Craigellachie Beat River Spey

[webbie]

Hi all, any of you guys fished this beat ? I have 2 days booked early april am looking for any info. Am i in with a chance for my first Spey springer. Lines to take, flies etc.

Many Thanks.

[williegunn]

Yes cracking beat, two good gillies Peter and Hamish. Peter's dog Jake knows his stuff just ask him "are there any fish?"
Best pools upper beat Broom Isle, hot spot is when the water fall opens up.
Lower beat Slabs and Boat pool.
Right hand bank so be prepared to practice your left hand up speycasting and slightly over rodded but I've had fish there in April.

[webbie]

Thanks for the info guys, will give feedback on fishing.
Really looking forward to it first time on the Spey.

[salmonking]

Right hand bank so be prepared to practice your left hand up speycasting quote]

Not if you double spey Malcom ;D

[ceilidh]

salmonking said:

Right hand bank so be prepared to practice your left hand up speycasting quote]

Not if you double spey Malcom ;D

Providing you have a downstream windjavascript:add("%20;D")
Grin

[williegunn]

salmonking said:

Not if you double spey Malcom ;D

But those of us who have fished the "Craig" for a number of years know that in order to catch fish in the Tunnel you must be able to lefthand up single. The Garden Pool also fishes better with a single spey.

A double can be so restrictive.

[salmonking]

In what respect Malcom....i'm thinking the amount of water you can cover,ie..distance,im not that competent left hand up single spey,but can double spey of the left fairly well?

[williegunn]

salmonking said:

In what respect Malcom....i'm thinking the amount of water you can cover,ie..distance,im not that competent left hand up single spey,but can double spey of the left fairly well?

When fishing both the Tunnel and the Garden pool you cannot wade as the water is too deep. When you bring the loop downstream prior to casting the "D" has a habit of catching the bank (particually with the Tunnel Pool where the bank is extremely steep, more of a cliff). With the single spey you can place the anchor 2 or more rod lengths out keeping it away from the bank.

[acw]

springer said:

I think the importance of being able to cast with your weaker hand up cannot be underestimated.

I fished the same Association water for years and mainly it was left hand bank. So unless you had a bad downstream wind you could get away with a single. The only bit of right bank was also easy with a double, I then improved that with the snake. If the wind was really bad I would go home as I live near the river and regular access is easy for me so my thought process was why struggle in hard times when I don't have to.

Only over the last few years have I started to pay for private fishing and travel distances for it, it was then so obvious how limited I was. It has been a major part of my fishing routine now to go fish places on my club water that are difficult to fish. This has actually been a real bonus in many ways

1. I find I get much more empty water to myself

2. My technique from my left hand up has improved out of sight

3. Ive caught from places people don't know about or wouldn't
think of trying as its to hard to get a line out.

My right hand up is still by far my best side but I feel now that I can fish anywhere, even if some places its not as pretty as others

For those of us who are unable to swap hands on a double hander ,In my case single handed .The reversed single and double speys do the trick ,having had a day on Craigalliche last season I found no problem casting on the pools I fished .
Main problem that day was the snow buiding my wading boots into stack sole shoes that a glam rocker would have loved ;D

[jock]

acw said:

[For those of us who are unable to swap hands on a double hander ,In my case single handed .The reversed single and double speys do the trick ,having had a day on Craigalliche last season I found no problem

I would not recommend the reversed spey cast if one wears glasses.....the forward stroke can knock them off. I can vouch for this. As they got carried away in the current, never to be seen again I thought, this is going to make the drive home a bit tricky.

[ceilidh]

Jock, I can second that ;D In fact it should be standard advice from all instructors not merely that eye protection is essential, but also a retaining cord for the glasses.

The ability to cast from either shoulder adds enormously to one's enjoyment. For those learning to fish with the weaker hand uppermost it sometimes helps to adjust their technique to a slightly more underhand style, so that they concentrate more on the function of their lower (preferred)hand.
Alternatively I can recommend learning dinghy sailing, where you have to change your tiller hand on every tack!

[acw]

jock said:

acw said:

[For those of us who are unable to swap hands on a double hander ,In my case single handed .The reversed single and double speys do the trick ,having had a day on Craigalliche last season I found no problem

I would not recommend the reversed spey cast if one wears glasses.....the forward stroke can knock them off. I can vouch for this. As they got carried away in the current, never to be seen again I thought, this is going to make the drive home a bit tricky.

Jock ,
as a wearer of glasses since age 6 I do not have that problem ,however I was taught by the Late Great Hugh Falkus some 20 years ago ,He was rather good !
BTW a Very happy new year to all my friends on this the fruendly board

[elwyman]

I'm fishing Craigellachie 9-11 April for the first time, so I'd like to tap the brains of all you Spey experts before I start tying up some flies - most of my salmon fishing to-date is mid May - October, with flies of size 6 upwards on floaters or sinktips.

From what Speyvalley says, it seems that standard tactics are biggish flies fished fairly deep?

I have an IG intermediate, but would a fast sinktip get down deep enough? (yes Malcom, the dreaded windcutter. ;D)

What size tubes or waddies would you recommend for normal water levels? Is a size 6 Cascade/Allys too small?

[elwyman]

Thanks Graham - I think I already have most of the flies you suggest, but at least I now know what to restock the fly box with!

[tynespeycaster]

Sorry, missed this post over Xmas.

Would agree with all the advice given above, especially by Malcolm and Graham, the local experts!!

Would just add that the Bridge Pool (short but nice) started to fish well last year, the first for many, winter floods may have changed it again however for 2007. And if it is low, Doo's Nest is always interesting, as long as the fly hits the cliff face!!

Left hand single spey is essential to fish the pools properly, yes you can manage double spey with a friendly wind on most of the pools, but each year I end up wishing my left single was better, especially for the Tunnel!!

Ghillies, as has been said, are top class, although Jake like most of us is getting on in years now.

Speyside early spring is absolute magic, you will enjoy no matter what the conditions. We are there w/c 23rd April, sorry we will miss you, but will enjoy reading your exploits in the record book!!

[tynespeycaster]

This is what to expect on Craigellachie in April!!



a sealicer April 2006 from Broom Isle

[tynespeycaster]

And into one on Slabs April 2006




Roll on April 2007!!

[tynespeycaster]

The rewards of the left hand single Spey on Tunnel. The cliff is worse than it looks!!

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[elwyman]

Thanks for the info TS, and some great photos to whet our appetites!

Unless I am reading the water flow wrong, on the last photo of Tunnel it looks like you are on the left bank - I thought the beat was all right bank?

[williegunn]

You are reading the water wrong, proably because of the backwater.