A Better Day On The Dee

[fishingd0]

Things are looking very good indeed. Wilbert, previous years show that at this time of the year the main run is just starting and touch wood has still to peak, if that is possible.

[elwyman]

An amazing catch for one beat.

Only downside is that prices will undoutedly rise, as they did on Tweed this season.

[tyneandrew]

fantastic day, envy the rods fishing!

If the river follows the traditional build up then who knows what April and even May could bring....

[tyneandrew]

Wonder how Lower Crathes got on too???

[jollyrodger]

Lower Crathes had 3 Andrew.

[wilbert]

Park has had another bumper catch with 15 today and the biggest being 18lbs. Roll on Monday.

[tyneandrew]

I note that the Dee has gone relatively quiet compared to last weeks bonanza. Is it the low levels and 'Baltic' weather that are accountable?

[williegunn]

Graham got his plaster off on Monday and landed a fish on Tuesday in freezing conditions..................it is hard to keep a good man down

[wilbert]

Just got back from the Dee (Lower Blackhall) and can proudly say that I have got off the mark for this year with 2 springers of 7 & 11 lbs not monsters but bars of silver. The smaller fish gave me the best take I have ever had off any fish. 1 second the fly was fishing round nicely the next the reel was screaming, no pull just 0 - 100 in 1 second, its the first time I have fished with a sunray Shadow but will definitely give it another swim if all the takes are like this.

[leo]

Congratulations. You did well, especially as it seems this week for the Dee wasn't as bountiful as the previous one. I have 2 questions -what size sunray shadow were you using? I was thinking of adding some more to my fly collection, as I've heard of other people using them successfully on the Dee. Secondly, you said the fish took as the fly came round, but did you strip the fly some of the time as well?

[wilbert]

Leo the sunray was quite small as far as they go with a wing of about 4". I wasn't stripping the fly at the time but putting a downstream mend in to speed things up, probably not the right way to fish it but I got the required result. The take was amazing, no pull no little tugs just an instantly tight line and a screaming Danielsson HD reel. The fish took about 20 yards until I had tightened the drag quite a bit and even then it still managed 3 or 4 good runs, very impressive for a small (ish) fish. My mates on the opposite bank thought I was into a big fish and were amazed when I said it was about 7 to 8 lbs. Great fun will definitely try these on my local river when the fish start to make an appearance.

[leo]

Fantastic! Sounds very exciting. Will definitely be trying a Sunray Shadow when I'm on Deeside in a week and a bit.

Did you get any photos?

[tyneandrew]

Well done Wilbert, you clearly had an exciting days sport. I'll have to get some tied up for my trip in May.

I see its big tides this week again, will be interesting to see what comes off the river once the levels settle down mid week.

[kirkaig]

I hope they do - particulalry for Park Thursday! Big tides you say? Could be good for later part of the week then.

Sunray at the ready.....

K

[tyneandrew]

Sunray Shadow & Collie Dog - Is there any difference. I have used neither?

[wilbert]

Not much difference really, sunrays just tend to be bigger and have either white or yellow tied in under the wing and 2 strands of peacock hearl or something flashy tied into the wing.
I am going to try and get hold of some real monkey hair for tying sunrays as it has much more movement due to the natural kink in the hair and you can use much less of it because it bulks up in the water.