New to Salmon fishing

[johnmac]

Just a quick hello to everyone on the forum! and an introduction.....My name is John and i live near Blairgowrie in Perthshire. I have a season ticket on roughly 3 miles of the River Ericht which flows through Blairgowrie.

The river has a good run of Salmon (about 15,000 a year i think?)a fair few Brownies (some very big!) and the odd Sea Trout as well. I hear that there are even the odd Graying, although i have not heard of anyone catching one (urban myth perhaps??)

Anyway, i have been fly fishing for Trout, for near twelve years and have been a member of the river for about four seasons? I have made a few half hearted attempts to catch a Salmon.. but have failed miserably!

Im just looking for some advice as to techniques and equipment that i should be using... also has anyone on the site fished this river?? I have just purchased a Daiwa Whisker 12ft salmon fly rod rated 9/10 as ive found my 9ft 6" and 10ft rods just a little too small when the rivers up a little!!

A few of the regulars that i've spoken to swear by 12 and 13ft rods most of the year even though its quite a small river..... simply because they say it goves them a bit more control??? others may disagree?? but at least i will look more like the part!!

Anyway, feel free to throw me some help! Thanks all, John.

[johnmac]

thanks for the info! i shall be getting a few bits of kit over the next few days to a week! so keep the advice coming! Im itching to get out! casting a double hander will be a bit strange! we'll see how i do! thanks, John.

[Fruin]

Black and yellow flies work well in spring and summer on the Ericht. You won't go wrong in the autumn with flies with all or some of the colours - copper, red, black and orange.

Try to find another local rod that is willing to spend some time showing you the basics. If they are all holding their secrets in their waders, then watch the consistently good fly fishers when they fish the river in all conditions.

If they seem to concentrate more on particular spots, it will be because they are spots in the river known to hold salmon under those conditions.

Try to figure out what tactics they are using for each pool in different water heights(ie. floating or sinking lines, swinging the fly or retrieving the fly, what angle in relation to the current are they casting at).

You could tie yourself in knots watching them all, but it's all part of the fun!!!

[johnmac]

thanks for the info Fruin! I'll take it all on board and put it all to good use! keep 'em coming! John.

[johnmac]

I am devastated to repot that my Salmon season has got off to a non-starter! My brand new rod which i had bought ( A Daiwa Whisker 12ft) from e-bay arrived today. It was brand new and came in a sturdy rod-tube...... never the less Royal mail have managed to break each of the three sections in the same place whilst it was in transit! I am gutted! and was fuming when i found out!

The buyer has a 100% feedback for 150+ sales si i dont think he could have sold me a broken rod! Anyway...... it looks like it will be a fight to get the money back from Royal mail. The rod was sent "Special delivery next day" and i think that means its covered?? but we will have to wait and see! and until i get the cash i cant get another! I have e-mailed the seller and sent a complaint to Royal Mail..... but no reply as yet! I am devastated!!! How on earth they managed it i dont know... i think they would have had to run it over in a car to damage it as the rod tube is solid! the B@st@rds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

so a delayed start to the season! £100 down and i've had to cancel my bids on the fly lines i had lined up to buy because im not sure i'll be able to get the same rod and rating!! Anyone else had a broken rod delivered?? or had to claim cash from Royal Mail?? how long does it take?

[redshrimp]

Was the tube damaged at the same place as the rod was damaged?

[turrifftackle]

If the tube is more than 1.5m in length you better tell a small white one and state that it is not.
You can not send a roll or a tube over 1.5m but you can put the tube in a box of some sort up to a crazy length.
(some offices will take your tube and money- despite the rules)
They always bend a tube with a forklift if it is over 1.5m and bang goes your rods.

Always make sure if you send or buy it meets the royal mail requirements or get it shipped and insured by another company- twice the price but saves a heartache.

Frank

[johnmac]

yes redshrimp! the tube is slightly dented in the same place as the rod is damaged... all three sections are shattered at the same point on the rod..... roughly half way up the length of the tube..... i measured the tube and its 1m 43cm! so i fit the maximum size... just! it gets worse still...... not only was The Royal Mail fined £11.4million today for damaged and lost goods.... but the brown paper that was wrapped round the tube...on further inspection..... has a feint tyre tread going over it!!!! b@st@rds!!!! and yes it matches up with the damage to the tube and to the rod!...whats more..... the tyre mark goes over the 1st class postage sticker that was put on at the post office...meaning that it happened whilst it was in their care! swines!! Surely an open and shut case?? well you'd think so?

