Running Fish

[Bogyoch]

I was fishing Turtory on the Deveron last week and despite blanking, there was a run of fish that went through just before lunch. I had two pulls, and the chap fishing behind me also had a couple of fish on-and-off, and one or two fish showed as well. This all happened in the space of a couple of minutes and it then all went quiet.

The question is: how many fish could there have been in the pod? My fellow fisher said 20 to 30 could have gone through, but I ask whether that number would stay in such a tight shoal that far up the river (about 25 miles).

Any thoughts?

[tweedcast]

I'd say half that - 15 fish or so when they are running hard, just a gueass and I think it varies a lot.

Was fishng Bridge of Marnoch Monday and blanked.

Malcolm

[tyneandrew]

I once fished 4 miles from the tide on a river for over an hour and had not seen a single fish, then in 10mins i saw 25+ fish show, caught a 15lb'er and then seen nothing again for several hours. This was one of the most extreme things i've witnessed fishing, and i am sure it was a tight pod of fish traveling together. Perhaps 50+ fish. This water is not holding water at all.

Maybe what you witnessed was a number of fish already settled in the pool that had been 'effected' by something. Perhaps a new fish had run into the pool and unsettled them causing the fish to become active for a few moments. Or a slight change in climatic conditions or just some kind of change that has livened them up a bit???

[robmason]

I once fished Tweedhill (very bottom Tweed) in October on a rising tide, very low water above the tide. Thousands of 'em! Didn't touch a thing.

A June day near Coldstream, again low water, no takers until 2 running fish make their presence felt, then BAM! After that, quiet again.

[Bogyoch]

Tweedcast: look at "speed of fly" in Rookies Corner.....I made a comment on Marnoch!!

[sagecaster]

Salmon and especially grilse appear to be gregarious when actively running, ie they prefer to run in shoals or pods and it sounds like the Turtory on the Deveron fish were running as a shoal of maybe as little as six or eight fish.

However just as a point of interest, I fish the middle Findhorn regularly and when the river settles a week or so after a spate in Summer, you can watch odd single fish moving pools, going both up and going down river. These fish are quite often takers, but I've never seen them moving around en masse like this, only as individuals.

In these circumstances the uninitiated maybe misled into thinking that the fish are "running", however I believe the aren't, they are just frustrated residents who move up and down a few pools awaiting the next rise in water to start running en masse again.

[macd]

Last summer I took a pal for his first go at the salmon. It was too hot; too bright and the water was too low.

But we finished the day on 5- taking four in an hour. They were all liced and if were sneaking through the beat. Like sagecaster states the salmon and grilse were gregarious, despite the conditions; it was simply our good fortune to find them.



R

[tyneandrew]

I bet he always pulling your arm to go our fishing now ;D