River Annan

[jimthefish]

As I drove to the Annan this morning (Tuesday) I remarked to my friend that everything seemed in our favour. Good water height falling after a spate, benevolent weather with rising pressure, 5m tide with a high at 5.50am and fish caught on Monday.

Arriving at Hoddom Bridge the first disappointment was that it was just on the spinning mark meaning that we would have to contend with the odd Flying C. However the Beat was not fully booked which meant there would be space for everybody.

I knew it was going to be good when at 9.10am I had a vicious take when lengthening my line to fish the first pool. After a great fight in the fast water a very fresh sealiced 7 pounder landed followed by another 2 hooked and lost before 10am. To cut a long story short, by the end of the day I was lucky enough to land six sealiced fish with the best touching 8 lbs. In contrast to last year the grilse are in fantastic, plump condition as the photos below will evidence.
A great day. 9 hooked and 6 landed all on the same fly.... a no 9 Flamethrower tied with a black bear wing fished off a 75' Carron with a 5' slowsink polytip. The only downside was that my mate didn't get a fish, losing the only one he hooked although he was not the only rod in that position.
This poor wet summer has certainly benefitted some rivers. I think there could be some exceptional sport to be had in the next few weeks.

THE GRILSE ARE IN FANTASTIC CONDITION


WELL HOOKED IN THE SCISSORS


STRONG FISH

[salmondan]

Sounds like a good shift Jim, good report and pics Which pools did you find productive? And if you don't mind me asking, how did you fish them?


I'm trying to organise a day or two on Hoddom mid september again, I hope my trip's as good as yours.

[salmonking]

Good days fishing there Jim,i'd agree that the grilse are in superb nick,,well most of them,,what were the vents like on these fish Jim?

[robbie]

Hi Guys
Nice to hear something good coming from the Annan. S/Dan - I live that way, if you are coming up let me know and we can maybe meet up
ATB
Robbie

[ibrox]

Good going Jim, there does seem to be a few fish in the Annan at the moment.

[jimthefish]

salmondan said:

Which pools did you find productive? And if you don't mind me asking, how did you fish them?

3 off Kirkyard and 3 off Scales. I never got round to fishing the top half of the beat above the bridge but there were fish caught there and I suspect that every pool could have produced a fish yesterday. As with most salmon fishing you need to be in the right place at the right time....... I was lucky enough to get 3 from Scales in the afternoon one after another from the same lie in as many casts. A bit surreal when it becomes like that which is not to underestimate the difficulty of the task. Scales is not an easy place at that height with deep water in front and high rushes to the waters edge.

Nothing rocket science in the method. A long straight cast angled downstream with the fly fishing as soon as it hit the water was the answer. During the day I tried tweaking the fly, various retrieves but all they wanted was a straight swing with some pace.

The only downside to the day was that my friend blanked losing the only fish he hooked. He was fishing the same rig as me with identical fly and given first choice of pools. He is a competent caster but after watching him from a high bank I was able to point out that his cast was often landing in a heap at the far side of the stream and by the time it had straightened out he had lost an important part of the fishing arc. A basic error which he corrected by shortening the line and changing the angle of cast. He did hook a fish after that which regrettably came off after a few runs.

[jimthefish]

salmonking said:

what were the vents like on these fish Jim?

I had one with a very sore arse (see pic attached) but otherwise it was fat as butter and the picture of good health.

In case readers think I am going in for wholesale slaughter some of these fish yesterday (incl. the one in the pic) were taking the fly so far back in the vomers that no matter how carefully you removed the fly with forceps, blood was gushing out with death inevitable. To have this happen more than once in a day is unusual and I can only put it down to the freshness of the fish off the tide (and perhaps the attractiveness of my flytying ).

[salmondan]

Thanks for the info Jim, I'll bear all that in mind when I go. I can couple that with the help that Jock gave me last saturday on Newtyle and hopefully put it all to good use.

Robbie, will do, see if we can get Mike out also.

[ibrox]

Let me know when your coming up Dan, I'm up for it

[elwyman]

Great day Jim, and thanks for the reports.

It's great that someone with your experience and ability is so willing to help others. You are always modest about your achievements, but catching 6 off Hoddom probably ranks up there with your mega catches in Russia.

Just cursing the fact that I couldn't escape work this week to fish Hoddom, having just returned from a week in Spain.

[robmason]

That's good going Jim, well done. I think your right the next few weeks are looking good, with all the usual caveats of course. Shame the grilse are arriving late again, I managed to blank a month back on the Alness despite plenty of water, but now they are coming off by the bucket load.

Last year I would have been quick to blame the lack of July water, but that is not the only factor clearly.

[barkingcollie]

Thanks for posting that report Jim. What a cracking day. As luck would have it I've got a day on the Dee on Saturday and I'm thinking I might be better on the Annan as long as it doesn't shrink too fast. Clear blue skies here today and not that much rain since Saturday so we might have to do another rain dance.
Keep the reports coming and I'll report on the odd one or two you let through to go upstream !

[salmonscotty16lb]

well done Jim ;D
been off the forum for a bit due to various things and not had the rod out much but my only annan trip of the year i had one sea trout about pound and half. this was before the rain came
has anyone been out nights for sea trout? interested in the reports

[ianjones]

Could anyone give me some information on the Mount Annan beat? i shall be fishing at the end of october and would welcome any advice on tactics etc
Many thanks
Ian

[speycaster]

i had two seatrout a week thursday from dukes pool at night the fish were showing everywhere but it went very cold at midnight and that was that , not bothereing anymore this year as £42 00 a ticket and £50 in fuel is a lot unless anybody fancy,s traveling up from cheshire to fish the day time for salmon and the night for sewin bilyy p

[ianjones]

If not Mount Annan, how about Cleughead? and can anyone recommend some good accomodation near by preferably self catering?
Many thanks..

[robbie]

You may know already, however there are 2 River Annan websites. One is the www.fishannan.co.uk, and the other is a locally produced site called www.riverannan.co.uk. Both have accomodation listings. Unfortunately I can not help with references!

[madcaster]

Fished Hoddom yesterday it was very low but there was plenty of fish but I didnt hook up hey ho......
willie one of my mates who is a ghilly there was busy tyeing flamethrowers hhmmm I wonder why?

MADCASTER

[ibrox]

I took the dog a walk up the Newbie stretch of the river today, it's absolutely hooching with grilse. Was talking to one angler who had two in the morning not sure how many more he got.

I have fished Cleughhead several times it is a really nice beat, pretty easy wading and will fish well from now until the end of the season. Can't remember all the named pools but Jimmy's stream is well worth a visit .

Mike

[hornet]

Mike,

I thought you would have been recovering from a sore head instead of walking the pup and looking at a hooching river.

Hornet