Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Stevie Rennie

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #135 on: 20/09/2021 at 01:24 »
Quality close ups of the flies there and well done on the twa crackers  :z16

Interesting to read of you encountering smolts too and surprised that one of your big un’s had spawned already. Would you say that was uncommon & early?

It raises a few questions for me as I’d always assumed they spawn in late october & november.

Anyway here’s hoping for an excellent last two weeks  :z18

Sandy Nelson

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #136 on: 20/09/2021 at 10:30 »
Hi Stevie

We have found over the last few years there are two distinct spawning patterns for the Don fish. The bigger ones seem to run up the river in august and have been seen spawning in mid august to early September, they then drop back and feed voraciously until the end of October, these are the ones you tend to get at the end of September and the ones the salmon guys pick up in October.  I have a theory that the seatrout run in July triggers this. These fish are also why we get good conditioned fish from March onwards.
There is another run to spawn in November and these fish are the ones who are in poor condition in March as they didn’t get to feed well after spawning. they feed hard in the spring and are generally the smaller fish.
The same behaviour has been registered on the Deveron too. :z18

Sandy

Stevie Rennie

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #137 on: 20/09/2021 at 15:06 »
Fascinating and insightful stuff as always Sandy   :z14

Every aspect of that makes perfect sense when broken down like that.

Now just to encounter one of these big voracious feeders  *smiley-wink*




Mike Barrio

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #138 on: 25/09/2021 at 11:36 »
A wee bit of colour in the river yesterday morning, but by the afternoon it was like a chalkstream again, the water clarity has been amazing this year  :)

Noel Kelly

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #139 on: 26/09/2021 at 09:55 »
Hi Stevie

We have found over the last few years there are two distinct spawning patterns for the Don fish. The bigger ones seem to run up the river in august and have been seen spawning in mid august to early September, they then drop back and feed voraciously until the end of October, these are the ones you tend to get at the end of September and the ones the salmon guys pick up in October.  I have a theory that the seatrout run in July triggers this. These fish are also why we get good conditioned fish from March onwards.
There is another run to spawn in November and these fish are the ones who are in poor condition in March as they didn’t get to feed well after spawning. they feed hard in the spring and are generally the smaller fish.
The same behaviour has been registered on the Deveron too. :z18

Sandy

Great post Sandy 👍

Mike Barrio

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #140 on: 27/09/2021 at 12:29 »
OK ..... who did the rain dance?  *smiley-grin*

Steven Kidd

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #141 on: 27/09/2021 at 12:48 »
This bodes well for the weekend......that's if its stops after today,  *smiley-lol* :X1

Looks like a lot of rain this week, shall wait and see.

Steven


Iain Cameron

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #142 on: 28/09/2021 at 13:14 »
OK ..... who did the rain dance?  *smiley-grin*

dunno, but they didn't hold back

Hamish Young

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #143 on: 28/09/2021 at 20:58 »
I have big feet, what can I say  *smiley-yippee*

Eddie Sinclair

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #144 on: 28/09/2021 at 22:59 »
H,

Where were your big feet and the rain dance at Balmakewan?

Eddie

Stevie Rennie

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #145 on: 01/10/2021 at 23:33 »
Looks like the last few trout days might be a write off, with higher water, heavy wind and absolutely baltic.

Not fully disappointed though as my last trout outing saw 3 casts and a nice fish around 2lb and to my surprise another gudgeon  :z8  this time taken in backwards by my nephew  :X1





Chasing silver the last few days and likely here on in but wish I’d had the trout rod as there was plenty fly life and visible risers wed/thurs in the last hour.

Here’s the closest thing I got to a salmon today  :X2



Sandy Nelson

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #146 on: 03/10/2021 at 16:13 »
Nice Fish Stevie :z16

I had a few fish this week , but only one needed the net and he wasn’t huge.

Mostly these guys on dries and nymphs



Last of the season on the dry yesterday afternoon



This morning I expected to be washed out, but the sun was shining so I had to go visit a few favourite spots before I hang up the trout rod.





So I plinked around with a nymph and had some good sport.



Spent a lot time staring at the water and rather enjoying it



Just 163 days to go  :X1 you never know I might even go and have a deliberate attempt for a tourist  :X2

Sandy

Mike Barrio

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #147 on: 03/10/2021 at 16:16 »
Great stuff Sandy .... nice pics  >)

Steven Kidd

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #148 on: 05/10/2021 at 20:36 »
Sandy,

Lovely shots, :-), not long to wait.....

I think I'll head out Saturday and have a cast for the tourists as well, probably Inverurie as I notice Kintore and Kemnay not on Fishpal in October,  :z8

Steven

Stevie Rennie

Re: River Don 2021
« Reply #149 on: 05/10/2021 at 22:37 »
Nice pics Sandy :z16

Similar reflective thoughts being had by me on the river bank.



I was hoping for one last day at the trout but content with the previous 2lb’er opted to try my luck at a salmon.

Now this will likely be a tad controversial and I considered not posting this here but I reckon you guys will be able to look past the method/madness and appreciate the beauty of a don specimen in striking colours.

Being useless with a double hander and in mental wind conditions, I was spinning using a tasmanian devil with a single black zulu fly trailing an inch behind.
So technically fly fishing but not as we know it :X1



Up a steep bank, I cast upstream of a known rock and swung into the path of this beauty.



I initially thought it was a coloured grilse as it splashed then bombed for weed cover, I then had to slide bear gryll’s style down the bank into a seriously precarious position to net it, sinking into silty mud.

It was surprisingly lightly hooked, kept submerged, photo’d quick and released back strong to fulfill its destiny.



The photo’s don’t do it justice at all as I was elevated and wary of both sinking further and dropping my phone but could gauge it around 22/24” with the rim of my gye net.

Delighted to have encountered a fine don trout in its fully dolled up and ready for action jacket.

Next post will hopefully be of my first double hand rod caught salmon, perhaps on a black zulu  *smiley-wink*



 




Barrio Fly Lines - designed in Scotland - Cast with confidence all over the world

Barrio Fly Lines

Designed in Scotland

Manufactured in the UK

Cast with confidence all over the world

www.flylineshop.com