Best Month

[Tyne Andrew]

I keep my records on excel so it easy for me to see which month is typically most fruitful in the season.

44% of my total salmon catch has been in October and it is always a month I look forward to, especially on the Tyne system.

Which is your best month?

[sinkingtip]

My best month tends to be August.

Mainly due to the fact that I take a rod for the week early in the month on a prime piece of South Esk water - a beat which I know intimately and tend to do OK on.
At this time of the season the water is usually hoachin with grilse - I average about 20 fish plus a handful of sea trout (usually past there best by then) for the week.
I fish only the last and first couple of hours or so - 8-10.30pm and 3.30 -5.30am - 'kipping it out' in the fishing hut in between times.

Later in the month I 'hold the fort' for the week on a weel kent middle Tay beat where, depending on whether or not we have the full compliment of paying guests, I can usually add to this tally if I wish.

For the remainder of the month, or the weeks in between, I will fish my syndicated water on the South Esk a couple of evenings / dawn's a week during which will usually stick another handful of fish on the overall monthly total.

August for me.
STip

[Tyne Andrew]

Sounds like a nice week you have there 'tip and very productive

I suppose a lot depends on which rivers you fish

[robmason]

I voted July, although it soon wont be the way the grilse keep getting later and later.

[conwyrod]

Voted September, but in the case of N Wales it's probably a close run thing between September and October, and generally down to when the rain falls.

June/July/August is mainly sea trout time, and a salmon after a spate is a bonus.

[Roobarb]

June for me. A bit surprising for a Westcountry based angler. My June fish come from the chalkstreams and the odd one from the Exe before the summer droughts set in. It always used to be September but with faltering grilse runs on the Exe it just isn't reliable any more. In 2006 I got over half my fish (9) in May.
June is also best in another way, the quality of the fish, big silver ones instead of small brown ones!
I'll probably blank for the rest of the summer and then have a bumper October now


Andy

[shedhed]

Jun 14, 2008 14:00:39 GMT Tyne Andrew said:

44% of my total salmon catch has been in October

What percentage of your seasons fishing is done in October?

[conwyrod]

Jun 14, 2008 17:26:04 GMT shedhed said:

Jun 14, 2008 14:00:39 GMT Tyne Andrew said:

44% of my total salmon catch has been in October

What percentage of your seasons fishing is done in October?

TA will be doing an in depth analysis of his spreadsheet right now. ;D

[Tyne Andrew]

;D

Don't really measure the time component.

I basically fish when there is water in the river, and during October there is usually plenty. I probably spend more time fishing in Oct' than most other months.

Having said that, there is no doubt, in my mind, that when I am out in October (on the Tyne especially) my expectations are often highest.

[speyghillie]

Without question the 'Spey in May.'

This year, we had over 50 fish for our 3 rods with a large percentage in mid-teens with sea-lice. I know that numbers wise, the end of the season is far better but the quality of these fish, river and overhead conditions and method of fishing in May, in my opinion is certainly my favourite time. Having said that, I only caught 5 fish myself but had to leave a few for the guests..... ;D

[hornet]

May for me and it's got to be the North Esk.

Cheers

Hornet