[Hamish Young]

Think we all know that kinda sick feeling when the line goes slack. I wasn't 2 disappointed, was good to make contact. Now I know where it lives so I will prob set up a semi permanent camp at that pool

Fair play Noel.... I know someone else who would do the same and I applaud your mutual dedication 
Hope you get it next time

H 

[Iain Goolager]

Enjoyed a nice evening on the middle Don with plenty of sedge, spinner & midge (not Mary, Mungo & Midge  ) activity 

Fish seemed to switch from sedge to spinner and back to sedge as the evening progressed.

Lots of activity and I found a spot that was abundant with fish in the 1/2 - 1 3/4 lb bracket.

1st fish of the day (landed) was well received as it was a downstream cast as he rose consistently to sedge.



Quite a few more followed to stimulators, F-flies & paraduns and as many again were pricked or lost, the evening culminating in four impressive leaps from a fish in the 1 3/4 lb bracket then Slack City .
No fuss, great evening and 23:00 before packing up time so lots to look forward to.

Purchased a rubberised scoop net 'bag' for the McCleans hand net as I'm bored of the net getting caught up on the fishes lower jaw, fly falling through the net, etc plus the pan type shape lends itself to easier handling and release of the size of fish I typically catch (1/2 - 1 3/4 lb)


A fish admires the new Hydros Reel from Orvil



Iain

[Noel Kelly]

Down the river again last night. It was busy, met 4 other anglers including Mr Windknot (any luck Mike) and Mr Goolager with his new net bag and reel that I didn't notice til now
Fished a good section of the beat and picked up a few small fish but of course I was always gonna end up at a certain pool where I had unfinished business with a certain trout.
There was some fish rising to an olive hatch and a few sedges also on the go but I just sat and waited to see if my friend would put in an appearance.
Well he did.. He started to rise at exactly the same spot as the previous night but this time he had company. There were 3 fish rising in a tight group. I picked out what looked like the best one and covered it. It took and I initially thought it wasn't the one as it felt like in the 2/3lb category. Then it put the Pressure on...rod bent double and stayed like that for more than 5 mins with forearm aching and no sign of this fish tiring. I was never in control of the situation and couldn't even take a second to get my line back on the reel. Then it made a sudden long dash for fast water and ping, leader snapped. Gutted doesn't cover it. Hate that it has a fly stuck in it and that I haven't ever seen it. Will be fitting a new tapered leader tonight to reduce the amount of weak points and hopefully I will get another chance...

[Peter McCallum]

Enjoyed a nice evening on the middle Don with plenty of sedge, spinner & midge (not Mary, Mungo & Midge  ) activity 

Mary, Mungo & Midge Iain.........didn't know you were that old!!   

[Michael Buchan]

Bumber about the fish Noel  If your feeling depressed or he is starting to get you down i would be glad to help, Just point him out next time i see you and ill catch him for you, take a picture of the two of you together and ill even let you slip him back. 

The one i was waiting on when i spoke to you never came up again 

1st night on the river for two weeks so had a blast playing with the 8-12inchers for longer than i should have most took a small olive paradun.  After playing with them went looking for a good fish found one around 2lb who rose in busts for an hour or so but couldnt get it to eat  .  Gave up at 1130 still plenty fish rising at that time.
 
Michael

[Iain Goolager]

Hi Michael,

seen your car but didn't see you (you obviously saw me  ). Although there was a wee bit of wind now and again it was nice to be on the river of an evening with some decent fly life.

Peter, I'm older than you think (although the wooden tops would be more your era  )

Noel,

I brought my bino's last night and I know where your fish lives - size 10 Klink and 2X leader, he's mine tonight!

Iain

[Matt Henderson]

Hard lukc Noel, as I was driving home from the golf last night ( work related and marginally better than an afternoon in the office) I was thinking I bet Noel and Irene are out thrashing the water tonight.  And also wondering whether you had got the beast or not. 

A fish admires the new Hydros Reel from Orvil

More new tackle Irene? When are you selling off some of your old stuff?  I'm in a market for a gucci reel at knock down prices!

[Richard Tong]

Noel

Sounds like a pig of a Trout...I think we are all waiting to hear how heavy it is when /if you reattach yersel to it...third time lucky? Go for it!

Re: your hook straightening out, don't know what you're using but obviously don't use anything that says "lightweight" in the description for Don trout. We use Mustad R50's and have never had one straighten or break. Get them from John Norris or The Essential Fly. They are very strong without being too heavy.

Re: Leader breaking-sounds like it twanged on a straight run. If it's pinged at a knot then you'll be kicking yourself and if it's pinged on any other part it could be down to abrasion beforehand during the fight. We both lost Trout last year and Paul lost one the other day when we were out, through the teeth shearing the tippet (looks like a flattened end)-these big boys have fearsome gnashers on them and nowt you can do about that. Paul is currently considering/testing more abrasion resistant tippet material.

You put too much effort,thought and daydreaming about big Trout to be let down at the last minute so do yourself a favour and always check the knots. Good luck-looks like tomorrow night and Friday night will be belting nights out for evening rise.

BTW what Olives are you getting hatching at that time. We are seeing Olive Uprights and possibly Medium Olives (though we have not ID'd them-better things to do!). Last 2 nights when we have been in Scotland, the hatch has started at appx 9:15pm with activity ceasing appx 10-10:10pm

Richard

PS Glad you boys are getting into some big fish at last!

[Iain Goolager]

Too late to write.

Out tonight, felt colder but action did come as darkness neared.

Few 1/2lb fish and a nice one about 1 1/2 lb


Tried the skalka hooks for the first time and impressed with the hooking and holding performance even though they felt 'possibly, flimsy' when at the vise.
here's a balloon caddis type thingy showing the hook profile


 
Three varieties of upwing on the go - Olive Upright I'd guess (from a distance and in poor light) for the largest, some medium sized spinner? dark body long tails (2 off) and the most prevalent were these;

He's clearly got 3 ringed tails but as he's slightly cripple I can't see the hind wings. One of two I think..........



bedtime.........ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Iain

[Peter McCallum]

Peter, I'm older than you think (although the wooden tops would be more your era  )

Woodentops? come on Rag, Tag & Bobtail for me

[Richard Tong]

Iain,

Three tails and light yellow colour;looks like a  male Yellow Evening Dun. Excellent, well caught!

Richard

[Iain Goolager]

Bandy net and and Jar on the list for next outing as it's difficult enough sometimes for an amateur escapologist to identify stuff let alone in twilight.
Also caught a large sedge - well I was actually stopping it from headbutting me when I inadvertantly caught it and I'm positive it had a distinctive orange section on its body  likened to the hot spot on a gammarus 

Iain

[Ben Dixon]

Bandy net and and Jar on the list for next outing as it's difficult enough sometimes for an amateur escapologist to identify stuff let alone in twilight.
Also caught a large sedge - well I was actually stopping it from headbutting me when I inadvertantly caught it and I'm positive it had a distinctive orange section on its body  likened to the hot spot on a gammarus 

Iain

Did you ever have a look at instructions for a killing jar?

Cheers

Ben

[Iain Goolager]

I certainly did Ben 
But I would prefer to put them into a container as they are caught (saves missing the rise) and do the Dr Evil stuff later. Knowing my luck I'd nod off mid cast, drop my nose into the jar, collapse and wake up at the mouth of the Dee. 

Iain

[Matt Henderson]

Out for a walk along the river bank at lunch time.  Lot's of flies about and saw what looked like some nice trout rising.