[Stevie Rennie]

A bumper day Duncan 

I must’ve missed the run, as I couldn’t find a grilse for love nor money.

Saw a seal was at parkhill on Saturday morning in hot pursuit.

[Duncan McRae]

No sign of any Grilse this evening only this big red fellow.
At 37" long i reckon he must have been around 18lb when he first entered the river.



Hopefully,he will reach the spawning grounds without any more interruptions.

Duncan

[Ivor Duffus]

Cracking fish Duncan 👍

[James Laraway]

great photos Duncan  .

How do you know it was a coloured up sea trout and not a brown trout ????

[Duncan McRae]

Good question James.
I don't think it's possible to be entirely sure of the identification when a seatrout really colours up.

It's more of a hunch on my part based on colouration and shape of the fish,where it was taken and the nature of the fight.

The picture I posted doesn't really show the true colouration of the fish.I think the flash must have come on.
The fish had a red look about it and had black looking lower Gill cases and under belly similar to that seen on a well coloured salmon.I don't think I've seen that colouration on a late Brown trout.

I took the fish from a spot that I've taken seatrout several times in the past.

Also,in my opinion,there is a big difference in the fighting qualities of the two species with the seatrout fighting longer and harder than a Brown of the same size.
During the dark summer nights I can often tell if I've hooked a seatrout or Brown trout by the fight.

I don't suppose it really matters since both species come from the same stock.

Duncan

[Sandy Nelson]

So between holidays, selling houses, looking for somewhere to live, packing and a seriously low river, I finally had a couple of hours window to get out and have a cast.
Managed to grab my gear and leave the phone and camera in the house. So arrived at the river armed with a 6wt trout rod a 6wt  line and my chest pack.
Coupled up a NZ style nymph rig and managed to wrangle plenty beautiful brownies in the 8-12” range which made it feel good to be alive.
After a while I thought I might try a streamer in the coloured water to see what could be lurking.
So I shortened the leader and tied on a Swim Coach in yellow.  This fly has the most amazing action when you fish it slowly, somewhere between a rapala and a Tasmanian devil, but with far more life. It’s just great fun to watch it swim and twitch the rod tip and make it dance. Anyway I was pissing about as you can see when the small flashes from the fly suddenly grew and became one great big flash. As I mindlessly lifted into it I realised what was happening…. The ensuing scrap was epic and culminated in a coloured but not fully tartan cock fish of 34” complete with kype and attitude. It didn’t hang around long and swam off strongly. Sod’s law that this happened when I had no photo gear with me but it was huge fun and probably wraps up my season unless I can sneak in a couple of days after the house move.
I seem to have far more success with salmon on streamers than I do with the big browns especially when I’m making them dance about
 

Sandy

[Duncan McRae]

Well done Sandy
That must have been some scrap on the trout rod.

Duncan

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff Sandy 

Where are your pals when you need them 

[Stevie Rennie]

Well done gents   

I finally managed what might have been Duncan & Sandy’s fishes little nephew today  a 6lb kyped grilse alas on a taz d but appreciated just the same.

Thought I’d mention there was a few visible runners that should be arriving up your way shortly 👍

[Duncan McRae]

Well done Stevie.Seems to be a few fish in the river now.

Back amongst the grilse again.
The second one a miniature Salmon of about 2.5lb!





Duncan

[Stevie Rennie]

Well done again Duncan, you’re fairly working some magic with that wand of yours 

[Steven Kidd]

Planned today as my last day on the river, and it was right cold.....water and air temp, home with the log fire on now.

Anyway, great to be on the water, fished wee Clyde styles and picked up a good few wee trout, beautiful colours this time of year. 

I was heading for home and walking back to the car when I  seen a fair rise and alot of water moved, so naturally I had to have one last cast.    Hey presto, a wee size 14 blae and hares lug and battle ensued with what at first i thought was a seatrout, but behold!!....nice brownie around 3lb.





Now home with a great season on the river complete for another year.

Steven

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff Steven 

[Stevie Rennie]

A bonnie fish to end on Steven