Had my first ever attempt at catching a salmon today and I almost managed it
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
I have been getting a lot of advise from a few on here especially Ben
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
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
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
Felt a bit of tension coming on so I lifted the rod and fish on
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.....
How the hell do they do that
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.