Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #120 on: 28/05/2009 at 06:38 »
Has anyone been out early morning yet? Thinking of trying that tomorrow.

Hamish Young

Re: Don Today
« Reply #121 on: 28/05/2009 at 07:26 »
As yet no, once the summer is more fully on us then it would be worth a hurl early on in the day IMHO  :z16

Richard Tong

Re: Don Today
« Reply #122 on: 28/05/2009 at 10:00 »
Ben/Hamish,

We went down to Beat 6 and 7 on Tuesday night after you had left. Not much activity early on. However at 10pm there was a substantial hatch of Olive Uprights,probably the most I have seen at any one time at Monymusk. I spent 20 mins after a fish 2 rods lengths away. The rises were very difficult to discern as they were in 'dark' water. Eventually got it on a Klink with a fluro yellow post and 'guessed' it had taken my fly and it was 2lb 14oz. Unbeknown to me there was another not 5 yards upstream that I estimated at over 4lbs that I had not seen (the rises were not loud or big) due to the dark water.

Paul got one on 'silver paper' water upstream of me which went 3lb 1oz.

Just for the record on Monday we saw 4 rising fish which we thought were of a good size. Took it in turns to go for them, hooked all 4, one got off and the other 3 were 2lb 8oz(19"),2lb 12oz(18.5") and 4lb 7oz (22.5").

We went down yesterday to Beat 1 but left at 2pm without casting a fly. It was blowing a gale with very little rising so we sacked it early and headed home.

Thanks to you both for the weekend,the hospitality and the company.



Richard

Richard Tong

Re: Don Today
« Reply #123 on: 28/05/2009 at 10:16 »
Meant to say that on Tue night  I got mine at 10:25pm and Paul got his at 10:35pm on a not very good day but the wind did drop after 9pm. Similarly at Kintore on Sunday it was windy but the fish came on after 10pm after the wind had dropped.

On the way down the road we agreed that if we were locals we would be on the river late on now for the best chance of a big fish.

Ben I want to know when you nail that other big fish (not the one that grabbed Pauls little fish) that was rising in the pool that we fished late on........sure it's over 4lbs so good luck!

Richard

Rob Brownfield

Re: Don Today
« Reply #124 on: 28/05/2009 at 11:47 »
Loks like I will have to pack a rod in the car and take a slight detore home via Monymusk :) I really want to try rivers more this year.

Quick question..I was pretty much nymphing as there was no surface activity, but my nymph gear is different to my dry fly gear..what do you guys do? Do you set up just for one style, have multiple outfits..help????

Richard Tong

Re: Don Today
« Reply #125 on: 28/05/2009 at 13:35 »
Rob,

Sorry have cocked up and posted this twice as was timed out and panicked at having lost my reply!!

We carry one rod each and adapt the set up to suit. Having said that 95% of our fishing involves targeting what we think are 'large' fish of 2lbs +. Having said that it is relatively easy to discern this if the fishes head breaks the surface to take a dun or something sitting on top of the water. In April on our first trip there were Black Gnats coming down and they do sit on the surface albeit with a far lower profile. We suspected that the fish were on these but their heads were not showing and I recall targeting one with Paul watching and this ended up as a 24" fish. We had no idea it was this large,we could tell it was substantial as the rise form was a fair size but we both thought it was a 2lb-3lb fish tops. I have digressed from your question.

Set up is a 9' rod either 4 or 5wt depending on the wind and leaders anywhere between 12' (very windy)-16' (no wind) ending in 5X (4.9lbs) or 4X (6lbs) which will vary depending on fly size and perceived size of fish. I maintain that with a well tied knot no fish is going to break a 4.9lbs leader on snag free run (though I think that this happened to Ben so shows what I know).  On the previous trip I was broken by the largest Trout I have ever hooked,I saw it jump 4 times and reckon it was over 7lbs but it ran me round a rock and frayed the leader against a rock-nowt you can do about that!

The flies we have had most success with have been Paraduns,Paragnats,cdc and Klinkhamers.

We do a lot of walking,sitting and looking. Pauls Trout he got on Monday of 4lb 7oz I guess many people would not even have spotted. He was not sure it was even a rise but went down to close to where he saw it,waited 20 minutes before it came up again,had a few casts over it,the last of which was dumped down over the fish by a gust. He thought that that was it all over but again waited over 20 mins and it did come up again by which time he had changed fly and got it. So he was successful by good observation and sheer perseverance and patience that not many have. Okay his presentational skills are of the very highest order too! However many of these Trout allow a pretty close approach as the Don is usually of good depth and flow so you can get close(2-3 rod lengths usually) without scaring them.