[munro]

johnmac- I think you're right - sounds pretty conclusive that the Post Office is responsible. I would hang onto the wrappings etc. until the claim is settled. So happens I sent something special delivery yesterday. The receipt states " You can claim compensation of up to £500 for lost or damaged items". Of course the sellers has the contract with the Post Office so he is the one who will have to claim I would think and then settle with you.

[johnmac]

thanks for the info munro! much appreciated! will hopefully hear from him tomorrow!

[robmason]

The seller should be prompted to declare the commercial value of the goods. I think their standard insurance is up to £150 so you should be ok, unless of course it takes ages and ages to process a claim!

By the way,
I have the very same rod going spare. If you wish to borrow it then we could organise a courier!!

[ceilidh]

As Munro says, the Royal Mail will only deal with the sender of the package, so it will be up to the seller to make the claim, upon your behalf. He may be able to claim for the full new cost to him when he bought it, if this is still within the maximum limit.
Although this model of rod is no longer in production they were very popular and do come up on Ebay quite frequently. If you are unfamiliar with using a double hander an hour or two with an instructor would be a good investment, however, Simon Gawesworth's video 'International Spey Casting' is also very helpful.

[johnmac]

thanks for the information guys! and thanks for the kind offer Robmason! i may well take you up on it! or would offer you money to buy it if you were interested? let me know! Im still waiting on a reply from the seller.... i dont think he logs onto the net much. I have sent the Royal Mail an online complaint and a complaint to both postwatch and to postcomm, the later of which just fined Royal Mail £11.4million yesterday for theft and damage of postal goods! if only i'd known that i'd have used another courier!

Basically all i can do is wait for the minute until my seller gets back in touch with me.... i only have 14days from receiving the damaged goods to complain.... and as you mentioned its him that has to do the claim! hopefully he will be understanding about it?!? time will tell and i'll keep you all posted! thanks for the info folks! John.

[johnmac]

glad to say that my seller has been in touch and will claim from the post office on Monday...so hopeully all will be resolved, Ive told him to claim £148... as that was the cost of the rod new and the tube, i've told him to give me my £90 and keep the rest! Hope it dont take too long...cos i cant buy a new rod until i've got the cash! so hopefully no rain until i get it! keep those salmon in the sea for now!

[robmason]

Mine is the Mark II WF98 (aluminum reel seat). The line rating is 7-9. I've been fishing it with a 8/9 snowbee 2D floating line which is a good match, but as your only rod you may wish for something "sturdier". If I was you I would go for the Shakespeare Oracle IV. The 12ft rod (#9/10) comes in at under £64 on the John Norris Website and you'll have change for the best part of a new fly line or reel out of the £90.

[munro]

johnmac - I would agree with Robmason. The Oracle is a great rod for the money - the 15' version got 10 out of ten for value for money in last Aprils Trout and Salmon review and was "best overall" of all the rods tested.
The 12' is great value at £64. See if anybody you know has one and try it out.

[clydebuilt]

johnmac,

Just a quick one about the Oracle IV, i normally use a 16' Norway for most of my salmon fishing but i tried my mate's 13' 10/11 4-Piece Oracle IV and i can honestly say i was very impressed.
Plenty of rod for your money and change over for a decent line too!!
It worked well with my 10/11 Ian Gordon 65' floater through it and it is highly portable and very good value.
I will be getting one soon for some smaller river/summer level work this year.
Hope it all works out for you re: the royal mail nightmare too.
Im sure your season can only get better!!

Clydebuilt

[johnmac]

Thanks for all the info guys! I hadnt even heard of the Oracle rod! but i shall give it a look! I got the catalogue for the Glasgow angling centre but had completely forgotten about John Norris... i have used them in the past and had great service!

I will go and take a look at their web-site! the question is do i go for the 12ft #9/10 or the 13ft #10/11 Oracle???

Any ideas?? I will only be fishing the River Ericht in Blairgowrie which is quite a small spate river. Which would you guys recommend?>? Would one weight of line be better than another?? I will mostly only fish floating lines/sink tip or intermediate?? with small'ish flies 10/12??

Thanks for your guys! great information! John.

[robmason]

If you take to salmon fishing you can bet that you wont stop at 12 and 13 ft rods. There is 14, 15 and 16 and not forgetting half sizes too!

In other words what you get now will not suit all of your future exploits. I would stick with the 12, but then again you cannot doubt Graham's logic!

[johnmac]

thanks guys! I've had a look at the John Norris web-site and im waiting on him e-mailing me back tomorrow! then hopefully i'll set myself up! thanks for all the advice folks