hf
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Posts: 1,807
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Post by hf on Sept 30, 2008 18:45:15 GMT
Hope that all closing day rivers were good to any from the 74 who were fishing them. Any good stories?
hf
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tweedsider
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Quietness is best
Posts: 993
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Post by tweedsider on Oct 1, 2008 17:50:10 GMT
Well not exactly the last day for the Tweed system which still has two months to run, but the last day for the season ticket on our Assoc water. A morning which dawned dull and drowy, perfect what better excuse to skive off work, a low river with 1ft 1in on the gauge according to fish Tweed. Fortified with a plate of Scotlands best and two shives of jaggy breid it was off to the river. Parked up a guy skidded to a halt on a moped behind me and all but crapped himself with the speed he shot off downstream, obviously he had his eye on a favourite spot. Never mind off upstream for me, the stream into the Bridge Pool has always been a disappointment to me in any other than 18 ins or more on the gauge, it proved so again ,a disappointment that is never a plook nor a took to a cunningly presented flea. Large strides and acceleration to the top of the beat, to slow and low for the tail of the pool so acroos to fish the neck, where I have never taken a fish although there is a gigantic lie in the shape of a mini sized boulder in the stream. Not a fish to be seen, a good holding pool usually and like the auld maid in the garret never had an offer. Low water and there are fewer fishable runs here, great expectation at a lie I had cleared of weed before the recent spate. Great disappointment when damn all happened as my size 12 treble chortled over it. Ah! 20 yards downsteam in almost still water that slow draw on the line, wiggle, wriggle a few short runs and the net was being slipped under a spanking fresh bar of silver grilse around the 3lb mark, back it went to procreate another day. The rapid neck into the Boat House looked promising but failed to yield anythng , vast changes in the little bay where you once were able to shuffle over sandy mud and flick a fly under overhanging trees- now its 6ft deep and bare rock. Onwards ever onwards back to the car and avoiding nipping the ends of fingers devoured the 10 o clock , although it had gone 11 am at the time. Pouring down now, lesser more sensible people would have quit, fished a few more places where some crafty weeding had been done, nil- zilch fanny adams jist naithin. Last gasp at the Main Pool which draws the fish hungry like a magnet, four fish had showed there on my last visit, now it was all quiet just the occasional trooty nabbing a late olive from the surface. Yes he was there, a long dogged pull a good fish to be sure, i"f you are decent at all your for the smoker me boy", says I, if I nab you! No long runs or jumps just dogged pull and counter pull, a glimpse of golden bronze tells this is a coloured cock fish. Netted and just about to be returned when a fellow angler arrived in time to take some pics. Back he goes, the suns out now, starving, tired but reasonably well pleased with the result its homward bound.
So endeth the day Tweedsider
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conwyrod
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Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Oct 1, 2008 19:44:44 GMT
Well worth the skive off work Alan, well done.
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Post by sinkingtip on Oct 1, 2008 20:36:34 GMT
Excellent report TS - very descriptive ..... almost felt like I was there. BTW - what time did 'we' arrive ..... and what time did 'we' actually leave ? - helluva short day if ye packed it in at denner time !! Call me mental but I find detail such as this helps the reader to place themselves at the scene ..... so to speak. Anyhow, splendid work and congratulation on your success. best regards STip
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Speyducer
Advisory Board
Release to spawn another day
Posts: 4,123
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Post by Speyducer on Oct 1, 2008 20:59:53 GMT
I WAS there! Still sitting here all the time, but I WAS really right there, on your elbow, feeling every swish of the cast, nip on the line, and hearing the click of the reel. Almost smelled the bankside vegetation and the hot coffee in the hut! The only thing I didn't get was the damp feet from the waders! Brilliant! Mike
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Post by salmonking on Oct 1, 2008 21:06:18 GMT
;D,So was i ,shouting ,waving,phoning from the brig,but the ignorant old sod never let on..... ;D
Great story Al,glad the fish escaped the smoker,you have smoked enough this year already.
