Good afternoon everyone
Another week under our belts, a week of mixed weather but a lack of the really wet stuff.
The dampness that we got was of great benefit to the garden but of course what is good for some thing sis also amenace for others – weeds they relish a spurt of growth and make an appearance everywhere. The moisture will of course benefit those who have fruit trees as this will hopefully continue to develop any fruit that is on the trees.
Farmers are continuing to take full advantage of the reasonably settled conditions, harvesting crops when they can to get them in with a reasonable moisture content.
I am glad the deciison has been made to temporarily stop the salle of portable barbeques given the very fragile posiiton we find ourselves in, especially down south with tinder dry ground conditions. I think this should have been donw a considerable period of time ago and it may have prevented some of the situations that our fire service personnel and voluteers have found themselves in. My heart goes out to those that have lost properties as a result. If people would just think about what they are doing in such dangerous times.
Ok rant over let turn our attention to fishing and what has been happening out an about.
However before I vwenture to the river, this weeks report is of course supported by Loop tackle and this week the prize for the winner is the still to be launched Ström range of rods. These rods are not going on sale until the 24th August so the winner this week will be one of the very first to own one. They are built with exclusive seven sided 7X blanks and bring a fantastic level of feel and connection.
The rods come in the usual range of models and specifications.
An amazing film chasing stripers in Canada is now available on the Loop YouTube channel – link below
My first stop this week is to see Andrew Hall at Lower Pitchroy. Andrew advises that last week was a struggle. The water had dropped back down to well below summer level for the start of Monday but we got off to a good start with Gordon Mutch landing a 5lb grilse in the Pouches. Shortly after, not to be put down by his dad, son Fergus Mutch landed a 5lb grilse from the neck of Polarder.
Tuesday arrived and this time it was mum, Shona Mutch that got her name on the score sheet with a 5lb grilse from the middle of Polarder in the morning. To make it a full family effort, daughter Eileen Reynolds hooked a fish around 6lbs but unfortunately fell off at the net on Tuesday evening. Sadly that was us for the week. Despite seeing plenty fish in the second half and a small 4” rise, we couldn’t crack the code to get the buggers to take. We will wait and see what next week brings us
My next stop is to see Archie Baillie at Knockando who reports that this week included a first fish for 13yrs old Miss Clementine Wason who skilfully cast and played the fish before I managed to slip the net under it. A nice 4lb grilse. Clementine is a Keen angler who has been fishing for a small number of years. Her father Ian had a hold of one in the same pool but unfortunately it didn’t stick. That was the action until Friday. On Thursday we had a different party and on the Friday Philip Nuttall landed a 9lb coloured salmon. A very quiet week but two fish none the less.
Things are quiet until Delagyle where David Smillie advises that their tally for the week was one salmon. A seven pound fresh salmon to Jane McBean, caught at the neck of Dal breck on a size 12 cascade.
Wester Elchies had a better week with 5 fish landed reports Malcolm Newbould. Star of the week was young Ryan Fraser who has been coming with his family to Wester Elchies for the last few years and finally caught a grilse from Pol Shuan on a Willie Gunn.
Ryan Fraser’s first fish
Given the conditions once again faced by the rods this week, despite a wee freshet were tough, especially just after mid week when things were very humid, the results are not great again and returns are very quiet until I reach Easter Elchies
Continiung down the river to Easter Elchies where Orn Sigurhansson reports a small rise in water and fish caught throughout the week. We had a split week this week at Easter Elchies. We had a really good start to the week, with 3 landed on Monday. John McInnes, Bobby Gardener and Peter Kidd all on the score sheet.
We had another 3 on Tuesday, with Andy Brodie and Peter Kidd landing fish in Fiddich and Tim McCreath in Heathery Isle.
Thursday saw 2 fish landed, Les Tyson in Lower Dips and Alan Ramsay in Fiddich. Friday was the turn of David Tisdale, landing a fish in Heathery Isle and Les Tyson adding another fish from Upper Dips.
On Saturday, top rod for the week, Alan Ramsay landing 3 fish in a row from Fiddich mouth, with Orn finishing off the week with another fish from Fiddich. Total of 14 salmon and grilse for the week, a really enjoyable week on Speyside.
My next stop is Arndilly where Euan Reid reports that this week we welcomed Bob Edwards and his team of mostly Aberdeenshire rods to Arndilly. Bob brings a lovely team of experienced rods most of whom have fished the beat on and off for many years.
