ADAA Junior Day On The Dee

The Aberdeen and District Angling Association hosted a Junior Members day on the River Dee at Altries and Lower Drum today. The weather was kind to us today with just a slight breeze and good, overcast conditions. The water was in really good ply and was sitting around 1ft 10in on the gauge.

Seven junior members came along to learn spey casting with AAPGAI instructor Ben Dixon and also to learn the basics of fishing with spinners. Each junior in attendance was paired up with an adult member who was on hand to assist with their casting and to generally give advice when required.

Unfortunately, and not for the want of trying, nothing was caught this year but everyone went away happy at the end of the day and hopefully, a lot more confident about the way they go about their fishing.

A thank you must go to renowned, local fly tier, Philip Glendinning who kindly donated a bag of flies for each junior who attended today. I'm sure they will get well used judging by the good feedback we got from the kids who all said they would like to get out and try to catch a salmon. The ADAA would also like to thank an oil company (who would like to remain anonymous) for generously paying for the lunch laid on for all who attended today, it was very much appreciated. Finally, a big thanks to the beat and it's ghillie, Kevin Fleming for allowing us to have the day there and to all the volunteers who gave up their time to help out today.

It is always good getting the younger kids involved in fishing and to see some of them become competent casters having never tried it before is even more pleasing. Hopefully the seeds are sown and we see them all on the river bank in the very near future.

Here are a few pictures from today.

The ADAA Land Rover and the beat's fishing hut.

Alistair had never cast a double handed fly rod before today but was a really quick learner and his casting was very good by the end of the day, even into the wind. Well done Alistair.

17 year old Sean Rennie fishing the fly in the Hut Pool. Sean is an excellent caster and is a very keen angler already.

Looking downstream in the Hut Pool. Was bubbling with trout this afternoon when the March Browns were hatching.

Ghillie, Keviin Fleming rows us back over to the hut to begin packing up..

Some of the lads show off their packets of flies kindly donated by Philip Glendinning.

Discussing the day and handing out the last of the sweets!

Posing for a group picture after another successful ADAA Junior Outing. Looking forward to the next one.

Aberdeen & District Angling Association Junior Day

The Aberdeen & District Angling Association held an open day on the Altries & Lower Drum beat of the River Dee. It was set up by my uncle Stuart Fleming and ghillie Kevin Fleming along with proprietor of the estate in order to encourage younger members to branch out into salmon fishing. With the aid of top casting instructors Jim Fearn and Ben Dixon, the young lads were soon inducted, tackled up and raring to go. Some of the lads were already keen fishers but had never caught salmon before and it was great to be able to help out and try to pass on tips or be on hand to offer advice when required.

The morning session started about 10am and the first fish of the day was soon landed. A lively wee sea trout kelt was netted which was caught by Matt. He soon followed this up by landing 2 more kelts of the same species and losing another. This sparked a bit of healthy competition between him and his pal Shaun.

I took a couple of the older lads down to a pool called Donal' Garth but apart for a hit on a toby which came to nothing, we didn't manage to connect with any fish. We went onto fish the Pike Hole and Greenbank without any joy either.

After a quality spread of bacon butties (expertly cooked by Benny), sandwiches, sweets and juice, we were back on the water. Kevin and Jim took a group of lads over the river on the boat and up to fish Alfred's Pot. Whist fishing the Pot one of them landed a salmon kelt which Jim netted and photographed for, I think his name was Conner? Apologies if I got the name wrong! Although a kelt, having never hooked a salmon before this made his day and you could see his delight in playing and landing the fish. This is exactly why the day was put on in the first place and these moments are never forgotten. They enthuse the youngsters to get out on the river fishing on a regular basis and hopefully onto become the next generation of anglers filling rods on the Dee and Don. Shortly before this, in the Hut Pool, another lad called Shaun hooked a big salmon kelt which after a good scrap was netted by the ghillie Kevin.

By the end of the days fishing, between 9 youngsters, 5 kelts were landed and many of them learned new techniques which will come in useful during their fishing careers. Even some of the adults were taught new things and how to cast double handed salmon rods! Overall, I think everyone left the beat eager to get out fishing again and hopefully keen to get out on the many miles of fishings the Aberdeen & District Angling Association has to offer.

Here are some pictures from today.

The group of youngsters and volunteers pose for a photo along with Jim Fearn (centre), Ben Dixon (far right) and ghillie, Kevin Fleming (5th in from right).

Kevin ferries Jim Fearn and a few of the lads back to the hut after fishing Alfred's Pot.

Back ashore to tell of catches from the other bank.

Looking downstream toward Maryculter House Hotel from the Highbank pool. I had a cast in here with the fly before heading off for lunch.

Looking upstream  into Donal' Garth from mid river. Stuart Fleming shows the lads where to cast in the Pike Hole.

Altries Hut Pool looking downstream. A lovely pool which fishes the fly very well and where Shaun landed his big salmon kelt.