2 Salmon in two days!!!

[johnmac]

...... although i only netted them! I went down to the Ericht on Tuesday nght after work... the river had dropped back and there were fish everywhere!! I saw dozens of fish... but the river, although clearing, was to high to wade and almost all the pools were to fast to fly fish....... but just as i came to the end of a pool barely a foot from the edge i had to make a dive for the bank for fear of getting dunked. Scrambling up the bank i heard a shout and scream.... 50yd's down a guy had his rod bent, so i helped him out by netting it. A lovely fish about 7 or 8lb with sea lice, taken on a wooden devon on his third cast after he'd tried the fly all day without success...... the swine!! haha

Then after work tonight i decided to go down again... the water having dropped slightly..... and im ashamed to say i took a spinning rod and my fly rod ;D, just incase the river was too high.... met a couple of guys i knew as i walked down as i was apporaching the second guy his spinning rod bent double...... he played the fish for 15mins on a tobby.... and when it came to the surface it looked like my net wasn't going to be up to the job!! It was a whopper!

Once landed and despatched, it had sea-lice and was probably a good 14lb... maybe more! What a fish!! several fish were seen over the next couple of hours and a few were lost( not by me i must add!!).... i have to admit i even spinned one pool for 10mins!! tut tut tut but it was just in desperation!! I promise not to do it again! I want my first Salmon to be on the fly!!

Anyway, still no fish... but landed two!! maybe i should have knocked them off so i had a better chance?? One day i will get lucky! Thursday is looking like a very good day out! Might be the best £20 you will spend? but im working at night... so Friday night and Saturday all day will be my best hope! Time will tell..... mind you i hear there is more rain to come!

[iainjay]

Johnmac

Stick to the fly-rod,you know it'll be worth it!!

Tight lines

[johnmac]

I know i know!! my heart says fly but my head says get the spinner out for the first one... then move to the fly!! Im going ti stick with the fly..... i want the first Salmon i catch to be on a fly..... otherwise it will be a cop-out..... thats my thoughts anyway! the guy who had the 14odd pounder tonight got 54 Salmon off the Ericht last year.... 50 of them on the fly and his mate had 22, all to the fly! He watched me casting and covering the water for twenty minutes and said i was doing it fine..... only problem was that i was fishing a double but he suggested one of my small copper tubes would be better as i was fishing with a IG floater and a 5ft fat sink tip?? the water was quite fast..... was he right?? i tried a small tube on Tuesday but took it off 'cos my casting was awful!! He suggested fishing with a 20lb leader insted of a 12lb would improve my cast?? I will give it a go!

[johnmac]

thanks for the info springer! Im going to try my best with the fly and if nothing is doing then the spinner is always an option!

[kercock]

The one thing I did'nt think to mention was the leader part John ! I'm sure I mentioned abount Grant using the copper tube a lot in the spring and pal Jim who only uses a floating line,mostly with a copper tube. You are getting closer though John,keep plugging away with the fly rod,forget the spinner, you WILL get your target.

[johnmac]

im going out for the day first thing on Saturday.... but im gonna take the fly rod and the spinner!! I'll stick mostly to the fly rod though?!?!? well maybe?

[gavan]

don't forget the camera john, just in case,,,,,
;D ;D gavan............

[johnmac]

i''l have the camera! but i wont hold my breath!! I just met a guy i know in Tesco's tonight...... he got his first Salmon off the river late last night... followed by his second at half past six this morning..... not bad at all! River looks in good nic aswell! Hope to get down there before 8am... early bird and all that!

[johnmac]

i'll be fly fishing all day... with a bit of luck... i've just checked the levels and its up 5inches since this morning... and unfortunately its belting it down outside?!? bugger! If it doesnt steady out or drop then i'll have to spin...... its 1ft 10inches above Summer level..... anything over 2ft i find too big to wade and too fast to fly fish! so we'll see what happens? Spinners it may be?

[johnmac]

gave it three hours this morning... water is 2ft 3inches above Summer level and rising..... to fast to fly fish really.... but i gave it a try...... to fast to wade aswell...... i gave the devon minnow a good go.... but no luck and no sign of fish either...... might give it another go tonight if it looks like its starting to drop back..... failing that Monday night!

[fenton]

I am interested in the comments regarding tippet breaking strains.

Personally I rarely go above 15 lb even on big rivers.
Although salmon will not be line shy in the coloured waters talked about above, does 20 or 25lb b/s line really help casting??

If not then should we not stick to lighter, 'more sporting' breaking strains? (12-15lb).

I'm not taking the moral high ground, but am genuinely interested in your thoughts.

cheers
Fenton

[exerod]

fenton said:

...does 20 or 25lb b/s line really help casting??

Yes with big tubes, also less chance of a "crack off" if you miss time the cast.

fenton said:

If not then should we not stick to lighter, more sporting breaking strains? (12-15lb).

Whats more sporting about lighter lines in heavy water? A better chance of a break, prolonged playing times? (hope I havn't just taken the high ground )

Tight lines

Andy

[tyneandrew]

A thicker diameter of nylon certainly assists tuning a heavier weight over i.e. a brass tube, as does a shorter cast of say 3 to 4 ft.

In terms of being sporting, i'd say it is more sporting to use stronger nylon as it allows the angler to play fish harder with reduced odds of being snapped off and leaving a hook in the fish.

This happened to me whilst spinning many years ago and it still haunts me to this day.

Personally i keep the nylon on the strong side, i don't want to leave a hook in a fish ever again.