Bob Minto got us started on Monday morning with a fresh grilse from the right bank of Jocks Tail, quickly followed by a similar fish( although, importantly, slightly bigger) from the middle of the Long Pool for Pat Machray.
Euan Webster completed our day, 11lb from the Bulwark and 10lb from Jocks Tail right. There was some discussion about Euan possibly fishing other people’s water which provided some active and entertaining accusations of poaching! You get the idea of the week we’ve had!
On Tuesday Pat had one from Gilmour, Ian Sinclair had a grilse from the middle of the Long Pool, Euan Webster, Back of the Bog and Alan Hamilton, a grilse from the hut side of the Bulwark.
Thereafter they became a bit stubborn with a fish for Alan Hamilton from Gilmour on Wednesday, a grilse for Gary Webster on Thursday from Piles left on Thursday and a bonny 14.5lb fish for Stewart Mackie on Friday. Johnny Webster managed a fish off the concrete path on Friday evening but that was it for the week.
We had a rise of a few inches on Saturday morning and although in various places on the beat we saw good numbers of fresh fish, they just weren’t in the mood.
Hopefully as the water settles they become a bit more interested in what we’re doing.
Robbie Stronach at Rothes and Aikenway is my next port of call to see how they fared in the tough condiotns. Robbie advises that they had 3 for the week, with Mark Dornan landing 2 from Bluestone and Ian Borthwick got one from Geantree.
Down to Delfur now and to Mark Melville who reports that Monday produced a few fish for Dane Douetil’s party for the start of his fortnight’s fishing at Delfur.
Will Bedford-Russel had a couple from Beaufort and Sourden. Simon Hearn caught his first Delfur fish from Hollenbush.
Dane Douetil landed a nice fish from Collie on Tuesday along with Mark Bedford- Russel landing one from Otterhole.
Simon Hearn was top rod with 3 from Sourden, Bridge and Collie.
Wednesday Simon Hearn was in on the action again with another fish from Hollenbush and Robert Bodnar-Horvath a good fish from Otterhole.
The second half of the week got a whole lot more difficult as the temperature rocketed back up to 26c. With that, the fish did their usual switch off in the uncomfortable warm water.
Friday the happy couple of Abbi and Dom Henry both managed a grilse from Broom and Bridge.
Dane landed a grilse in Sourden.
Saturday we had a wee rise which didn’t help us here though should benefit us this coming week. With lower temperatures forecast and rain most days let’s hope it helps the catches, which I’m sure it will.
Andy Gunn at Orton is my next stopping off point and Andy advises that they welcomed the Faith party once again, and it was great to see some familiar faces along with a couple of new ones.
Water levels were low again, with our gauge reading 1.5” on Monday morning before dropping to -3” by Saturday morning. A welcome little bump in the water on Saturday brought levels back up to 0”, and catches improved, with numbers reaching into the mid-teens.
Russell Whiteman was top rod, almost reaching double figures with his spliced split-cane rod and a Sunray. His biggest fish was 8lb, along with a few silver fish and the odd sea-liced fish.
Ben Crozier had two 6lb fish from Cooperee on Tuesday afternoon, while Neil Patterson, fishing Orton for the first time, landed a grilse from Junction.
A few more fish were landed on Saturday evening as the water levelled off, making for a positive end to the week.
My final port of call is Gordon Castle/Brae Water to see Lewis Webb to see how the 4 beats fared. Lewis reports that it was another week of mixed catches, with a good mix of fresh and coloured salmon and grilse making their way to the net. There were more losses than we’d have liked, but that’s fishing! Wednesday and Thursday were our quieter days, with the uncomfortably warm weather even tempting a few guests to join the fish for a swim! Thankfully, once the water temperatures dropped, the fish came back on and we managed to round the week off on a positive note.
A couple of highlights were first fish for Ralph Richardson and Alexandra Gair, who has waited far too long to finally get one to the net.
We’ve also been really impressed with the quality of the finnock this year, with fish consistently reaching around a pound and a half, providing some good sport on the right rod.
The week ahead looks to be cooler and bit wet so we will see how much rain falls and if it lifts the river over the course of the fishing week.
I am delighted to announce that the prize winner of the as of yet to be launched Ström is Miss Clementine Wason– well done and I will be in touch.
Tight lines if you are out and about next week, I am for a day so keeping everything crossed.
Sandy