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tweedsider
Active Member
Quietness is best
Posts: 993
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Post by tweedsider on Oct 2, 2008 6:32:26 GMT
Excellent report TS - very descriptive ..... almost felt like I was there. BTW - what time did 'we' arrive ..... and what time did 'we' actually leave ? - helluva short day if ye packed it in at denner time !! Call me mental but I find detail such as this helps the reader to place themselves at the scene ..... so to speak. Anyhow, splendid work and congratulation on your success. best regards STip Started 8.30 and finished about 4pm Stip, had another piece in ma pocket for a late denner. Nae hut ,speyducer just pull the jacket hood up to keep the piece frae getting ower soggy wi the rain. TS
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Post by sinkingtip on Oct 2, 2008 7:21:52 GMT
Yes ! and its much easier on the teeth - false or otherwise ...... now whaurs ma wee bowl o' 'saps' ? your aye STip Re. "last day" - fortunately I still have a couple to look forward to (Tay and Esk) and will contribute if appropriate in due course.
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hf
Active Member
Posts: 1,807
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Post by hf on Oct 2, 2008 7:56:02 GMT
tweedsider... thanks for writing about the last day. Hopefully there will be some good stories from others. Well done on the fish. hf
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salmo
Advisory Board
Posts: 1,814
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Post by salmo on Oct 4, 2008 10:11:16 GMT
Well not exactly the last day for the Tweed system which still has two months to run, but the last day for the season ticket on our Assoc water. A morning which dawned dull and drowy, perfect what better excuse to skive off work, a low river with 1ft 1in on the gauge according to fish Tweed. Fortified with a plate of Scotlands best and two shives of jaggy breid it was off to the river. Parked up a guy skidded to a halt on a moped behind me and all but crapped himself with the speed he shot off downstream, obviously he had his eye on a favourite spot. Never mind off upstream for me, the stream into the Bridge Pool has always been a disappointment to me in any other than 18 ins or more on the gauge, it proved so again ,a disappointment that is never a plook nor a took to a cunningly presented flea. Large strides and acceleration to the top of the beat, to slow and low for the tail of the pool so acroos to fish the neck, where I have never taken a fish although there is a gigantic lie in the shape of a mini sized boulder in the stream. Not a fish to be seen, a good holding pool usually and like the auld maid in the garret never had an offer. Low water and there are fewer fishable runs here, great expectation at a lie I had cleared of weed before the recent spate. Great disappointment when d**n all happened as my size 12 treble chortled over it. Ah! 20 yards downsteam in almost still water that slow draw on the line, wiggle, wriggle a few short runs and the net was being slipped under a spanking fresh bar of silver grilse around the 3lb mark, back it went to procreate another day. The rapid neck into the Boat House looked promising but failed to yield anythng , vast changes in the little bay where you once were able to shuffle over sandy mud and flick a fly under overhanging trees- now its 6ft deep and bare rock. Onwards ever onwards back to the car and avoiding nipping the ends of fingers devoured the 10 o clock , although it had gone 11 am at the time. Pouring down now, lesser more sensible people would have quit, fished a few more places where some crafty weeding had been done, nil- zilch fanny adams jist naithin. Last gasp at the Main Pool which draws the fish hungry like a magnet, four fish had showed there on my last visit, now it was all quiet just the occasional trooty nabbing a late olive from the surface. Yes he was there, a long dogged pull a good fish to be sure, i"f you are decent at all your for the smoker me boy", says I, if I nab you! No long runs or jumps just dogged pull and counter pull, a glimpse of golden bronze tells this is a coloured cock fish. Netted and just about to be returned when a fellow angler arrived in time to take some pics. Back he goes, the suns out now, starving, tired but reasonably well pleased with the result its homward bound. So endeth the day Tweedsider Soup-herb, Rabbie Burns would have been hard pushed to write a better fishing story salmo
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hf
Active Member
Posts: 1,807
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Post by hf on Oct 10, 2008 19:05:35 GMT
Today was my last day on the Association water for 08. The season officially ends next week but I won't have the opportunity to fish again before then. It so happened (as it often seems to;D) that I was able to get a quick half hour on the river about lunch time. Being the last day I thought a little treat wouldn't go wrong and so decided upon a 'singapore chow mein' and a pleasant sit on the bank beforehand to see if anything fresh had come in on the tide. Once it was finished, the rod was set up and I was quickly fishing down the pool hoping for a last day fish of some sort. Nothing had been moving and as I made my way down I came to a little rock outcrop where I decided to stay for longer. I got down onto one of the rocks and happily put a longer line out (wind was down river). On one particularly satisfying cast I let the line pull round and as it did I started to let my mind wander and day dream. Suddenly I was quickly brought back to reality when I felt... my foot slipping and there was nothing I could do stop myself toppling over into about 4/5 feet of water. Drenched!! End of fishing for 08 but one I will never forget!! (and hopefully learn from.) TIme for a break! (next week). hf
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conwyrod
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Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Oct 10, 2008 19:28:07 GMT
A good build up but not the ending I was expecting HF. ;D Bet the water was cold!
