Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Ashley Thomas

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #45 on: 01/04/2017 at 22:24 »
Yes Mike  :z16, I was out today with Liam and we bumped into Sandy later on in the day. Decent hatch of LDO's from the word go (9:30am  :z14), and it picked up later on when the March Browns appeared. Liam as usual found himself a solid fish, this one of around 3 1/4lbs.



Picking away on the nymphs and dries was the answer today, and I was delighted to land my first LDO feeding fish. Hopefully the rest of this season proves to be a good one, especially since it's my real first  :z12

Cheers
Ash
 :z16


Gavin Stevenson

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #46 on: 02/04/2017 at 11:47 »
was on river 9:30 this morning has some colour, saw no surface activity when I left 10:30

Gavin

Liam Stephen

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #47 on: 02/04/2017 at 16:59 »
Yeah Gavin it was mucky down at parkhill this morning. A move up river around 10am paid off though!  :z16

 :z18

Sandy Nelson

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #48 on: 02/04/2017 at 19:06 »
Yup it proved a shrewd move :z16

headed upstream to find clear water, after the chosen beat proved too murky,
Was much more like a normal April day out, although spring was very much in the air



 Flies didn't really start till after 1pm so i took a walk on the dark side



Picking clear water pockets proved to be a good move for most of the morning



After some lunch there was several flurries of March Browns and a handful of LDO's, the fish didn't seem to mind to which



Eventually managed to get a rise on the dry



So a day that looked to be washed out at first, proved to be a nice day to be on the river, a far more normal April day than yesterday, with flies coming off from about 1pm to 3pm in small batches and the fish keying onto them for very short spells 10-15mins.
One or two good ones showing too, but all the fish were decent. :z16



Sandy

Iain Cameron

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #49 on: 02/04/2017 at 21:07 »
After a long day on the water on Saturday, and a late night Sat night, a long sunday lie-in was needed. Upshot, I wandered down to my local stretch at 12ish to find mucky waters. Ah well, it was sunny, water *was* dropping, so ever hopeful.... if nothing else it was great watching the ducks picking off a fairly decent hatch.


Eventually spied a steady feeder in a slack spot. Turned out to be an extremely acrobatic sea trout, shining silver in the April sun as he leapt to make his displeasure clear. A pun and a half of fun.








Found some otter footprints. Listened the the woodpeckering. Picked out another steady riser, this time a plump trout of just over the pound. Cleared some flood debris then called it a day. Well, I do have the next 5 days to go fishing, so why rush...



Liam Stephen

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #50 on: 02/04/2017 at 22:48 »
I've just spent hours on FB posting fishing stuff and setting up my new page. Troutbum Guiding, please give it a like if you get a chance. As a result this will be short and sweet. Had to move to find clear water today. We found it, great hatch and a belter of a fish for myself on the dries.












What a stunner she was! Hoping for more of the same tomorrow.

 :z18

Rob Brownfield

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #51 on: 03/04/2017 at 08:22 »
5 good fish lost at the net...I am rather pee'd off to say the least!

Smallest around 1 3/4, biggest about 3lb. All hooked whilst Klink and Dinking on the nymph and all had the hook ping out after a minute or so as the fish was getting tired.

Hooks where either a size 14 grubber or a size 14 Fulling Mill Grab or Jig.

Using a 5 weight Orvis Zero Gravity which I am starting to think is too stiff in the tip for small hooks. I normally use the 4 weight version which seems to be much better at absorbing head shakes, but I could not find the right line so had to go with the 5 weight.

Might have to build myself one of those floppy fibreglass bean poles!

On a good note...at least I have found some good fish in an area that I have normally passed over :)

Sandy Nelson

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #52 on: 03/04/2017 at 09:42 »

Might have to build myself one of those floppy fibreglass bean poles!


Or you could build yourself a Proper Glass rod  :z7 and get an Epic 580 :z16 it does make a big difference when you are after the big ones with small hooks and light tippets, you can land the fish faster too and get them released sooner, as well as having more fun and confidence during the fight :z16

Sandy

Rob Brownfield

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #53 on: 03/04/2017 at 10:54 »
Or you could build yourself a Proper Glass rod  :z7 and get an Epic 580 :z16 it does make a big difference when you are after the big ones with small hooks and light tippets, you can land the fish faster too and get them released sooner, as well as having more fun and confidence during the fight :z16

Sandy

I have been using cane and fibreglass rods for carp stalking for that very reason for some 40 years :) Even used down to 6lb line when surface fishing and landed carp over 20lb on them with no fear of breaking the line.

I did have a waggle of the Orvis glass "Superfine"...and put it straight back ;) I now wish I still had my old amber "Shakespeare Alpha" fly rod. I landed an 8lb Grilse on that using 3lb tippet and a size 16 dry Iron Blue Dun.

Off to speak to the bank manager...well...Cassie ;)...she got a bonus from work and it is only right I should get some of it..lol

Liam Stephen

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #54 on: 03/04/2017 at 16:26 »
Rob  :z16

Glad you at least got in amongst them, shame about dropping them. Sell off that carbon crap and get a proper Troutbum rod. I can count on one hand the number of fish I have lost this season on the 580. Last season I could count on one hand the amount of fish I landed on my poker of Sage (I lost a shitload!) :X2

If you fancy a cast with any of the freshwater range 3-6wt give me a shout.

 :z18

Sandy Nelson

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #55 on: 03/04/2017 at 17:50 »
And this is why.......... :z12 :z12 :z12


Liam Stephen

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #56 on: 03/04/2017 at 18:19 »
Looks vaguely familiar.....

Look at that bend! Ace video Sandy.

 :z18


Filip Adamcio

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #57 on: 07/04/2017 at 12:00 »
Hi,
Do you know guys what are  conditions on lower Don?
Is water clear now?
Regards Filip

Sandy Nelson

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #58 on: 07/04/2017 at 13:45 »
Hi Filip

The whole river has been running pretty clear for a couple of days now :z16

Sandy

Filip Adamcio

Re: River Don 2017
« Reply #59 on: 07/04/2017 at 14:33 »
Thanks  :z18

 




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