Altries and Lower Drum

[Sloggi]

Against my better judgement, I'm going to fish this beat with a friend in February. My friend thinks we'll be ok and I think we'll be going for each Saturday.

Anyone fished this beat and willing to offer any advice other than try a mile or two further upstream

[say]

Sloggi,

I haven't fished this beat to date, although I've had a good walk along the Tilbouries beat (opposite the Drum beat) and the best pool, Lawsons, which was decribed to me as the longest pool on the Dee at over 300 yards would seem the best bet.

The main problem is that it's typical lower dee, big, wide with no real barriers for stopping the fish, and excels at the back end.

As you are now an ADAA member I would save your cash and fish the Don. Alternatively use the money you would spend on the 4 Saturdays and fish a better beat further up river on on a different river altogether.

[toucan]

Lawsons is on Middle Drum, the beat above Altries & Lower Drum.

Altries is actually quite an interesting piece of water with a couple of deep holes as well as the more typical lower Dee pools. I fished the beat in early March with friends for ten years or so and we had some success in most of the pools.

Most of it fishes well with a wet cel II line, but you'll need something like a Teeny line to get the best out of Lower Altries and the Hut Pool. Some of the pools fish well from the bank (Donal Garth from the North and Hut Pool from the South) whereas others (e.g. Alfred's Pot and Hotel Pool) need wading. The wading is straightforward.

Even if you don't find a springer, I am sure you'll enjoy the beat and have some sport with kelts.

[Sloggi]

Thanks Toucan - what did you mean by a Teeny line for some of the pools? Hopefully I'll find a springer... What flies did you use during your time fishing there and what sizes?

[toucan]

Flies were mostly 2 inch willie gunn, black & yellow, black & orange tubes. Standard early season stuff really.

The Teeny line is a very fast sinking line that is useful for fishing deep lies in cold water conditions. The name comes from Jim Teeny who devised the lines for steelhead and salmon fishing in North America.

Hope this helps,

Mark

[betanut]

Sloggi - Somers used to have the Teeny lines, not sure if they do now as spey 'tips' lines superseded the early Teeny models. Essentially the teeny tip lines or T lines all have a sink tip and the ones best known in the UK are probably the ones with a superfast sinking tip like the T475 (475 grain head) which are awesome, he does quite a range of lines.
Have a squint at his website www.jimteeny.com/

[altmor]

Heard a possible rumour over the X-mas hols - either Somers or Sharpes, (can't remember, but know Aberdeen was in the conversation), may have gone into liquidation.

Anyone else heard such ?

[diverdave]

Having just spoken to Colin from Somers I can confirm that all is well in their shop and it has just undergone a significant refurbishment. It is now far brighter with a modern well fitted out feel so I am confident that they well be serving the Northeast for the foreseeable future. Hope Sharpes are ok as well, good gear with a long history in Grampian

dave

[fishyfriend]

I can confirm that Somers is all well. As for Sharpes, not so good im affraid. The factory at Glass has now been closed down, and everything is getting moved down to the Birmingham area.

[Sloggi]

toucan said:

Flies were mostly 2 inch willie gunn, black & yellow, black & orange tubes. Standard early season stuff really.

The Teeny line is a very fast sinking line that is useful for fishing deep lies in cold water conditions. The name comes from Jim Teeny who devised the lines for steelhead and salmon fishing in North America.

Hope this helps,

Mark

Cheers Mark

[Sloggi]

betanut said:

Sloggi - Somers used to have the Teeny lines, not sure if they do now as spey 'tips' lines superseded the early Teeny models. Essentially the teeny tip lines or T lines all have a sink tip and the ones best known in the UK are probably the ones with a superfast sinking tip like the T475 (475 grain head) which are awesome, he does quite a range of lines.
Have a squint at his website www.jimteeny.com/

Cheers Hamish

[betanut]

fishyfriend said:

I can confirm that Somers is all well. As for Sharpes, not so good im affraid. The factory at Glass has now been closed down, and everything is getting moved down to the Birmingham area.

A great shame indeed