Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Hamish Young

River Don Open Day 2009 New
« on: 13/04/2009 at 09:36 »
Folks,

Some of you may have seen information about this and it's all coming together nicely  :cool:

The first 'River Don Open Day' will be held at Castle Forbes on Sunday the 24th of May, a poster for the event is on the front page of this site http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/news.html and further details will appear on www.riverdon.org.uk

The idea :? Well, it's pretty simple really.
Get all the relevant organisations in one place at the same time, throw in some well known angling 'faces', activities, casting tuition, competitions etc. Plus an auction of some excellent lots donated in aid of the River Don Trust plus local businesses (small and large) selling/demonstrating their products and crafts plus some kids stuff too and you have the first event of its kind on Donside.

The focus is very much River Don, for local anglers and those further afield, it will be a chance to put faces to names and more importantly to put your questions to members of the Trust team, the RDBTIA, DDSFB members and Jim Kerrs' team about what is going on with the river, what the future holds and how you might be able to help. Amongst other things, the new RDBTIA River Don roving ticket scheme (an affordable 1 day or 6 day ticket which gives access to many miles of the Don) will also be launched on the day.

It's a free to enter event; all we would ask is that anyone coming through the event on the day supports the Trust by bidding generously at the auction or with a donation. Not much to ask really  :wink

There will be 2 marquees on the day, one for angling and one for the local businesses, an outside caterer and something for the kids - so a family event. Please do support the day and come along on the 24th.

I hope to see you then  :z16

Hamish  :z3

PS - If you'd like to help out on the day, donate something to the auction or would like to partcipate then email me rdbtia@btinternet.com NO LONGER VALID

Mike Barrio

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #1 on: 13/04/2009 at 15:22 »
Hi Hamish

Great work with the Don Open Day, I know how much work is going in to this :z16

Best wishes
Mike ....................... on Haddo Hut Megaslowband :z4  :z4  :z4

Peter McCallum

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #2 on: 13/04/2009 at 22:43 »
Sounds good Hamish best of luck with it. :z16 I'd love to be there but it's my first weekend on this years marking so I'll need to blitz some then :cry  :z10 . Hey Ho :z8

Ben Dixon

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #3 on: 13/04/2009 at 22:44 »
Bring it with you Peter we will give you a hand and do it over a few beers after the event  :z4

Ben

Mike Barrio

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #4 on: 13/04/2009 at 22:45 »
Sounds good Hamish best of luck with it. :z16 I'd love to be there but it's my first weekend on this years marking so I'll need to blitz some then :cry  :z10 . Hey Ho :z8

Hi Peter

We can help with the marking if you like, I've got a red pen ..... anybody else? :z13

Cheers
Mike

Mike Barrio

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #5 on: 13/04/2009 at 22:46 »
Good thinking Ben :oops  :z3  :oops  :z4

Peter McCallum

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #6 on: 13/04/2009 at 22:54 »
Bring it with you Peter we will give you a hand and do it over a few beers after the event  :z4

Ben

Unfortunately you can't mark in poblic - ooo missus :shock. Still thanks for the kind thoughts :z16

Dutchfly

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #7 on: 19/04/2009 at 09:48 »
Hi Hamish,

'Good' to read it's all over by the time we're in Scotland...  :cry

Hopefully this will become an annual/bi-annual event, so we can keep it mind when planning a visit.

Good luck with the Ørgänizáziøn, as they call it at Dutch Flyfair. I know how much time and effort go into such an event.

CU

Jeroen

Hamish Young

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #8 on: 21/04/2009 at 08:31 »
Cheers Jeroen - there's an awful lot of work goes into these things and I hope it all pays off :!

Latest news is one of the principal lots of the auction in aid of the River Don Trust will be an Orvis Helios 9ft #4wt.
Details in the classified section  :cool:

http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1849.0

Hamish

Iain Goolager

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #9 on: 16/05/2009 at 20:12 »
not quite a BUMP but should be a good day, with a good turn out.

Iain

Ben Dixon

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #10 on: 17/05/2009 at 01:15 »
There will be some more auction lots appearing here over the next few days.  Would be good to see all the forum members that are even occasional Don fishers at the event, weather permitting, it will be a good event.  Even if the weather is less than favourable, most of the attractions will be under cover and, admission is free.

