Reading Water

[williegunn]

castlikeaghille said:

Splendid, lucky dug. Even though you are at Birse, which thinks. with its Tweed and Size 6 Jock Scotts, it should be in the MWC, we are in the 21st C and not in DAV. So perhaps, without sharing all trade secrets, you would like to toy with us how you might approach the Irrigation and Lummels as an obvious starter for 10?

Regardez

CLaG

You have lost me I assume you are referring to me? What does "
should be in the MWC, we are in the 21st C and not in DAV." mean?

Irrigation long diagonal cast at the top squarer cast lower down.
Lummels tha same, first with a prawm immitation then refish the pool with a collie dog/ sunray type fly. Wham it out let it come round, salmon fishing is not that difficult.

[castlikeaghille]

williegunn said:

castlikeaghille said:

Splendid, lucky dug. Even though you are at Birse, which thinks. with its Tweed and Size 6 Jock Scotts, it should be in the MWC, we are in the 21st C and not in DAV. So perhaps, without sharing all trade secrets, you would like to toy with us how you might approach the Irrigation and Lummels as an obvious starter for 10?

Regardez

CLaG

You have lost me I assume you are referring to me? What does "
should be in the MWC, we are in the 21st C and not in DAV." mean?

Irrigation long diagonal cast at the top squarer cast lower down.
Lummels tha same, first with a prawm immitation then refish the pool with a collie dog/ sunray type fly. Wham it out let it come round, salmon fishing is not that difficult.

Yeeze is gonna fish Irrgation with its dead water drift like this, and das Colie Dug like that?...Ok, genuinely, u have mae full attention fella..I live and learn, good skill - regardez CLaG

[williegunn]

castlikeaghille said:

Yeeze is gonna fish Irrgation with its dead water drift like this, and das Colie Dug like that?...Ok, genuinely, u have mae full attention fella..I live and learn, good skill - regardez CLaG

Well I await the "How to fish Irrigation" thread with anticipation, please hurry I'm there on Thursday.

[salmonking]

I think we fish to suit the conditions,when conditions are good
salmon fishing is as Malcolm says not that difficult...
fishing becomes harder when conds aren't good especially early on and in summer,but the basics are the same, once the basics are understood mastering the rod is probly the hardest task,all in all being in the right place at the right time and a bit of luck and bobs yer uncle

[macd]

williegunn said:

castlikeaghille said:

Yeeze is gonna fish Irrgation with its dead water drift like this, and das Colie Dug like that?...Ok, genuinely, u have mae full attention fella..I live and learn, good skill - regardez CLaG

Well I await the "How to fish Irrigation" thread with anticipation, please hurry I'm there on Thursday.

i'll referee. will see you on thursday malcolm- armstrong 'party'. i hear the irrigatioin has been double screwed over winter. ie. its not so good

The form book is torn up; the heat is on. Tune in on friday- see how grown men posture....grrr ;D

tight lines

R

[williegunn]

Looking forward to meeting you Ross. should that not read the Armstrong PARTY?

[macd]

greenbanks said:

You know CLaG there is nothing to beat all our perceived knowledge in catching Salmo.Have ben pondering the Pro's and Cons today in the battle cruiser about the behaviour of Salmo and how to get them. I put a lad on to one yesterday and was delighted to see the rod bend into one after a couple of casts covering a good taking spot,even though the rod did not want to go to the casting spot without a bit of encouragement. The day was damned frustrating for the rods as there were seemingly a good run of fish on the go that would not take a fly which was the same as Thursday and Friday.Now MacD who posts on the forum fished yesterday and gave it his best and only got a kelt as did Stuart the day before.They tried all levels and all sizes inc droppers and collies etc you name it and they had a swim.Not a blooming touch and that what makes our sport so brilliant,the fact you are seeing loads and still cant touch a fish.Didnt matter how you read the water,the fish were louping all over the shop and experienced fishers were all gasping in amazement as they couldnt get a touch.You name it it was tried so we go into April and hope the run moves onwards and upwards and some fish settle.I predict a good week for Dee rods this week as there are a lot of new fish in the system.

but you didnt see the 25 i got on the 'stick of jelly fly' after you left. ;D

great day though. had a good laugh, but 1 kelt aside, it didnt go my way. always felt in with a chance- but i love groundless optimism....

R

[macd]

williegunn said:

Looking forward to meeting you Ross. should that not read the Armstrong PARTY?

