Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Richard Bates

Salmon parr
« on: 19/06/2019 at 00:05 »
Hi Folks,
I have spent quite a bit of time this past month fishing my local stream. It's a typical high ground spate stream which feeds into lough Neagh eventually, has a good head of wee trout, dollaghan from august  and a few late salmon. This year I am catching a lot of salmon par, more than I have ever noticed before. I didn't keep a count but reckon 25 - 30% of my catch have been parr.

Last year we had no water in this stream until November and had a mild winter, again fairly dry too. The salmon run was not great either.  Maybe they are on a feeding spree to fatten and smolt, I don't know.

Anyway, after that drivel, my question. How many parr/smolts would you guys catch in a days trout fishing?

Richard

Bob Mitchell

Re: Salmon parr
« Reply #1 on: 19/06/2019 at 09:00 »
At certain times of the year nearly every cast hooks a parr. After that very few.
Was talking to a friend about goosanders. If only 5 % of the smolts are said to be returning in place of 20-25% a number of years ago. We have about 70 goosanders at present. Having watched one take 5 parr in a few seconds only a few feet from were we were sitting. That means 350 parr per day or about 2,500 per week. That would mean that they have stopped well over a 100 fish per week returning to the river.
Bob.

Richard Bates

Re: Salmon parr
« Reply #2 on: 20/06/2019 at 12:31 »
Those goosanders are a menace and their numbers seem to be increasing.
It's unusual to see so many large parr in this burn so late in the year. They usually go downstream  before reaching 5-7 inches.  We would see smaller parr all year round and smolts run to sea in the spring. Maybe wee had a more successful  salmon run  the previous couple of years.
The whole river system has been catch and release for a few years now and  some gravel enhancement done. Hopefully this is sign of recovery.
Richard

 




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