River Dee Invery

[rennie]

Hail dudes,been let loose to fish the Dee at Invery to wards the end of April.Its been several years since I have fished the Dee at all and have only fished this beat in June, when I last fished the river this early (at Kinkardine+Borrowstone),it was still tubes/big flys on big sink tips or intermediates,know things change but if any one has their finger on the Dee's pulse would appreciate a starter for ten,only got three days so I would like to make the most of it.Last time I fished Invery the water was low and the best results came to size 12/14s or huge collie dogs stripped really fast across the surface,the floating bank and the killing hatch were the best pools.Know about catch+release, double hooks only+barbless but understand the Gillie has changed too.I have great faith in black+yellow flies at this time of year is this a non starter or am I barking up the right tree?(please don't mention a yellow allys,hate the damn things never had a pull on one ).cheers Pedro (like a small boy waiting for Christmas)

[jimthefish]

Rennie,

Am fishing Invery all of next week so should be able to give you an uptodate report after it. There are currently 2 ghillies doing 3 days each per week...Jim Turnbull who has been there for quite a few years is phasing himself into retirement and Karl Revel, a retired headmaster who started this season.
Graham's advice on lines, flies, etc is spot on. I would also ensure that I had some darker doubles with me such as Arndilly Fancy and Sweep.

[rennie]

Hello Jim the Fish,hope you have had a cracking week,seen a few fish registered on the Fish Dee site presume you were responsible for some.Am due to be fishing Thursday,Friday and Saturday of this coming week so any info. you wish to pass on will be gratefully received.Well prepared with lots of black+yellows etc. and the Honda will look like a tackle show outside the hut on Thurs. morning.Will speak to Mr.Turnbull before I leave but if you can give me a lead on what lines and Fly sizes were doing the business I have a good head start.Many thanks, Pedro.

[jimthefish]

Rennie,

We had a good spring week with 16 salmon & 2 seatrout. You only saw fish posted on the website till Wednesday this week....this is because the agent of the owner arrived & banned the ghillies from posting further fish in his weeks. Complicated situation on Invery with 2 owners who have the fishing on alternate weeks. Linc Holdings subscribe to the website but the other owner does not.
In any event, apart from the 7 posted till wednesday, we got 2 on Thursday, 6 on Friday and 1 today. I was lucky enough to get 7 of the 16 including a cracker today from the Glide which measured 39inches which according to the ghillies chart comes in at 23lbs. It was certainly over 20lbs & is my biggest from the Dee to date.
The water was rising every night from melting snow incl. a foot on Wed. night & falling during the day which kept the fish on the move (a number of our fish were sealiced). A two edged sword since it keeps fish coming through but also means they were not settling in the pools.
We started on Monday at 1' 6.5" of clear water & I thought we were in for a record week when I landed three at 14, 7 & 11 plus lost anor. in the first hour !
Based on our experience, you should be in for a good time next week. Will post info on lines and flies tomorrow as I am currently knackered having just driven home from Banchory & suffered a tyre blow out on the way.r

[jimthefish]

Pedro,

Most of fish were taken on sinktips when water was under 2 feet on guage, wetcel 2 type lines when above 2feet. I had 4 of my fish, incl. the big one on a Rio Type 6 Tip on an Accelerator.
As to flies, I had 4 on a 1.25"Black & Yellow tube (light brass) with a silver rib. On the Thursday when the water came up to 2' 11" with a slight tinge, I got 2 on a 1.5" Gold Bodied Willie Gunn Tube with a mylar head. The big one on Saturday took a Black & Silver Templedog tied on a 1" tube. Most of the other fish came to Black & Yellows or Gold Bodied Willie Gunns.
The water was still cold at 42*F. but if the temp. should rise next week & the levels drop off I would come down in size of fly & try an Intermediate or shorter sink tip particularly in some of the shallower water which Invery has say in the tail of the Greenbank.
Hope you have great sport & if I can give any further info please let me know.
Will attach some pix from last week.

Jim

[kirkaig]

Jim the Fish,

I was at Invery yesterday - really enjoyed my day with Jim and Karl. I have to say I was astonished that we didn't encounter fish - "only" two caught. I had a long pull in the morning, forget the name of the pool (the rough water above the main south-bank hut - think it was the Kirk Pot) but the fish didn't stick. The man I was fishing with lost a fish in the Glide on the stroke of lunch.

I have never seen so many spring salmon - it compared to back-end on the Tweed at some points, fish jumping over my line regularly. But would they take? No sir. Think there was a good head of fish running through.

This was my last salmon expedition for probably some time - USA beckons for me and family. Despite no fish, I fished hard all day and thoroughly enjoyed Deeside in the sun and particularly Karl's help and enthusiasm.

many thanks to those that have taken time to provide helpful info. I'll check in again from time to time.

Over and out - for now.

Kirkaig.

[rennie]

Thanks for that Jim,top notch stuff and a great time had by the sounds of things,strewth is this de-ja-vue or what by the looks of things its a dose of same hat,jacket,waders,boots,reel,line and possibly rod too,simply cant fail coz it will be same flies too.Seriously though some of that water looked very familiar from previous visits and it was just as kind to me back then,really hoping the water will suit my favourite sink tip approach with little post wing tubes.Glad you had a good time Kirkaig ,never thought I would get back on the Dee (Wife,two tea pots,towser,two cars and a mortgage changes things) so you never know whats in the future,when you are with uncle sam visit a Spey Clave and show them how to go on!.Cheers to one and all Pedro.

[wilbert]

Is This the widest thread on the forum or what!!! its about 5 times wider than my screen, very nice pics though so its worth panning across the screen.

[tyneandrew]

It is wide ;D

Nice picks and good to see plenty of fish about

Looks like you had a great time

[jimthefish]

Sorry Wilbert,

I obviously screwed up by posting the pix side by side .

Jim.

[wilbert]

Jim don't worry, the pics are great. I have deliberately not posted any pics because I know that I would fu*k it up good and proper.

[rennie]

Had a great three days at Invery,never seen so many spring fish on the Dee the beat was stuffed,only trouble was every one had its gob glued shut!.Didnt live up to your catching standard Jimthefish,raised a fish in the floating bank to a 6 cascade on an intermedate polytip/floater thurs. morn.,caught a 5lb fish then missed a take in the glide in the afternoon.Friday was blank fished really hard one fish caught on the beat,conditions were perfect,tried every thing I know;big tube sunk,collie stripped on top ,sunray stripped subsurface,small flies,big flies,small speed ,big speed.Saturday was just the same couldnt buy an offer despite the obvious numbers of fish present and it wasnt just me the other rods were in the same predicament too.Finally caught my second fish at 8:15 saturday night on a wee temple dog tube on my light line rod despite an unforgiving wind in the floating bank,a cracker at 7lb and sea liced to boot,hard graft but worth it . Pedro.

[kirkaig]

Well done on your fish Rennie. Sounds like the same picture that I experienced on Invery - fish everywhere but darned stubborn. Hard work but worth it, as you say.

Tight lines

K

[tyneandrew]

Any theories why they were hard to tempt (from yourselves or gillies)? Springers are usually know to be kean takers of flies - perhaps they are bored in the lower river and will come back on the take when they move to Aboyne in 2 weeks time ;D

[kirkaig]

Perplexing, isn't it? When I was there last week a lot of fish were showing in the tails of pools, perhaps suggesting they were running hard and not hanging about? Seems a bit simplistic though. How can so many salmon not have a nibble?

Hope they'll rest up nicely and be in the mood in Aboyne.

K