Post by jimthefish on Jun 23, 2007 0:27:11 GMT
Fished Banchory Beat of the Dee for a couple of days this week, usually a banker for a grilse or three at this time of year. They haven't arrived yet!!
Arrived on Tuesday night and at the invitation of the host had a cast after dinner in front of the hotel. Two good if slightly coloured seatrout safely landed and released between 11.30pm and midnight so a good enough start considering they were the first of the week.
On Wednesday morning I was sent up to the Bridge Pool in driving rain and was absolutely delighted to hook, land and return a fish of about 9lbs.
ONE FROM THE BRIDGE
The heavy rain kept up all morning and in the afternoon, fishing from the Hotel side it was fascinating to watch the Feugh suddenly roar into life with 3 feet of dirty water suddenly appearing about 5pm. An early bath perhaps ? The ghillie advised me to have a go after dinner as the water on the Hotel side, opposite and above The Feugh was still running clear. He also reckoned that the dirty water on the Feugh side would push the fish over to the Hotel side which was my allocated beat for the evening.
After a good dinner with plenty of wine, my wife (who was my fishing partner for the day) declined to go out. I offered her rod to the other two anglers sharing the beat. They both declined so off I went getting into the water about 10.15pm. with my trusty singlehander rigged up with 2 flies, a Hairy Wickham on the bob and a size 12 Editor double on the tail. You just know when an evening cast is going to be good..... line lengthened and immediately into a good seatrout which came off at my feet. Back in and no sooner settling into a rythm when a long draw and powerful run told me I was into a salmon. This one was well hooked on the tiny Editor and safely landed and returned after a great fight. About 7lbs but more salmon than grilse shaped.
TRY FOR A SEATROUT AND WHAT DO YOU GET
By this time I had figured this was a special night. Beautifully mild with a ground grey sky and taking fish. This is what we dream about. I stepped back in and first cast, one of my flies was grabbed by an unstoppable force which turned with the current and made a screaming run down diagonally across the pool. About this time one of the guests from the Hotel came down to ask me to join them for a drink to find me charging out the water and running full pelt down the grass bank holding my rod above my head. To our disappointment the fish came off after a hard tussle but it sure was no grilse ! His words were "I guess you wont be joining us for a drink ".
Before stopping at midnight I landed another 2 seatrout and lost another 3. High octane sport heightened by the fact that it was unexpected and in the dark when our hunting instict really comes alive. That night will live with me vividly for a long time and compares with anything Russia has to offer.
Sorry I've gone on a ramble here..... the point of the post is that there appears to be real concern on Deeside about the non appearance of the grilse. Let's hope that they are just late and that there may yet be a bonanza.
Arrived on Tuesday night and at the invitation of the host had a cast after dinner in front of the hotel. Two good if slightly coloured seatrout safely landed and released between 11.30pm and midnight so a good enough start considering they were the first of the week.
On Wednesday morning I was sent up to the Bridge Pool in driving rain and was absolutely delighted to hook, land and return a fish of about 9lbs.
ONE FROM THE BRIDGE
The heavy rain kept up all morning and in the afternoon, fishing from the Hotel side it was fascinating to watch the Feugh suddenly roar into life with 3 feet of dirty water suddenly appearing about 5pm. An early bath perhaps ? The ghillie advised me to have a go after dinner as the water on the Hotel side, opposite and above The Feugh was still running clear. He also reckoned that the dirty water on the Feugh side would push the fish over to the Hotel side which was my allocated beat for the evening.
After a good dinner with plenty of wine, my wife (who was my fishing partner for the day) declined to go out. I offered her rod to the other two anglers sharing the beat. They both declined so off I went getting into the water about 10.15pm. with my trusty singlehander rigged up with 2 flies, a Hairy Wickham on the bob and a size 12 Editor double on the tail. You just know when an evening cast is going to be good..... line lengthened and immediately into a good seatrout which came off at my feet. Back in and no sooner settling into a rythm when a long draw and powerful run told me I was into a salmon. This one was well hooked on the tiny Editor and safely landed and returned after a great fight. About 7lbs but more salmon than grilse shaped.
TRY FOR A SEATROUT AND WHAT DO YOU GET
By this time I had figured this was a special night. Beautifully mild with a ground grey sky and taking fish. This is what we dream about. I stepped back in and first cast, one of my flies was grabbed by an unstoppable force which turned with the current and made a screaming run down diagonally across the pool. About this time one of the guests from the Hotel came down to ask me to join them for a drink to find me charging out the water and running full pelt down the grass bank holding my rod above my head. To our disappointment the fish came off after a hard tussle but it sure was no grilse ! His words were "I guess you wont be joining us for a drink ".
Before stopping at midnight I landed another 2 seatrout and lost another 3. High octane sport heightened by the fact that it was unexpected and in the dark when our hunting instict really comes alive. That night will live with me vividly for a long time and compares with anything Russia has to offer.
Sorry I've gone on a ramble here..... the point of the post is that there appears to be real concern on Deeside about the non appearance of the grilse. Let's hope that they are just late and that there may yet be a bonanza.