If things are very quiet and we get a bit bored then Paul is first to change to weighted nymph on point + 2 spiders and prospecting down and across to cover a lot of water(not on a tight line like a salmon fisher though). The rod is held high so there is a bow of line to watch for a take and the fish does not feel a lot of resistance, resulting in more hook ups.

However most of our big Trout are taken on dries and are targetted. We rarely 'fish the water' as this usually results in smaller fish. Obviously once you have a biggie on your sites do not rush things,check knots,watch the rise pattern etc. Many fish are difficult in that they do not hold station (due to the fact that the hatches/falls are not usually that heavy) and traverse a bit so you have to be careful not to line them.Wait with the correct amount of line out,fly in hand and when he comes up try and get your fly over him after a couple of seconds. This can take time!! That massive fish that ran me round a rock took over 2 hours to hook (drag was awful too). If your fly drags a few times and you think he may have seen it it may be a good idea to change (but we have taken fish on flys that they have seen drag previously). Finally these big fish rise slowly and turn down so give them a bit of time before striking.....only experience and missed fish will hone this for you!

It is not everyones style of fishing and you have to be very single minded,but hey its what we travel 700+ miles each round trip for!!

Good luck Rob at Monymusk. Wish it was on my way home. Let us know of any success you have. Reckon that you should be on the water from 9:30pm at the moment. As dusk falls you can get really close. Make sure you have some flys tied with a fluorescent yellow post.

Oh yes we do not do any nymph fishing but that is not to say that it would not be successful but generally if there is a big fish out on station feeding (as opposed to tucked under the bank or a weedbed 'resting') and we have seen him rise we will approach with a dry fly

Hope that this helps,

Richard

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #126 on: 28/05/2009 at 22:44 »
Richard thats a very good post :z16. Last year when you posted something similar I took note and have adapted some of yourself and Paul,s  tactics. Have had some memorable success so thanks for being so free with the information. One question, how did ye fish Kintore on a sunday and did ye have any joy?   

Richard Tong

Re: Don Today
« Reply #127 on: 28/05/2009 at 23:39 »
Noel,

We fished water that was not public :wink. Yes we caught fish. Paul had a 2lb 4oz and a couple of wee ones. I caught a 1lb 8oz fish and lost a larger one which by the feel of it would have been 2lb +.

Richard

Ben Dixon

Re: Don Today
« Reply #128 on: 29/05/2009 at 00:18 »
Top night on the river tonight, 1lb, 1lb4oz & 4lb.  pics to follow tomorrow  :grin

Awesome amount of flies about tonight and the fish were still going daft at 11:40 when I packed up

Ben

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #129 on: 29/05/2009 at 00:38 »
Good stuff Ben, thats a great evening :z16 Olive klink with a pink post by any chance:z4  Now get that fekin camera connected :!

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #130 on: 29/05/2009 at 00:46 »
Richard

Paragnats? Would that be a black emerger with a split tail?

Richard Tong

Don Today
« Reply #131 on: 29/05/2009 at 09:14 »
Noel,

Size 16,Black Superfine body (if you look at them the male has a very skinny body and female is plumper)/Aerowing wingpost/Grizzle or Black hackle parachuted round wingpost. No tail. Make Superfine (or black SLF for a buggier look but doe not really matter)dubbing round thorax(wingpost area) quite pronounced as both male/female are like this. There's tons of them about just now....catch one or two and have a look and you will see for yourself.

Would be interested to know how any of the Forum members fare in the evening now we have the hot weather for a few days. The Trout should acclimatise to teh new weather pattern quite quickly and should be hard at it every night if you get warm days. You guys don't know how lucky you are!! Good Hunting!!

Richard

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #132 on: 29/05/2009 at 12:02 »
I hope to get out tonight for the last hour so hopefully will have some action to report.

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #133 on: 29/05/2009 at 22:45 »
Well just home, didnt go very well im afraid. My vision in poor light is bad (laser eye surgery downside) so couldnt see my fly or control my drift etc. Just was not working out for me tonight :z6
Massive amount of fly life, couldnt identify half of it. Got a glimpse of a huge upright floating by with very bright green wings and a cream/yellow body, never seen one like it before, must have been 11/4 inches long ???
Few fish rising but not much considering the amount of fly.

Richard Tong

Don Today
« Reply #134 on: 30/05/2009 at 07:56 »
Noel,

Well that's changed my mind about Laser Eye Surgery then! Have toyed with the idea of having this done but.........

The upright you saw sounds like a Mayfly-maybe the low angle of the evening sun made the wings appear bright green! Are there areas of slow dubs where you fish that have silt on the bottom?

Better luck next time. It can't always be good (or bad!).

Ben where are those pics of yer big fella??

Richard

 




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