I managed a day with a chum on the Findhorn recently, we went to a beat that is upstream of Tomatin and very water dependant.
Although we had 'some' water it really was not enough and nice place that it is I suspect this (my second trip to the beat) will be my last. But... in good news... there was enough for me to get some 'action':
(http://i46.tinypic.com/2ewl894.jpg)
(http://i50.tinypic.com/15zhaah.jpg)
(http://i46.tinypic.com/b4cgsh.jpg)
Nice hen fish and quite coloured, pictures make it look darker than I recall but she was going back regardless.
Succesful outfit was a prototype (when am I not fishing prototypes :? :!) fly on a size 11 and best described as a 'bang up to date' version of an old favourite fly I used to tie and fish with on the Lochy that I call the Squirrel & Orange. Rod was an Orvis Helios 9'6" #6wt matched to an Orvis Encounter IV reel and a Barrio SLX line with a 5' fast sinking polyleader on the end - just the sweetest outfit I've used for small river work.
The rod did, as I knew it would, cope admirably and I have to say that Encounter reel has a bloody good drag system which is more than up to the job and not 'notchy' it was a nice smooth reel to fight a fish from.
I connected with another fish on a stripped sunray but it fell off :roll By that time of day we had lost 4" of water and my motivation levels did the same as the fish - disappeared. Still, a fun day out :wink
H :z3