Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Iain Goolager

Re: Don Today
« Reply #90 on: 12/10/2009 at 22:54 »
Seems like you had a good outing Matt.

Pity it wasn't a Salmon but I'll bet it pulled your string. Why can't these monkeys come out to play when you've the 4 weight on the go!

well done again.

Iain

Alex Thain

Re: Don Today
« Reply #91 on: 12/10/2009 at 23:50 »
fished the upper don today ,but despite a 2and a half hour singlehanded speycasting  session with ben ,a wink and nod of where to try plus a couple of bens flys (no luck), but had a great day with orvis helios 10ft 7weight a and a shooting head made by  ben .awsome rod ,chucked monkeys ,sunrays no problem  cheers ben  :z16

Ben Dixon

Re: Don Today
« Reply #92 on: 13/10/2009 at 00:05 »
fished the upper don today ,but despite a 2and a half hour singlehanded speycasting  session with ben ,a wink and nod of where to try plus a couple of bens flys (no luck), but had a great day with orvis helios 10ft 7weight a and a shooting head made by  ben .awsome rod ,chucked monkeys ,sunrays no problem  cheers ben  :z16

Pleased you had a good day out Alex, shame you got no sport, you really deserved a fish after your efforts in the wind on Sunday, top job you were throwing a very nice line by the end of the day :grin 

Ben

Michael Buchan

Re: Don Today
« Reply #93 on: 16/10/2009 at 22:37 »
Finished work early and fished alford from 4 to 7 nice night for it and a few fish showing. Got one good pull on a size 12 claret shrimp fly.  Spoke to two other guys who had been fishing the afternoon both had a fish each one spinning one on fly.  Also wouldnt want to be a trout watched a smaill trout rise  only to be followed by a huge swirl a split second later in the same spot.  What would be most likely, he was lunch for a big brownie or did he p off a salmon? 

Ben Dixon

Re: Don Today
« Reply #94 on: 16/10/2009 at 23:38 »
Finished work early and fished alford from 4 to 7 nice night for it and a few fish showing. Got one good pull on a size 12 claret shrimp fly.  Spoke to two other guys who had been fishing the afternoon both had a fish each one spinning one on fly.  Also wouldnt want to be a trout watched a smaill trout rise  only to be followed by a huge swirl a split second later in the same spot.  What would be most likely, he was lunch for a big brownie or did he p off a salmon? 

Probably the former, I had a few big trout on stripped Sunrays last weekend at Alford.  I did not think that spinning was allowed on the Alford stretch, certainly not at todays height  :roll

Cheers

Ben

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #95 on: 17/10/2009 at 16:45 »
Had my first ever attempt at catching a salmon today and I almost managed it :z6 Fished a beat of the upper river and had a great few hours. Unfortunately could only spend a half day on the water. I started about 8.30 and it was damn cold, seen a few splashes in the first hour or so but no action. Was all new to me so I was taking my time and trying not to spook the fish. Tried stoat's tails, ally's shrimps and a few others from the box of all sorts I had been given the loan of for the day :grin
I have been getting a lot of advise from a few on here especially Ben :z16 so will be no surprise that I soon changed over to a di3 and sunray shadow to do a bit of pulling.
First cast up the pool and bang :grin I had been priming myself not to strike if I got a take but of course I struck anyway, too many years of trout fishing conditioning I guess.
Well it didn't feel like a big fish and it wasn't, a damn brownie of about 1lb... I could never understand salmon fishermen complaining about catching brownies until then :z4
My first time fishing a sinking line on the river and man is it hard work, a combination of this and the shifting stones balancing act underfoot and I was soon warming up, was turning out to be a beautiful day.
Fished down through another pool without a touch and decided it was time for a coffee and a fag, also to shed a few layers as I was sweating at this stage.
While relaxing on the bank a fish splashed in the pool I had just fished so I just had to have another go. Second upstream cast and I felt a tap tap, that tap tap I have read so much about, must be a salmon this time I thought and I didn't strike :cool: Felt a bit of tension coming on so I lifted the rod and fish on :grin
Well the fish did not do very much at all, just holding deep in the fast flowing water meanwhile a hundred things were racing through my head.
Will it run up
Will it run down   
That sun is blinding me
My ciggy has gone out
Oh no my net is on the bank
and the line went slack..... :cry

How the hell do they do that :mad

Anyway it was a confidence booster and I fished on with renewed everything. Had several more pulls but no hookups down to the end of the beat.
Time was against me so I headed back up to the pool I had started with. Sun was high now and I could see the bottom of about half the pool. Had a follow from a double figure fish to my first cast but that was it.
All in all an enjoyable few hours and I might have had something to show for it if I could have spent the full day.
Next time hopefully.       
       
