nothing spectacular but managing to pick up a fish or two with each small rise in water.
Have been involved in scale sampling for the Ythan trust and really look forward to receiving the information that this will provide.
Haven't picked up any finnock yet but they should start to run the river any time now.Hopefully they will give us some lively backend sport.
Duncan
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250817123342.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4558)
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Nice one Duncan :z16
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Cracker Duncan :z16
You make an interesting comment
.Normally the hen fish are turning dark by now.
Have been involved in scale sampling for the Ythan trust
We've been involved with the Deveron,Bogie and Isla trust doing similar scale samples, and have been to a couple of interesting meetings, with the smolt tracking as well. The fascinating thing for me to learn is they have found that All sea trout are female. We all know that a sea trout is just a brownie that heads of to the salt, but apparently its only the females (not all the females) which migrate, which i i guess makes sense as they need to pack on weight for spawning. But so far they have no evidence that males do the same, so when they make redds the males are all resident browns.
Fascinating stuff.
Sandy
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Hi Sandy
Yes,it is fascinating stuff and there's a lot we still don't know.
I would like to learn more about the life cycle of our local sea trout populations.I think that during the close season I might try and find some of the Ythan spawning areas and hopefully observe what's going on.
I can say without any doubt that male sea trout do exist ,at least on the Ythan and Don where I have taken them.Probably less than 5% of my total sea trout catch on the Don but a bit higher on the Ythan.
Maybe this percentage varies from river to river?
Duncan
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Cracking fish and very interesting stuff guys :z16
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Gents,
it is the same on the river Cowie in Stonehaven. Pretty much all of the seatrout are female and we had Adrian Hudson the Dee biologist tell us that they spawned with the wee burn trout in the river. These trout are tiny but sexually mature.
Eddie.
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Seems to be quite a few salmon entering the river over the last week.I'm now seeing fish splashing most evenings on one of the lower beats.Some hefty fish amongst them.
Fished a lower beat yesterday but no joy,although one fish came at my fly four times but didn't take hold.Heart stopping stuff.
Did manage to take a 12lb fresh salmon and two good sized sea trout from a middle beat during the week but my photographic skills let me down once again.Really disappointed to see the resultant blurred photos.
Can anyone recommend an inexpensive camera specifically for fishing photos?Preferably one that you just have to press the button without having to think about settings etc.
Duncan
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Duncan any of the modern crop of compacts are pretty good, For fishing, if you want to keep the cost down, look at a refurbed waterproof. some great machines for low expenditure, great for carrying with you when fishing and will stand up to most punishment, plus won't break your heart if you do manage to destroy it. Something like this perhaps?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Panasonic-DMC-FT30-2-7-Inch-16MP-Tough-Camera-Black-From-the-Argos-Shop-on-ebay/332287996034?epid=1237937935&hash=item4d5de87082%3Ag%3A4lAAAOSwwvZZVxlA
Cheers
Sandy
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Hi Sandy
Thanks for the information.
Must confess,l know next to nothing about cameras but reading up the spec. and reviews on your suggestion has helped greatly.
I would definitely consider buying this particular model.
Duncan
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Hi Duncan.
Good report from mid week 🎣👍.
I tried Tarvis , Ythanbank ,Haddo Wednesday evening
Then had a run down the fast water below the methlic bridge in the dark for not a touch.
wee doubles and sink tip line .
Hope to get out Tomorrow.
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Hi Graham
Water should be a good height for tomorrow but has risen fast so could be a bit coloured.
With so much good water available it's difficult to decide where to fish.If it wasn't such a long trek to the river i wouldn't mind having a go at Gicht.There's some nice looking wee pools there which should be holding the odd fish at this time of year.
With the water at a good height ,the next few days could be interesting.
Tight lines
Duncan
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Hi Duncan/All.
I must take the time to investigate the Gicht waters
I had an afternoon on the river Tuesday tried several of the Haddo beats for not a touch apart from a finnock last cast.
Went up again Wednesday morning thinking with all rain the start of a rise might bring them on as it sometimes does .
Well it rained buckets but the water stayed pretty clear and didnt rise much while I was there, could of worked the fly no bother but spinning was the chosen method.
First fish was a bright (for the time of year)Sea trout about 3lb First one from the Ythan :z4.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/332-140917211308.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4610)
I had another 3 Sea trout to the bank well coloured fish a lost a cracker about 5-7 lb slashed about at the top of the water and came off pretty sure it was a sea trout :X1
and 2 finnock. Fantastic day and found 2 good pools I never knew about.
With the rising water to day I thought it would be a waste of time and it was I will never learn.
Lets hope this rise will spread a few salmon through the river.
Graham
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Very well done Graham.A day to remember.
Never tried the flying C but obviously a very deadly bait!
Looked over Methlick bridge yesterday but the water was very coloured.I would imagine it's the same today.
Can't wait for water to settle down.
Duncan
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Arrived at my favourite back-end ADAA beat last night full of anticipation with the river flowing at a lovely height, but was dismayed to see that the banks had not been cut for quite some time.
