Frosty mornings, dark afternoons, mince pies and Christmas lights can only mean one thing… the 2013 salmon season is well and truly over. Whist I’ve caught some great fish this year its fair to say my salmon season has been nothing short of terrible.
It all kicked off the day after opening in February on the Dee. Sam and I fished a new beat for us – Upper Blackhall. Despite the owner catching a pair of springers the day before, we managed only kelts for our efforts, but it was great to get the season going with a bend in the rod. There was even a fresh dusting of snow from the night before – proper spring fishing! I was back on the Dee twice more in February both times at Cairnton, but low water and a general lack of fish meant we struggled for kelts, let alone salmon. Not the start I had hoped for!
A seriously cold March made it difficult for me to justify much fishing. However, we had booked Tulchan, on the Spey, a while back, and despite very low water I couldn’t resist a visit to whisky land and one of the most attractive beats I have ever seen – Beat B. Even with the gauge at zero the pools just cry out FISH! It was a lovely clear, crisp day and although we really had no chance of anything fresh, it was a fantastic place to be. Thankfully I had my trusty driver (thanks Helen) at hand, so managed at least a couple of drams of the good stuff between pools. We were rewarded with three of the best mended kelts I have seen, but as suspected no springers. The stats for the four Tulchan beats until the end of March say it all – one fresh fish!
By mid April the cold, dry weather continued and the only river really fishing was the Tay, so I soon found myself at Stobhall. Another first for me, and what a cracking beat it was, but unfortunately no fish to report! Even Gamefish of Edinburgh’s finest couldn’t winkle out a fish, and so Andy, Jonathan and I headed home after another fishless day. It was great to see some big fresh 20+ pounders flopping about though. In retrospect that really was my best chance of a decent fish this year. With pools like Stank End and Sharks Fin I will definitely be returning next year!
May was another dry month but I remained hopeful, and with the North Esk fishing so well in April I headed up a couple of times, fishing both Canterland and Burn Estate. Both lovely beats, but in dire need of water when I visited. All in all a spring I would rather forget and, unfortunately, my summer’s salmon fishing wasn’t any better. Low water across the country meant I saved my cash opting for a couple of casting lessons with Andy Murray on the Tweed, instead of the usual trip north to the Dee. I did also manage an impromptu visit to fish the Tyne at Bywell for the first time… that’s right – you guessed it – low water again!
My luck was to change though. Sam, his folks and I had three days booked in the south. The first of which was on the famous River Test. Having never fished a chalk stream before I was very unsure what to expect. It’s fair to say my hopes and expectations were blown away. Crystal clear water, big free rising tasty brown trout in the most idyllic setting you could imagine. It was a scorching hot day, but even the high bright sun didn’t stop the trout sucking down my clumsily delivered dun emerger. The best at about 3lbs, it really was a great day. It was so much more visual and exciting than the salmon fishing I’m used to. We unfortunately missed the famous evening rise, but weren’t too bothered as we had a boat chartered from Lyme Regis for sea bass the next day.
Bass fishing couldn’t be more different, from the light delicate touch of a chalk stream dry fly to fast sinking lines with a dead weight on the end of it. It was exciting as we drifted close to the shore, bait balls forming all round us and the occasional mackerel providing some brief entertainment. We were soon into the bass and all of us managed fish up to a couple of pounds, but unfortunately the day just didn’t materialise as we had expected and a heavy rain storm meant we were headed for the pub sooner rather than later. Even the small fish we caught fought a real battle and so my appetite for more salt water fly fishing was whetted and we definitely plan on returning.
The rest of the summer was a bit of a blur, with the sea trout that got away in Islay and the fantastic Brown trout from Torridon I still hadn’t had that salmon – the closest I came was a tasty sea trout from Loch Damph. Come mid-September I was really clutching at straws when I booked Manar beat on the Don. Having found one rouge website predicting rain, I convinced myself it was worth the trip north. When I got there naturally the water was very low and a big bright sun was gaining height rapidly against a perfect blue sky as I started fishing. Switching between a red francis on my short double hander and a hitch fly on the single hander I quickly worked through the pools starting at the bottom of the beat. By the time I reached the sheep pool I had all but given up when I suddenly felt the ‘jag jag’ of a grilse as it took my fly in the neck of the pool. I couldn’t believe it – fish on! I knew it was lightly hooked, as they often are when they take on the dangle, so tried not to be too hard on it. Sure enough, the fish jumped and I swear I could see the fly ping out the top of its mouth and land on the stone next to me. Gutted! Despite the low water there were obviously a few fish about so I was planning to fish on, but the Inverurie spinning parade soon changed my mind and I headed for the pub.
Frustrated and still without a fish I put all my eggs in one basket for the rest of the season – the Upper Tweed. Mainly because that was all I could afford! Having had success in early October at Glenormiston a previous year I soon found myself there in mid-October. Yet again I had got it wrong, the heavy rain that was forecast had put the Teviot and Ettrick up, but not touched the main river, resulting in another fishless day. By the end of October it really was last chance saloon when Jonathan and I headed back to Glenormiston. Conditions were perfect, and as my inch long copper junction shrimp swung midway down the Jawstane pool I would have bet my house on one of us catching a fish there and then. It was not to be; even the ghillie was scratching his head and questioning where the fish were. Finally though, just before lunch, half way down the Whinstane my line went tight and I lifted into a salmon. I don’t think I have ever played a grilse so carefully before – I was not going to lose this one. Masterfully tailed by Jonathan shortly before he congratulated my on landing a fine but rather coloured 4lb SEA TROUT! You have got to be kidding me!! My luck that day didn’t improve and we were driving away from what Jonathan described as glen Nescafe shortly after lunch. Heavy rain the night before had finally reached us and the river was running the colour of chocolate. The fish took three hours before the river was unfishable – proof that the start of the rise can be productive perhaps?
And that’s it, I had intended to get out again before the end of the season but as you will expect I was rather hacked off! The monkey on my back will remain there until next year (hopefully no longer). To make matters worse I gave a new colleague at work a couple of flies for his first trip to the Nith. Being new to salmon fishing I gave him a couple of pointers and wished him luck… Come Monday morning he produced the rather chewed up and soggy looking Willie Gunn, shortly followed by a photo of his first ever Salmon – a 16 lb hen fish!! Typical – and on the fly I had given him! Despite my lack of success I really am chuffed for him. Well done Sandy!
I can’t complain too much, I’ve had some of the best trout fishing I am likely to experience in Britain ever again. And with a first bass on the fly and a new love for salt water fly fishing I have really enjoyed my year’s fishing. With regard to the salmon, expressions like “you win some, you lose some” come to mind, but really I think “you get what you pay for” is more relevant! Whilst good fishing in the right conditions can be cheap you really are relying on the weather gods. Next year I’m going to try and get some quality fishing at the right time of year, and if that means I need to pay more then I’d better get saving!
Oh and lastly, it’s not all doom and gloom. In an effort to cheer myself up I have just bought this new beauty. Over and under 12 gauge John Macnab Highlander with side plates! That should keep me quiet ’till about, hmm, Saturday 1st February 2014!