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hf
Active Member
Posts: 1,807
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Post by hf on Oct 10, 2008 22:45:50 GMT
A good build up but not the ending I was expecting HF. ;D Bet the water was cold! conwyrod... It has been colder... but not wetter! hf
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Post by Roobarb on Oct 14, 2008 21:17:31 GMT
Last day on the Exe today. After the wettest of summers it has fizzled out a bit over the last week but I thought I’d go for a last chuck anyway. I wasn’t the only one out enjoying sport on Exmoor today, the Devon & Somerset Staghounds were out “exercising the hounds”, odd how they still exercise them near stags… The hunt do seem to be a dying breed, there was no fresh young totty to be seen up on the horses, ho hum. Sharing the woods with a stag hunt isn’t the most relaxing pastime when you have two dogs yourself but we managed to keep mostly out of the way. I did meet a stag who had evaded the hounds coming the other way on a narrow path but he wasn’t too cocky and gave way, I met the same one last week and the bugger stood his ground for five (nervous!) minutes. Anyway, to the fishing. Conditions looked good with a bit of light drizzle and the river running at about six inches, the lowest it’s been since June! First pool, fourth cast and I’m in WHHHAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY Three seconds later the fish lets go, fly and leader wrapped all around the rod top NNNAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH and blast! Next pool gives up a brightish 4lb hen grilse Back you go. A few indifferent pools follow where I’m never disappointed to fail and then I come to my next “fail me never” spot The river here runs in a square sided rock gutter, six feet wide, four feet deep and maybe fifteen feet long. Luckily the fish tuck in against the wall of the gutter on my side so they never see me. If there is one at home here they nearly always take, or at least come to look at, a dibbled fly. First cast over the magic spot up comes a fish and I’m into number two! A slightly more coloured hen. As if that wasn’t enough a bit later on I got a 7lb cock fish from a pool that hasn’t given me anything for years. This one was a strange sort of primrose yellow colour but he refused to lie still for a picture. So all in all a very enjoyable last day. Andy
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Post by robmason on Oct 14, 2008 21:44:54 GMT
Not a bad day to end the season on Andy. I fished the Teign once during the extension and didn't get a sniff. Oddly everyone else seemed to be in amongst them. Still, I've had a much better than average season with 5 salmon so far.....maybe, just maybe there is one in the Yealm with my name on.
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hornet
Active Member
Posts: 1,120
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Post by hornet on Oct 15, 2008 7:23:04 GMT
Sorry HF but i nearly fell off my seat laughing when i read your post . Should have stuck to a black puddin supper and twa onions instead of your Chow !! Well done Andy on a couple of wee crackers. The pics of the river look superb. Cheers Hornet
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conwyrod
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Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Oct 15, 2008 8:13:29 GMT
Excellent report Andy and a great way to end the season.
