After a great week on the don before the extra low levels and high water temperatures returned, I’d officially hung up the rod the last few weeks until the rains arrive but my nephew expressed an interest in getting out, so decided the Ythan estuary was overdue a visit.
Headed along initially with him and my brother and we spun the high tide and I fly fished the drop.
The water was murky and a strong westerly made things difficult but a nice fish early for my nephew on a toby and once the conditions improved a real scrapper for me on a white ythan terror. It went airborne then took me straight to my backing which was a surprise given its size but pound for pound these ythan seatrout fairly go some.
Second outing yesterday alone and I tried the south bank as the tide was low which resulted in plenty early action with the finnock liking the fast retrieved terror but the wind was turning against me, so headed upstream and encountered a few more in more sheltered conditions.
Then a quick decision to head over to the north bank and downstream where I discovered the wind had dropped completely and the incoming tide speed was working my fly nicely.
A few more feisty finnock kept things interesting with the occasional bigger fish showing and as the high tide was nearing, I set up the light spinning rod with a toby.
Several casts in and I connected with a beauty that gave me a serious run for my money and with a very interested seal spectating nearby, I finally got it to the net and released safely away from the seal, which dived and bow waved after it but thankfully came up shortly after empty mouthed.
There was a small lull in the action with the seal present but it soon headed off and things picked up again and I surprisingly got another cracker.
A fantastic action packed session which could only have been bettered if one of the big un’s was on the fly but at high tide I’ve learned it can mean you’re pushed to reach the better fish or it gets too murky and lends itself better to spinning.
Once again the Ythan has sufficiently fulfilled my seatrout desires
