Storms, high water and running fish

Yesterday (Wednesday 6th April) there were high winds all over Scotland and, with temperatures hitting 18C in the eastern glens, the last ‘glaciers’ in the high corries continued to melt. These conditions kept water levels high, but the water temperature remained fairly low. We had a good team of rods, who concentrated on the pools downstream of Red Brae. Apart from the odd pull and the occasional flash of silver from a running fish there was little action. Further up the river on Milton Beat conditions, thanks to a powerful Force 8 gusting 9 gale, were exciting – to say the least – for fishing the fly, but with the SW wind behind me I sort-of fished the whole of the Boat pool, including Willows and the head of the Flats. It was too high for Tyndals, even if one could have got across to fish it.

After fishing the most likely lies with a fly (2″ Willie Gunn) I gave up the struggle against the howling gale and resorted to a 2.5″ Rapala. I immediately hooked a 12lbs fresh fish (no sealice) at the Willows which took a good 30 metres of line off the reel before stopping somewhere in the deepest section of the Boat Pool. Another beautiful spring salmon in excellent condition, duly returned.

Fishing down Willows

The forecast is for brighter & warmer weather over the next few days which should provide good conditions for fishing the fly. We can even start thinking about fishing the fly higher up in the water column with smaller flies as the temperature rises.

TA 7/4/2011

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