tweedsider
Active Member
Quietness is best
Posts: 993
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Post by tweedsider on Oct 24, 2007 17:39:16 GMT
The thread on this page, "Fly size" seems to have transformed into one about effects of tide times on catches. Closely allied to tide times regarding river fishing is the rate fish will ascend a river. We have all seen salmon at caulds and weirs forcing a way up, or running rapidly through shallow water. I have a contact in the netting industry who tells me that normally in a fair depth of water a salmon will proceed upriver at 3mph, or the same speed that a reasonably fit person would attain along flat terrain. Have forum members found this out to be the case?
Tweedsider
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
Posts: 4,659
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Post by conwyrod on Oct 24, 2007 17:53:54 GMT
Interesting question TS.
My immediate reaction was 2-3mph seems about right to me, as an average speed - based on what I've read or heard.
An interesting guide would be to find out how far up big rivers, like Tweed/Spey/Tay/Dee, are sea liced fish caught. I think long tailed lice mean the fish has entered the river within 24 hours.
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Post by Roobarb on Oct 24, 2007 18:21:55 GMT
On one small river I fish they run much quicker than walking pace straight off the tide, you would have to jog to keep up with them but they only seem to keep this pace up for about half a mile. After that they slow right up and may only get 2 miles on that day. This is in summer when they come in on an early morning tide.
In autumn and winter I've often followed fish (salmon and sea trout) on their final spawning run in the upper reaches and these move at a quick walking pace, on the typical rough moorland terrain they can swim faster than I can comfortably walk. This is in very small streams with rough water to be tackled every 5 or 10 yards.
Going back to the original question how much does the steepness of a river affect the speed at which they can run? Most of the long distance runners quoted in this sort of thread are from East coast rivers which are relatively flat (and long!). What is the greatest altitude at which sea liced fish have been found?
Andy
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