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salmo
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Post by salmo on Oct 15, 2008 20:31:41 GMT
Last day on the Exe today. After the wettest of summers it has fizzled out a bit over the last week but I thought I’d go for a last chuck anyway. I wasn’t the only one out enjoying sport on Exmoor today, the Devon & Somerset Staghounds were out “exercising the hounds”, odd how they still exercise them near stags… The hunt do seem to be a dying breed, there was no fresh young totty to be seen up on the horses, ho hum. Sharing the woods with a stag hunt isn’t the most relaxing pastime when you have two dogs yourself but we managed to keep mostly out of the way. I did meet a stag who had evaded the hounds coming the other way on a narrow path but he wasn’t too cocky and gave way, I met the same one last week and the bugger stood his ground for five (nervous!) minutes. Anyway, to the fishing. Conditions looked good with a bit of light drizzle and the river running at about six inches, the lowest it’s been since June! First pool, fourth cast and I’m in WHHHAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY Three seconds later the fish lets go, fly and leader wrapped all around the rod top NNNAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH and blast! Next pool gives up a brightish 4lb hen grilse Back you go. A few indifferent pools follow where I’m never disappointed to fail and then I come to my next “fail me never” spot The river here runs in a square sided rock gutter, six feet wide, four feet deep and maybe fifteen feet long. Luckily the fish tuck in against the wall of the gutter on my side so they never see me. If there is one at home here they nearly always take, or at least come to look at, a dibbled fly. First cast over the magic spot up comes a fish and I’m into number two! A slightly more coloured hen. As if that wasn’t enough a bit later on I got a 7lb cock fish from a pool that hasn’t given me anything for years. This one was a strange sort of primrose yellow colour but he refused to lie still for a picture. So all in all a very enjoyable last day. Andy Nice story exerod - it brought back many memories of an earlier life running up and down the somerset hills at night and bumping into wildlife By the way your dog looks like he/she is about to cast ;D ;D ;D salmo
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conwyrod
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Autumn on the Conwy
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Post by conwyrod on Oct 18, 2008 15:13:42 GMT
The salmon season on the Conwy went out with a bit of a whimper when it closed yesterday. A very good season in terms of numbers of fish caught throughout the river, but all the high water from early August onwards meant that the fish ran hard and didn't linger in the pools, which made fly fishing for them a chancy business. Fished yesterday afternoon through to dusk, All I saw was a few colured sea trout rising at the numerous autumn leaves floating down the tail of a good holding pool. Mr and Mrs Salmon are probably high up in the tributaries, so hopefully they will do their business and we'll have a good spawning season. As trudged back to the car a red sky made me think of the few balmy evenings in July when the night fishing for sea trout was possible. A July sea trout:
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Post by shedhed on Oct 26, 2008 18:44:56 GMT
Had my last day on the Wye on Thurs Oct 16th (season ends on 17th Oct) Gromain beat. The river was up about 2ft on marker, about 6-8ins above optimal(or what i would of liked it), but was a successive day of fining out after a previous spate. So color was good. But the amount of flow meant that some of the pools were hairy to wade in. Especially as up this far there are some serious gutters!! Fished where I felt safe. Fished most of the day with a 5' medium sink polyleader and a Autumn Boyo on 15' Odyssey. The downstream wind forced me to practice my Double spey all day. I surprised myself at how generally un-shabby it was. Not pretty but on the whole acceptably functional. This resulted in small trout about 3oz, but mostly leaves, one every other cast. Towards the last hour of daylight I decided to swap to my New Greyline rod and have a play. Fished the pool in front of the hut (Leaning Willow I think) Plenty of space(less bankside trees to pluck your line out of the air) to throw line around, flattish bed to wade on and good flywater. Half way down is a submerged rock, not noted under normal circumstances as a taking spot, but the river was up. I had changed the fly to the ubiquitous cascade #6. Nothing happened while letting the fly drift over and beside the rock. But wading down a bit further the fly swimming about 30' behind the tail of the rock, resulted in another 2/3oz brownie. At least I christened the new rod Decided to give it 10 more mins before packing up while it was still light enough. The cascade drifted down again to where i caught the brownie, bringing a pluck to the fly. Stayed put and cast out to the same place, another pluck. Another cast - nothing this time. Gripping at straws I cast out again, planned to give the fly a little twitch when it reached the spot where I had received the previous plucks. Amazingly the first twitch a fish connected with it. I raised the rod to find a solid bend in the tip. This was no thrashing suicidal brownie, this was solid and was not going anywhere. I reeled in the slack and kept the tension on, started to move towards bank. The fish took a little line and gave a head shake. But otherwise no movement. I reeled back in and kept still, it still was going antwhere, I wasn't having any impression on it at all. It took little more line and gave another head shake(felt like a dog its toy), this time the cascade came skidding across the surface. I had just caught and lost my first salmon, I'm certain of it. Any subsequent casting had gone to sh1t after that, so I called it a day with a big grin. I just ended my inaugural salmon fishing year with a nearly caught. Believe me that makes me happy and itching to get to the new season. ;D
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