Decided to persevere, but after an hour and a half of hacking my way through the undergrowth and continually having to release my fly from the bankside vegetation,i decided to pack it in.I'm glad i didn't hook a fish as landing it would have been near impossible.
On my way home i decided to stop at a beat where the banks are better maintained and with the light fading fast i had a bit of luck.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-200917090941.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4627)
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:z14 Cracking fish Duncan well done looks like you have mastered the photos now .
I had a go with the fly today never rely tried the fly for salmon on these shores before.
floating line fast sink tip cascade on point executioner on dropper 3rd cast on the dangle mid stream and boom everything went solid looked 10- 12 lb as it made its way upstream past me .
Then after 5 minutes I did the most stupid thing ever, I tried to bully the fish in giving it a heep of welly and pulled the hook dont think ill sleep good tonight. :X1. I am gutted.
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Hi Graham
No still rubbish but Borrowed my wife's camera for this photo.I'm hoping to get the camera which Sandy suggested for xmas. :z4
Bad luck on losing the fish but plenty time to get another.You really have to play them hard on the Ythan as there's no places to beach them.
Had a great afternoon amongst the finnock yesterday using light fly tackle.All powerful little fish 10-13" and plenty of them in the river now.
Duncan
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Hi Duncan .
Sadly I am off to work tomorrow for a month so Ill miss all but the last 4 days of October I tried the fly a few more times for nothing but had some success spinning :wink
Any tips on what flies and sizes to use would be appreciated (hint,hint)
Ive seen a few finnock this week and last but not in any amount 1 yesterday they all seem to be a good size. I was hoping they would be further up by now ,There were loads in the estuary this summer .Looking good for the future .
Hope you guys get good water for the last month Ill be keeping an eye out on here.
Tight lines
Graham
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Hi Graham
You won't go far wrong fishing a Cascade.
I started off this current rise in water fishing a 1.25" Brass tube going down a size as the water receded until currently i am fishing a size 12.I think anything' flashy' would do, provided there are fish on the move.
Have just taken a weeks holiday and fished the river fairly hard but no salmon or sea trout to be seen.
Thankfully there are a few Finnock on the go which provided some welcome sport.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-021017124726.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4642)
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Hi Duncan
I spotted you out a few times, i also saw the Seal!! did he bother you at all, i reckon he is affecting much of the lower river from Ellon up to Haddo, he has been spotted on all the beats by folk.
He popped his head up next to me on Thursday and i just about shat myself, otters are quite common and give you a nice a surprise but when its a seal up the river it is quite unexpected :shock
Sandy
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I used to see seals at Esslemont pretty much every year when I fished the other bank Sandy, back in the 90s.
Cheers
Mike
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Hi Sandy
No, i haven't encountered the seal yet.The bailiffs were telling me about it last week.I must be the only one who hasn't seen it.
Maybe that explains the lack of fish last week :wink
Are you still fishing the Ythan?Thought i might have bumped into you as i've been sneaking onto your favourite stretch of the river where i have had a bit of success.
Duncan
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Hi Duncan
not been out as much as i would like, for various reasons but will try a bit harder this month.
I have seen you a few times, but not wanted to interrupt you, but i'm sure i'll bump into you at some point.
My stretch isn't that long and you are the only other person i've seen fishing it from our bank, tricky with a single hander though :wink 6wt Switch makes things much easier.
Here's my friend from the other day, difficult to get close to him, but you know where he is!!
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19-041017083908.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4643)
Sandy
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Hi Sandy
Yes,casting is tricky there.Have been trying to cast over my left shoulder but it's hard going.There's a fair few of my flees in the trees behind. :cry
I'm amazed at your photo.How on earth did he get through the shallow streams below?
Duncan
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Hi All,
I managed home for the last few days of the season and went up on Monday for a wee look.
Worked the fly and spinner through the beat for nothing .I got to my favourite pool to find out two friends had fished it up and down with the spinners for nothing .
I decided to try the flee -floating line with a 15ft fast sink tip and 2 small flies .
Half way down the pool the line swung in to a large bolder sticking out of the bank with a nice deep eddy behind it I let everything hang for a while everything looked perfect :wink then wallop I was rewarded with my first Ythan salmon on the fly .
A nice hen fish that quickly went back.
Chuffed to bits and a perfect end to a damned good season.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/332-021117161413.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4656)
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/332-021117162040.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4657)
Regards
Graham.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/332-021117162742.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4658)
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A great end to your season Graham.Well done.
My last Ythan fish was also a hen of around 11lb.Heavily laden with eggs,she was landed quickly and swam off strongly.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-031117112409.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4659)
Fished the Gicht water on the final day but nothing doing.What a lovely peaceful place to fish.Will try again next season.
(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-031117112725.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=4660)
Have thoroughly enjoyed fishing the Ythan this season.Roll on the start of next season.
Duncan
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Yes, it's really nice up that valley Duncan :cool:
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Hi Duncan,
Thats a bonnie fish well done. I plan to fish the fly a bit more next season now that the confidence levels are up a bit .
Hopefully try for a few finnock on the light rod at the start of the season.
I never made it up as far as the Gicht this season I was hoping to get up with the worm looks like a lovely spot I might have a walk up with he dog this time home .
Regards
Graham.