We can study lummels- science demands it

You are spot on about the armstrong PARTY- definately upper case men ;D

R

[castlikeaghille]

macd said:

williegunn said:

Well I await the "How to fish Irrigation" thread with anticipation, please hurry I'm there on Thursday.

i'll referee. will see you on thursday malcolm- armstrong 'party'. i hear the irrigatioin has been double screwed over winter. ie. its not so good

The form book is torn up; the heat is on. Tune in on friday- see how grown men posture....grrr ;D

tight lines

R

OK Rosco Peco Train and Willie Gum - as it is currently showing 1' 4" at Woodend the Irrigation will fish from the head down to the tail of the Island (might be a little early for that).

It's currently about a foot too low for the best of it (not sure what the weather Gods are due to bring us). However, if you know how to upstream/downstream mend you can fish a conventional flee from the end of the Island down the wall. As it is guie deep in there I'd lob in a teeny line - maybe with a buoyant shrimp "fly". I guess you hae a good stock o' these in the Malt Whiskey Canyon From half way down to about thirty yards below the wall you can Collie it, but it will be a struggle without the shooting head.

Irrigation is really a high water pool. There is equally good water above and bellow the Irrigation - Lummels axis that is all that ever seems to get fished at Birse. WG as a master reader of THE water ye'll nae need me to telt ye where it is, will ye

Splash was trying to fall in there last week - any update from the rodmeister?

Later Birse type desperadoes

CLaG

[macd]

rosco peco train?

hey min, you might cast like a ghillie but you write like a fanny.

no offence or anything fella

[exerod]

Dear CleverCLaGs,

So after weeks of ballyhoo and look how good we all are your initial post in the series ‘How to do it by the gang’ says look at the river and think about what you are doing. Ground breaking stuff indeed!

You have redeemed yourself ever so slightly by giving a written description of how to fish the desalination pool on the Don. However as I’ve never seen this pool (and I expect this is true of most visitors to the forum) it is of no use to me. Maybe a diagram of a pool (real or theoretical) with ideas on how to fish it would make the thread of more use in putting your ideas over to the rest of us

Please take this as constructive criticism and I look forward to learning from the rest of the series.

Andy (or should that be Andy Pandy :

[macd]

sinkingtip said:

A huge subject gentlemen and the ONE that, perhaps more than others, will define the difference between success and failure for a lot of fishers over time. I agree totally with Salmonking on the simplicity theory although CLag quite rightly states that a book can be written on this subject alone. For fear of simply regurgitating most of what CLag has stated so eloquently and accurately, I believe that common sense, good eyesight and the ability to 'think like a fish' (bet you someone will pick me up on this statement !) are the main ingredients for successful "reading" with the latter being by far the most important. Thinking like a fish, and before the obvious quips start to flood in, is continuously reminding yourself of what salmo salar is probably up to at any given time of year, water height and temperature. It might be obvious to 'experienced' anglers but those knew to this wonderful sport have to remind themselves of facts such as 'spring' fish are energy conscious and by that I mean they enter the river during Jan - April and, as a general rule, have nothing on their minds other than getting through the next 7-9 months on their energy reserves gained through a voracious feeding regime whilst at sea. Therefore, in my opinion, you seek out the calm waters (not dead waters), small bay's, edges of runs, pool tails (but not too far down the tail as, as we are all aware, the strength of current can be pretty powerful - too powerful - in the last 30 yds or so in most big river tails). Avoid heavy turbulent water. LOOK at what the character of the water is like immediately below the pool you are trying to 'read' - maybe the water below you is thin / shallow, with no obvious features or that it is a turbulent cauldron. THINK where this fish has traveled from and what, for it, would make an ideal 'resting' spot. We are talking mainly about springers here and due to the fact that early season fish tend to keep a low profile and not identify their whereabouts quite so readily as grilse, summer or back-end fish then this is where the ability to read water becomes paramout....in my humble opinion. In low summer conditions when the river is at its bare bones I tend to kill a lot of time by LOOKING at, or wading through, pools paying particular attention to the riverbed contours, identifying boulders and pots, getting an accurate indication of depths and whether or not the pool has changed as a result of winter floods. I pay particular attention also to the waters edge paths and the water immediately out from the bank to the distance of about a double handed rod's length as, in all probability, this is exactly where fish will be lying in higher water.
Obviously the more you get to know your water the easier it become to 'read' dependant on various seasonal/ temperature/height factors. When you have gained this knowledge and confidence in your own abilities you suddenly realise how SIMPLE and common sensical it all becomes. As a general, and final, statement I believe that once you have developed this ability to read water that this knowledge can be quite easily transferred to other rivers and beats where you may not have had any previous experience coupled with the fact that there is no ghillie /guide/waterman and by that I mean although you might not have fished a certain pool, beat or river you have, in all probability, fished water like it. Sure rivers vary - you cant compare the likes of the Ewe, Laxford or Gruinard with the vast swathes of pool common on rivers such as Tay, Dee, Spey, Tweed...........but the principles are the same. THINK like a fish and LOOK !! All will become obvious or less mysterious than you first imagined. . Great thread - let's have much more on this one before we move to the next in CLag's excellent list.

