[Barry Robertson]

 Was out on the South Esk last year and had much luck?
I fished the lower and middle beats of kinnaird at the start of the season and some other beats around brechin later on in the season.
Not much fish to talk about and just wondered if i was the only one who never had much sport?

[Jim Eddie]

Last time I fished the South Esk was around 1969 , cannae mind how I did 

 

Jim

[Barry Robertson]

I bet it was alot better back then thats for sure 

[Jim Eddie]

More of a Northie man thhough Baz , my old man was a water balif for the Johnstons , we bid at Morphie , still got a  free weeks fishing every year when we moved to Glesga, my Grannie used to bide in Brechin and we went to bide with her every summer and go to the Berries and fish the South esk.
There was another burn we used to fish ,we walked out passed Trinity across the Aiberdeen road , prior to the dual Crraigeway being built , there was a burn on Fettercairn road, we used to fish that down to where it joined the Northie at the back of Stracathro.

Those were the days , not a care in the world 

 

Jim     

[Iain Goolager]

There was another burn we used to fish ,we walked out passed Trinity across the Aiberdeen road

Jim,

that'll be the Cruik.

I've spent  many an hour on sections of the water around the same area where your young feet once fell. Father-in Law is a farmer from down that way and I get acess to a few nice bits of water around there. Can't really fly fish there due to the width and bankside vegitation but armed with a 4' rod fashioned from the tip section of an old fly rod with a cork handle and reel seat fitted, a £2.50 fixed spool reel and small worm it's amazing what you can winkle out.

Baz,

I've never fished the South always end up on the North so can't comment but I always take time to read 'tight lines' in the 'Brechiner' where your concerns are often echoed.

Iain

[Jim Eddie]

Iain

It was the garden fly we fished in those days 

Another great burn was the Noran water , a tribuatry of the Sout Esk, many happy summers evenings spen there 

 

Jim

[Barry Robertson]

Being from brechin originally i also read the brechiner and like you say iain they are never shouting and screaming about the amount of fish taken out of the local rivers!
I remember when you use to get a ticket from johnstones for a 50p donation to fish from the bridge up to morphie dyke, that costs a bomb to fish now
Will persevere on the Southy this year anyway and see what happens 

[Hamish Young]

Baz,
Sounds like you should maybe organise a wee forum outing after the troots on the 'southie'
Could be fun 

Hamish 

[Barry Robertson]

The south esk is very cheap to fish on certain beats,
Not sure its worthy of a forum outing or not , if its just trout i was fishing for i would probably opt for the west water insted.
If only the north esk had some cheap beats going as its stowed out with great fish!

[Mike Barrio]

It is always nice to fish a new piece of water Baz, whether one catches a lot of fish or not, I'm sure there would be some interest in an outing

Best wishes
Mike

[Peter McCallum]

If only the north esk had some cheap beats going as its stowed out with great fish!

Thats why its stowed out.

[Jim Eddie]

I don't remember the South Esk being a great Brownie river, It was a prolific Sea-Trout river in the 60's my uncle Jim worked as a netsman in the Basin and they'd take 30,000 Sea Trout a year.

Good Sea- Trout rivers are generally not graet Brown Trout rivers , one theory I've heard is that the availability of food , if there is plenty feeding in the river the Brownies stay and grow big , if not they smolt and run to Sea.

 

Jim     

[Rob Brownfield]

I don't remember the South Esk being a great Brownie river, It was a prolific Sea-Trout river in the 60's my uncle Jim worked as a netsman in the Basin and they'd take 30,000 Sea Trout a year.

That might have something to do why there are not many Brownies 

Fished some of the waters mentioned when i first moved to Auchenblae in the early 80's. Biggest fish was a little under 4 pounds...but it was an eel!!

I liked the waters as I could fish the same way i fished rivers in Essex and Norfolk, with freelined worm etc. Just the fish were spotty up here

[Jim Eddie]

That might have something to do why there are not many Brownies 

Rob I agree that was not right , however its easy for us with hindsight to be judgemental almost 50 years on , I don't beleive conservation had even been thought of in those days.

 

Jim