 

stickleback

Re: Don Today
« Reply #96 on: 17/10/2009 at 17:35 »
I felt a tap tap, that tap tap I have read so much about, must be a salmon this time I thought and I didn't strike :cool: Felt a bit of tension coming on so I lifted the rod and fish on :grin

Nice report Noel - I love my trout fishing but that feeling you described when you hook a salmon is very difficult to beat.  It's a shame you never managed to land the fish but it's clearly just a matter of time before you do.

I was out near Fintry on Thursday afternoon and bumped into another angler.  We were rather surprised at the lack of salmon showing - I only saw one and he had seen none   :z6  Perhaps the salmon had all run through with the rise in water and ended up where you were fishing ?  Well that's my excuse for another blank day and I'm sticking to it !!  :oops

On the basis of some of the posts here I think I'll have to revise my normal October salmon fishing plans and move further upstream.

Cheers

Matt Henderson

Re: Don Today
« Reply #97 on: 17/10/2009 at 18:15 »
Had my first ever attempt at catching a salmon today and I almost managed it :z6 Fished a beat of the upper river and had a great few hours. Unfortunately could only spend a half day on the water. I started about 8.30 and it was damn cold, seen a few splashes in the first hour or so but no action. Was all new to me so I was taking my time and trying not to spook the fish. Tried stoat's tails, ally's shrimps and a few others from the box of all sorts I had been given the loan of for the day :grin
I have been getting a lot of advise from a few on here especially Ben :z16 so will be no surprise that I soon changed over to a di3 and sunray shadow to do a bit of pulling.
First cast up the pool and bang :grin I had been priming myself not to strike if I got a take but of course I struck anyway, too many years of trout fishing conditioning I guess.
Well it didn't feel like a big fish and it wasn't, a damn brownie of about 1lb... I could never understand salmon fishermen complaining about catching brownies until then :z4
My first time fishing a sinking line on the river and man is it hard work, a combination of this and the shifting stones balancing act underfoot and I was soon warming up, was turning out to be a beautiful day.
Fished down through another pool without a touch and decided it was time for a coffee and a fag, also to shed a few layers as I was sweating at this stage.
While relaxing on the bank a fish splashed in the pool I had just fished so I just had to have another go. Second upstream cast and I felt a tap tap, that tap tap I have read so much about, must be a salmon this time I thought and I didn't strike :cool: Felt a bit of tension coming on so I lifted the rod and fish on :grin
Well the fish did not do very much at all, just holding deep in the fast flowing water meanwhile a hundred things were racing through my head.
Will it run up
Will it run down   
That sun is blinding me
My ciggy has gone out
Oh no my net is on the bank
and the line went slack..... :cry

How the hell do they do that :mad

Anyway it was a confidence booster and I fished on with renewed everything. Had several more pulls but no hookups down to the end of the beat.
Time was against me so I headed back up to the pool I had started with. Sun was high now and I could see the bottom of about half the pool. Had a follow from a double figure fish to my first cast but that was it.
All in all an enjoyable few hours and I might have had something to show for it if I could have spent the full day.
Next time hopefully.       
       
 

cracking post that.  Captures what goes through your head to a T!  I haven't caught a salmon yet but when you get a bigger fish on and the reel starts screaming you can't beat it.  Its the hardest thing trying not to strike when you get a take.  Its definately hard work on the stonier beats.  I was very glad I had my wading stick with me.

Ben Dixon

Re: Don Today
« Reply #98 on: 17/10/2009 at 19:02 »
cracking post that.   Its definately hard work on the stonier beats.  I was very glad I had my wading stick with me.

