River Don 20/10/11

After a welcome rise on the Don yesterday I headed out for a cast after my work tonight. The water had risen 6" or so over night and was carrying just a wee tinge of colour. I didn't get a touch until I was making my way back down river to head home. I hooked a fish just off a well known lie at the tail of the pool. After a short but spirited fight, I landed a coloured cock fish around the 5lb mark. I didn't see many fish tonight but a few fresh fish showed after clearing the weir. Earlier in the day from the same pool my Dad landed and returned a nice fish of about 12lbs. Here are some pictures of the fish from today. Roll on Saturday!

My 5lb grilse from the tail of Cothal Mill pool just above the weir at 5.10pm this evening. It's nice to finally land a fish this time as I've lost about 4 in the last month or so.

My Dad's fish estimated at about 12lb which took a worm. He was fortunate to land the fish as it was very lightly hooked in the scissors and when banked the hook fell out.

River Don 18/10/11

My Dad was out fishing the Lower Don for a couple of hours this afternnon and landed a nice hen salmon around the 7lb mark. It was a wet and windy afternoon so hopefully the rain on the high ground will be enough to lift the river level a wee bit, just to freshen things up before the season ends. Apart from the odd spate, the Don has been hovering around the 7" for most of the year. Here is a picture of his fish just before being returned.

A fine reward for braving the wind and rain this afternoon.

Lower Dess - River Dee 08/10/2011

This Saturday, my friend Charlie Robertson was delighted to accept an invitation to fish as a guest on this beautiful area of Royal Deeside. With the weather pretty good and the water a good height , he managed to land a brace. Both his fish took a Silver Ally's tied on a 1/2" copper tube. This is a fly Charlie does really well with during summer and the back end. He landed a 15lb cock salmon from the Pitslug pool and a 9lb hen salmon from the Jock Rae pool. Well done to him and he has kindly sent me some pictures from his day.

Looking downstream toward the Mill from Rossach. This pool looks a lot different from when I fished it from the Carlogie side back in February when the water was about 6' higher.

Returning a 15lber from the above pool.

Looking upstream toward Pitslug. Charlie commented that it is one of, if not THE best pools he has ever cast a line.

A nice picture of the Mill and the water wheel.

Another classic looking bit of fly water on Royal Deeside.

A quick picture of a hen salmon from the Jock Rae pool.

One of the huts on the beat which like all fishing huts, has had many fishing stories told in them over the years.

My uncle, Stuart Fleming was also on the Dee this weekend and he manged to land a hat-trick of salmon at Tilbouries. He landed all fish with-in a 45 minute period. Another rod landed 6 for his day. Willie Banks, the beat owner and ghillie managed the other one. Sounds like Saturday was a good day to be on the Dee!

Manar Beat - River Don 1/10/11

Here is a picture of a 6lb Hen Salmon from the Don at Manar. The fish took a size 10 Silver Ally's in the Upper Wood pool. It was caught by Charlie Robertson around 4.30pm yesterday. The fish was returned and swam away strongly. He commented on the really subtle take which he initially thought was a trout. Well Done.

A quick picture of Charlie's fish in the net before release.