On the lower Don tonight.
Had three or four 1lb to 1 1/4lb fish on the dry which was very rewarding as their lies or fishing windows were difficult/ minimal.
No sign of any realistically reachable big fish so headed off to a spot which I'm fond of......................nowt showing.
One last try at the tail of a pool I like a lot although I did wonder if it was more likely to hold Sea-Trout at the moment, but armed with 4wt and a size 17 CDC & E I was hopeful of a decent Broonie.
Bang on, as soon as I reached the short pool I could see a few rises which made me think were decent fish. Two casts later I was into a 1lb fish so steered him in quick as I didn't want to spook the pool unless it was with a decent fish.
Just as I was preping the fly there was a big splash yards from me and as I hurried to get my line in order it rose again - it was an otter and it proceeded to butterfly stroke up the pool - 'keep going you ratbag!' I heard myself mutter.
I decided to have a seat and give everything a breather. 5 min's later a fish started showing again, fairly regularly and a good 10 or so cast which I though must be covering him went by without an offer. Up he came & out the flee went..............sip, fish on! better this time I thought then all hell broke loose. All the loose line was picked up and then he started hauling line from the reel as he headed down stream through the rapids and I knew at once there was a high percentage of losing him here. Day Zha Vouz as they say in allo allo!
Very near dark clambering across boulders , long reeds no idea of my footing and I knew I had to go in after him.
The next 10 min's were frantic with me barely holding him in the current then him leaping four times as he twisted through the showing boulders. I'm waiting for the line to go slack. I'm still wandering if this is a Sea run Trout and desperately hoping it's not.
Finally I cornered him over at the other bank but still he was giving me a hard time in amongst the reeds, then I saw his flank and my hands started shaking in earnest.
Only when he was in the net did I stop chanting 'please not now, please not now'
A wonderful fish and I’d like to think rewards for time put in.
Scales went to 6lb initially but a giggling and faffing seen him settle @ 5 1/4lb.
I didn’t measure him and did want to return him as soon as, it took easily 20 min’s for him to swim away strongly during which time I hurt my back, got cramp in both legs and f***** my mobile phone – at least the camera stayed intact.
Iain
photo doesn't do his girth justice