Good stuff Noel, next time!!

Matt, right about the stones, I took a dip last time I was at Alford  and that was with a wading stick  :oops

Cheers

Ben

Paul Garrigan

Re: Don Today
« Reply #99 on: 17/10/2009 at 20:44 »
Bit of a late report so apologies for that but here goes.......

Was out on the upper Don on Friday having a go for the salmon. On my second cast i got a pull and had a fish on! Couldnt believe it as i have been trying for a salmon on the Don all season without success. Was a fish of about 4lb which i played for about 2 minutes before it jumped and threw the hook. Great start!!

Fished slowly down through the next pool where i moved another fish of about the same size but i was having the same problem Noel was talking about of striking too soon! Lesson learned!

At almost exactly midday my size 8 stinchar stoats tail swung round nicely and another pull. This time i got it right and the fish stuck! After what seemed like an age i took a quick pic and released a coloured cock fish of estimated 8lb.

I was extra delighted as this fish was not only my first Don salmon but also my first salmon on the fly!  :z18

I fished on till about 4pm and had another couple of pulls but none of them attached themselves. Didnt matter to me though as i went home a very happy angler! Im still shaking!!! lol

Ironically, i spent alot of time and money at the start of the season on a double hander and spey casting lessons but i caught the fish on my 9' 6" #7 rod which coped admirably!!

I have tried to upload the pic from my phone without success as my phone is a vintage model so i can't post it. I have text a copy of it to Noel.
If anyone else wants too see it Pm me and i will text you it or maybe one of you could post it for me??? :z8


Conehead

Re: Don Today
« Reply #100 on: 17/10/2009 at 20:55 »
Unlucky Noel,

now you see why I sometimes have trouble dragging myself away from the salmon, especially when the rivers in good strip and the silver felllas are running. Good luck for next time. :z16

Ben Dixon

Re: Don Today
« Reply #101 on: 17/10/2009 at 21:23 »
Excellent stuff Paul!!

Always good fun on a SH rod however there are times when the DH rod is simply the only way to go, big tubes, nasty winds and heavy lines are not much fun on a trout rod.  If Noel cannot sort the pic drop me a message and I will see if I can sort it for you.


Cheers

Ben

Noel Kelly

Re: Don Today
« Reply #102 on: 18/10/2009 at 00:21 »
Bit of a late report so apologies for that but here goes.......

Was out on the upper Don on Friday having a go for the salmon. On my second cast i got a pull and had a fish on! Couldnt believe it as i have been trying for a salmon on the Don all season without success. Was a fish of about 4lb which i played for about 2 minutes before it jumped and threw the hook. Great start!!

Fished slowly down through the next pool where i moved another fish of about the same size but i was having the same problem Noel was talking about of striking too soon! Lesson learned!

At almost exactly midday my size 8 stinchar stoats tail swung round nicely and another pull. This time i got it right and the fish stuck! After what seemed like an age i took a quick pic and released a coloured cock fish of estimated 8lb.

I was extra delighted as this fish was not only my first Don salmon but also my first salmon on the fly!  :z18

I fished on till about 4pm and had another couple of pulls but none of them attached themselves. Didnt matter to me though as i went home a very happy angler! Im still shaking!!! lol

Ironically, i spent alot of time and money at the start of the season on a double hander and spey casting lessons but i caught the fish on my 9' 6" #7 rod which coped admirably!!

I have tried to upload the pic from my phone without success as my phone is a vintage model so i can't post it. I have text a copy of it to Noel.
If anyone else wants too see it Pm me and i will text you it or maybe one of you could post it for me??? :z8



Here you go Paul :z16


stickleback

Re: Don Today
« Reply #103 on: 18/10/2009 at 09:32 »
I was extra delighted as this fish was not only my first Don salmon but also my first salmon on the fly!  :z18

Well done  :z16.  You'll remember it forever and it will always bring a smile to your face.

Paul Garrigan

Re: Don Today
« Reply #104 on: 18/10/2009 at 18:35 »
Cheers Noel  :z16

 




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