Amongst other things going on will be.....

Casting demonstrations with an emphasis on techniques, set ups and tactics applicable to Don fishing for all species with both single & double handed rods, tuition from SANA instructors, flytying demos, and casting competitions.  The casting competitions must be won by someone, instructors, trust members etc are not allowed to enter, prizes are being donated by Orvis so, have a shot, you have nothing to lose!!
There will be many toys to play with on the day either on grass or on the water. 


Hope to see you there


Ben

Dave Gordon

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #11 on: 20/05/2009 at 20:27 »
A new initiative, “Friends of the River Don” will be launched at the River Don Open Day at castle Forbes on Sunday 24rth. To join the Friends, please click the link below:

http://www.adaasales.co.uk/shop/shop.asp?hdnCtrlPageNum=3&item=79&manukey=-1&deptkey=-1&srch=&sort=1&slct=&ipp=12&selmanukey=-1&seldeptkey=-1&srchTxt=&selsort=1&CtrlPageJump=3

A reminder that the River Don open day is to be held at Castle Forbes on 24th. May.

Mike Barrio

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #12 on: 20/05/2009 at 20:52 »
Hi Dave
Thanks for that, it will be interesting to find out more about this and maybe support it at Sunday's event :z16

I'm not being funny ..... but why is it on the "adaa" website? :z8

Best wishes
Mike

Dave Gordon

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #13 on: 20/05/2009 at 21:34 »
Hi Mike

Thats an easy one. We are selling "friends of the river Don" via the ADAA site because we get it for free, and because i set up the sales site for the ADAA! We would eventually like to host this on our own site but as you know web shops are expensive and we feel that using this partnership is in the best interests of the charity. We are always however keen to expand this, and if you are offering to also host this for us i would be delighted, will even buy you a burger and coke at the open day on sunday! :z4 May even make you our first friend!

The trust is now off and running, with Jamie Urquhart starting as our first biologist early next month. He will start to make the differences the Don needs and we will start running up costs, as we plan to start easing obstructions to fish migration and improving habitat immediatly. We will have a very small office for him to work from soon we hope, and will need to equip this. Obviously this will be open to anglers and interested parties to see what works are being undertaken and to have a brew!

We are trying to source a microfiche system to be used for scale reading, along with a microscope, this will run alongside our genetics survey, DNA testing salmon from throughout the catchment to identify the various groups of fish in the system and to see where for instance springers spawn, so we can target habitat improvements, to target the most underpressure stock components. Information on this and our other projects will be placed in the Friends section on the website as they happen (riverdon.org.uk) This will be a password protected friends area where they will get the most up to date information on the system, its inhabitants and our works.

As you can see, all this costs and the more we can protect our funds for projects, whilst still getting all we need to get, helps us spend money on the river, where it is needed.

Dave


Hamish Young

Re: River Don Open Day 2009
« Reply #14 on: 20/05/2009 at 22:42 »
Some more fishing lots for the auction folks:

A box of flies tied by Paul Procter (guide price £50)
A box of assorted flies tied by Magnus Angus (guide price £50)
A dozen salmon flies tied by Ross MacDonald (guide price £50)
A days fishing on the Don on the Colquhonnie House Hotel beats
A days fishing on the Don at Fetternear
A days loch fishing (including dapping instruction) in the Inverness/Highlands area with Hamish Young (guide price £50)
A box of half a dozen dapping flies tied by Hamish Young (guide price £25)

Non-fishing lots

A days goose shooting
A day deer stalking

More goodies to come on the day :z16

If you'd like to place a bid in advance for some of the items please send an email to me at rdbtia@btinternet.com
The unique Orvis Helios 9ft #4wt will start at whatever price it reaches on this site, but a generous bid in excess of £800 might just secure it in advance :!

Hamish :z3

 




Barrio Fly Lines - designed in Scotland - Cast with confidence all over the world

Barrio Fly Lines

Designed in Scotland

Manufactured in the UK

Cast with confidence all over the world

www.flylineshop.com