A Day On The Dee At Park

I've just had my annual August day on the famous Park beat on the River Dee. I had been keeping a close eye on the water heights because apart from this trip, every other time I've been to Park the Dee has been in spate! I was to be lucky today though as the water height was only 9" on the beat gauge. The catches for the beat this week have been really good so I was full of anticipation and was eager to get going.

I arrived at the hut about 8.30am and after the usual cup of coffee and meet and greets I tackled up with the same tactics which were successful last week at Kincardine. This set up was a RIO AFS intermediate tip shooting head, a 10ft slow sink polyleader and a #13 Cascade. I was allocated Beat 3 in the morning and Beat 6 in the afternoon. I set off up to Beat 3 and was to start in the Greenbanks. The Greenbanks is a cracking pool with a really nice streamy run coming off the faster water at the neck. There were plenty fish showing just off the run and most of them looked fresh. After 45 minutes or so, the rod fishing in the same pool but on the South bank landed a nice fresh grilse so that was encouraging to see that they were at least catchable today. Keith Cromar the ghillie arrived with the owner of the beat to inspect some eroding banks and just as they made their way back to the cars my line was drawn away and I lifted into a lively fish. After 5 minutes or so of storming runs and a cartwheels, Keith slid the net under a 6-7lb bar of silver covered in sea-lice. Nice way to start my morning. And to land it in front of the future Laird of the estate too. I fished on through the Greenbanks and the top part of Castleton without another touch but the South Park rod did manage anothe small grilse from the neck of the House Pool.

At lunch time, after exchanging stories of catches etc, it turned out that all the fish were caught in the space of an hour or so which was to end up, apart from a 10lber from the Celler Pool caught late in the afternoon, to be the only time the fish were really in a taking mood all day.

I headed down to Beat 6 after lunch to fish the Bridge Pool and Keith's Pot. The Bridge pool is a fantastic cast and I was just waiting for the line to go tight every time my fly swung through the pool. Although there were plenty fish showing I didn't connect to any which was frustrating but that's fishing for you. This is why we anglers keep coming back and trying to catch these wonderful creatures.

About 6pm I headed up to fish Beat 1 to fish all the way down to the hut before heading home. Again there were plenty fish in evidence especially in the Park Inn but they were running quickly upstream and were not in the mood to stop and take my fly.

I always enjoy fishing at Park and will return early next year to try and land the most prized catch of all, a Dee Springer. Here are some pictures from my day yesterday.

Greenbanks Pool. A lovely cast and a pleasure to fish.

Good start to the day. A sea-liced Salmon from the Greenbanks landed about 10.15am. Always good to get a fish early on.

The Bridge Pool named obviously due to the Park Bridge in the background. First time I have fished on Beat 6 but I really liked it so hopefully next time the water will be in my favour again because it only fishes in lower water.

Keith's Pot. This is the pool belwo the Park Bridge and always has fish splashing in it when I pass over the bridge. Today was no differant but they were not interested in my flies unfortunately.

A nice view looking downstream from Cooper's into the Long Pool then furthest away, Upper Kirks.