Fishing The Fly Scotland

Index => Rivers & Lochs => Topic started by: Duncan McRae on 25/01/2020 at 19:37

Title: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 25/01/2020 at 19:37
Today i decided to blow away the cobwebs by having a wee wander along the banks of a middle Ythan beat.
No fish moving and no sign of any dead kelts which i quite often see at this time of year.
I was dismayed to count 21 Goosanders on a stretch of water approx. 2 miles in length.Surely a small river like the Ythan can't sustain predation on that scale.

The Ythan has often been regarded as a spinning/worming river and while there are certainly many deep,slow moving stretches,there are also some very fine fly stretches.

Some photos of tempting looking water.





(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120192528.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5916)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120192610.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5917)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120193211.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5920)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120193250.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5921)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120193403.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5922)




(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120193440.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5923)




(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-250120193512.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5924)

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Mike Barrio on 25/01/2020 at 20:09
Great photos ..... looks like a cracking stretch of water Duncan :z16

Cheers
Mike
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Jim Eddie on 25/01/2020 at 21:20
I had a walk along the Ythan at Ellon recently, lost count of the Goosanders, with that and the seals at Newburgh, its a wonder there are any fish in the river  :cry

 :z18

Jim
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 26/01/2020 at 22:33
I had a walk along the Ythan at Ellon recently, lost count of the Goosanders, with that and the seals at Newburgh, its a wonder there are any fish in the river  :cry

 :z18

Jim

Still a few fish in the river but for how much longer?

If ever a river needed a hatchery then it's the Ythan in my opinion.
With the predators having protection,there is little we can do to reduce their numbers so I think it makes sense to try and produce a surplus of stock.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 16/03/2020 at 20:20
Looked like a fine afternoon so headed out in search of Finnock this afternoon.
Turned out to be a very difficult casting afternoon with an upstream swirling wind which caused me twice to hook my fly in the back of my hat!
Got hold of a couple of Finnock and lost a couple for my hours fishing.
They were powerful but thin fish who will soon fill out a bit when they get back to the Estuary for feeding.


(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-160320201800.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5980)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-160320201845.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5981)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-160320201926.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5982)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-160320201959.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5983)

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 16/03/2020 at 23:20
Definitely fly for Methlick Andrew.
Today i was fishing traditional wet fly using a slow sink tip line.Some of the streams at Methlick might need a  faster sink tip.
Invicta did the trick today.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 17/03/2020 at 19:40
Moved up river this afternoon full of anticipation but it turned out a very quiet session.
It was a lovely afternoon to be out and i did eventually manage to winkle out a solitary Finnock.






(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-170320193759.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5986)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-170320193853.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5987)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-170320193934.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=5988)

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 20/03/2020 at 08:56
Braw looking water Duncan. Well done we the  finnocks nice fish   :z16 :z16

Ivor
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Jim Eddie on 20/03/2020 at 19:42
Usually around June Andrew

 :z18

Jim
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 20/03/2020 at 20:45
Braw looking water Duncan. Well done we the  finnocks nice fish   :z16 :z16

Ivor

Cheers Ivor

Might be worth a visit if you're back home.
A bargain at £15 for a day ticket with loads of water to yourself :z4

Duncan



Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Ivor Duffus on 24/03/2020 at 13:00
Cheers Ivor

Might be worth a visit if you're back home.
A bargain at £15 for a day ticket with loads of water to yourself :z4

Duncan

Sounds good Duncan but looks like that wont be possible this year with the lockdown. Hopefully things will start returning to normal come June but I think this horrible virus may be here for a while.

Ivor 
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Mike Barrio on 30/05/2020 at 23:48
Nice photo Andrew  :z16
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 06/06/2020 at 10:18
River has risen around 4 inches overnight.
Might just be enough to encourage an odd seatrout to venture upriver.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 08/07/2020 at 13:52
Waiting for the Sun to drop behind the hill and wondering what the darkness might bring....


(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-080720134952.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=6249)



(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-080720135036.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=6250)




(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-080720135121.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=6251)



Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Sandy Nelson on 10/07/2020 at 08:58
Nice  :z16
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 10/07/2020 at 13:14
Apologies for the 'out of the water' photos.
On this particular stretch of the Ythan,due to the nature of the banks, it's near impossible to get them unhooked while still in the water.

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Mike Barrio on 10/07/2020 at 14:01
Apologies for the 'out of the water' photos.
On this particular stretch of the Ythan,due to the nature of the banks, it's near impossible to get them unhooked while still in the water.

Duncan

I know what it's like on the Ythan Duncan  :z16
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 18/07/2020 at 20:38
After heavy overnight rain i arrived at the river expecting a rise of several inches.However,i was disappointed to find that the rise in water was barely an inch.
I decided to have a go and at least i would get some fresh air.
Very surprisingly,i managed to hook and land a decent sized seatrout.

Just goes to show that any rise in water at this time of year might bring something up river.





(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-180720203800.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=6264)

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Mike Barrio on 18/07/2020 at 21:30
Great stuff Duncan  :z16
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Bob Mitchell on 19/07/2020 at 15:06
Watched Countryfile a way back and they were talking about the number of seals in the estuary. The shore was black with them. It is a miracle that any fish including finnock can get past them. Saying that they had multiplied 10 fold over the last few years.
Bob.
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 01/08/2020 at 19:49
Had some fun and games trying to land this sea trout last night.
It was absolutely pitch black and from hooking to netting the fish,i could hardly see a thing.
I just stuck my net where i guessed the fish might be and luckily it swam right in!







(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-010820194920.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=6270)


Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Duncan McRae on 06/10/2020 at 21:26
It's been a couple of months since i last fished the river but now at last we have some water.
However, it's dropping back fast now so i hit the water straight after work .

Lots of fishers out tonight and a few fish reported.Great to see a bit of interest again.Hope it continues.

Opted for the fly and fished for around an hour and a half without seeing or taking anything but, as so often happens,just as the light was going, i hooked  what felt like a good sized fish but after a few minutes of constant head shaking it was off.
Got going again and immediately hooked another fish.There was no chance of her coming off as she was well hooked this time.
A hen fish around 12lb.

Also saw my first Ythan Kingfisher tonight so went home happy.
Not a good photo,think i must have been shaking a bit.

(https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/857-061020214934.jpeg) (https://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=6323)

Duncan
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Eddie Sinclair on 06/10/2020 at 21:46
Well done Duncan, nice fish :z16 :z16

Eddie
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: Mike Barrio on 06/10/2020 at 22:17
Great stuff Duncan  :z16
Title: Re: River Ythan 2020
Post by: James Laraway on 07/10/2020 at 09:26
well done  :z16