any chance of a summary ;D

[williegunn]

castlikeaghille said:

From half way down to about thirty yards below the wall you can Collie it, but it will be a struggle without the shooting head. CLaG

Is there really any other way to fish a Collie Dog?

castlikeaghille said:

Irrigation is really a high water pool.

CLaG

Really? I'm glad you kept me right I could have wasted my entire time fishing there.

[castlikeaghille]

macd said:

rosco peco train?

hey min, you might cast like a ghillie but you write like a fanny.

no offence or anything fella

only when I'm writing by gaslight....

[exerod]

macd said:

sinkingtip said:

A huge subject gentlemen and the ONE that, perhaps more than others, will define the difference between success and failure for a lot of fishers over time. I agree totally with Salmonking on the simplicity theory although CLag quite rightly states that a book can be written on this subject alone. For fear of simply regurgitating most of what CLag has stated so eloquently and accurately, I believe that common sense, good eyesight and the ability to 'think like a fish' (bet you someone will pick me up on this statement !) are the main ingredients for successful "reading" with the latter being by far the most important. Thinking like a fish, and before the obvious quips start to flood in, is continuously reminding yourself of what salmo salar is probably up to at any given time of year, water height and temperature. It might be obvious to 'experienced' anglers but those knew to this wonderful sport have to remind themselves of facts such as 'spring' fish are energy conscious and by that I mean they enter the river during Jan - April and, as a general rule, have nothing on their minds other than getting through the next 7-9 months on their energy reserves gained through a voracious feeding regime whilst at sea. Therefore, in my opinion, you seek out the calm waters (not dead waters), small bay's, edges of runs, pool tails (but not too far down the tail as, as we are all aware, the strength of current can be pretty powerful - too powerful - in the last 30 yds or so in most big river tails). Avoid heavy turbulent water. LOOK at what the character of the water is like immediately below the pool you are trying to 'read' - maybe the water below you is thin / shallow, with no obvious features or that it is a turbulent cauldron. THINK where this fish has traveled from and what, for it, would make an ideal 'resting' spot. We are talking mainly about springers here and due to the fact that early season fish tend to keep a low profile and not identify their whereabouts quite so readily as grilse, summer or back-end fish then this is where the ability to read water becomes paramout....in my humble opinion. In low summer conditions when the river is at its bare bones I tend to kill a lot of time by LOOKING at, or wading through, pools paying particular attention to the riverbed contours, identifying boulders and pots, getting an accurate indication of depths and whether or not the pool has changed as a result of winter floods. I pay particular attention also to the waters edge paths and the water immediately out from the bank to the distance of about a double handed rod's length as, in all probability, this is exactly where fish will be lying in higher water.
Obviously the more you get to know your water the easier it become to 'read' dependant on various seasonal/ temperature/height factors. When you have gained this knowledge and confidence in your own abilities you suddenly realise how SIMPLE and common sensical it all becomes. As a general, and final, statement I believe that once you have developed this ability to read water that this knowledge can be quite easily transferred to other rivers and beats where you may not have had any previous experience coupled with the fact that there is no ghillie /guide/waterman and by that I mean although you might not have fished a certain pool, beat or river you have, in all probability, fished water like it. Sure rivers vary - you cant compare the likes of the Ewe, Laxford or Gruinard with the vast swathes of pool common on rivers such as Tay, Dee, Spey, Tweed...........but the principles are the same. THINK like a fish and LOOK !! All will become obvious or less mysterious than you first imagined. . Great thread - let's have much more on this one before we move to the next in CLag's excellent list.

any chance of a summary ;D

...

[macd]

castlikeaghille said:

macd said:

rosco peco train?

hey min, you might cast like a ghillie but you write like a fanny.

no offence or anything fella

only when I'm writing by gaslight....

thats terrible clag, behave. ;D

[hardygem]

macd said:

rosco peco train?

hey min, you might cast like a ghillie but you write like a fanny.

no offence or anything fella

I've always thought it was rosco p coltraine

[macd]

exactly

[williegunn]

Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane I believe, without wanting to correct anyone's spelling. The last time I pointed out an error toys seemed to leave the pram.

[ibrox]

Who's pram WG ? ;D ;D