Extremties of Weather and Catching Salmon

[splash]

Corresponding with Storlaks on another thread, it made me reflect that we really do go salmon fishing in all extremities of weather and catch fish under a whole range of conditions. For example, I had a belter of a spring salmon in February 06 from the Sawmill Poll on Crathes while sitting on the edge of the ice to try and break some if it away to clear the pool for wading (sheer skill I know ). What's the most extreme weather conditions or unusual circumstances that you have landed a salmon in?

[donnieW]

Barvas River in Lewis 2 years ago. Normally when the river is in spate it's busier than Sauchiehall Street but that day the wind was so bad that nobody went out - except me. I had to stand a couple of yards back from the bank because when the squalls of wind came they pushed you forward. As I went forward I would dig my feet into the peat and brace myself.... The result of my efforts was 8 salmon landed on big orange muddlers and about 20 more rises/takes/losses. Hell of a day for £5!!

[storlaks]

Must be 5 years ago in Norway on the Gaula. We had rain from the day we arrived which kept the water at a good height. Fish were being caught. On the Wednesday however the heavens opened. By luck we were fishing a good high water pool that night, but we weren't expecting the water to rise as quickly as it did.
By 11pm the water was in the hut/shelter and still rising and still raining hard. All in all it was a miserable night and my fishing partner had gave up. Unfortunately he couldn't sit in the hut ;D . I, on the other hand, being rather stupid (or not), decided to keep fishing. I was soaked anyway. While actually standing in some bushes, which are normally yards away from the river I hooked a fish on a fast sinker and a big orange TD. The fish must have been on the path we normally walk along. Unbelievable really, but it just shows that despite the river being in full flood and still rising, the fish took.....and was landed. 12lbs licer.

next day we witnessed a massive flood. It wasn't small logs or debris that came down, it was whole trees!

By 2am next morning, we were fishing again.

[robmason]

A dirty spate on opening day on the Deveron circa 1998 amidst squally snow showers and sub zero temps when I hooked......... a dead sheep. ;D

[splash]

robmason said:

A dirty spate on opening day on the Deveron circa 1998 amidst squally snow showers and sub zero temps when I hooked......... a dead sheep. ;D

Fantastic Probably worth a thread in its on right "Most unusual thing caught on the fly when salmon fishing"

[castlikeaghille]

splash said:

robmason said:

A dirty spate on opening day on the Deveron circa 1998 amidst squally snow showers and sub zero temps when I hooked......... a dead sheep. ;D

Fantastic Probably worth a thread in its on right "Most unusual thing caught on the fly when salmon fishing"

In November 1981, Cousin Callum hooked, played and I tailled......a 2lbs onion on the Upper Tweed. It put up a hellva fight and we were most distressed when it wasn't accepted as a new beat record ;D

[madkeen]

I hooked and played a doctor's stethoscope for a good few minutes on U.Farleyer a couple of years back.

[sagecaster]

Extreme weather conditions... 2003 River Findhorn.

River extremely low, bright flaming hot sunshine, air temperature 84F and Water 72F! Staring down the barrel of a blank week, most of the party had given up fishing opting for swimming and golfing. It was Thursday a.m., suffering from a horrendous hangover decided to walk it off by fishing the beat upstream from bottom to top non stop. Finally after 3 hours fruitless fishing, I spotted a grilse lying in a deep pot through the polaroids, getting to it required an arduous scramble down a very steep bank, frankly I was too exhausted to face it, but an inner instinct forced me to go and have a cast anyway.

Sure enough I covered the fish again and again with no reaction, so I just kept on casting over and over, until after 20-30 casts out of the blue the fish came up and took the fly.

Only 4lbs, but ranks as one of the hardest earned fish I have ever caught in what could only be described as near hopeless as you can get!

[colliedog]

madkeen said:

I hooked and played a doctor's stethoscope for a good few minutes on U.Farleyer a couple of years back.

Heart-stopping minutes no doubt

[splash]

colliedog said:

madkeen said:

I hooked and played a doctor's stethoscope for a good few minutes on U.Farleyer a couple of years back.

Heart-stopping minutes no doubt

Oh dear - no doubt cousin Calum was in tears when he hooked that onion

[donnieW]

colliedog said:

madkeen said:

I hooked and played a doctor's stethoscope for a good few minutes on U.Farleyer a couple of years back.

Heart-stopping minutes no doubt

That would take some beating..........

[splash]

donniewhiteford said:

colliedog said:

Heart-stopping minutes no doubt

That would take some beating..........

You must have been pretty pumped up during the fight.....

[splash]

WG's observations re the snow melt and climatic conditions that determine water levels on the Spey , made me think how the extremities of weather in recent years have affected how we fish in general. If you read Francis Grant's book "The Dynamics Approach" he talks about fishing at Ballogie on the Dee in May and approaching pools like Inchbare and The Kelpie with a Wet Cel II and 2 inch brass tube. When I have fished there in May in recent years, a floater and short intermediate polyleader with size 12 or 14 silver stoat have been the order of the day. It just shows the diminishing effect of snow melt in fuelling levels of rivers like the Dee and (WG correct me if I'm wrong) the Spey. I'd be interested in the observations of others who have fished these rivers in recent years. certainly , it seems to me that rivers such as the Tweed and Dee are almost spate rivers in that they are almost completely dependent on rainfall and rise and fall very quickly these days.

[rpsalmon]

I have yet to see the salmon river that shouldn't be fished with a Wetcel II and heavy tube on many occasions during the summer. Such is a valid tactic, it gets the fly down to the salmon and will often tempt it during blazing hot sunshine and low water. Just don't over do it because the fish will be easily educated and/or spooked.