If I were going to choose a time for there to be a spate in the spring, I would choose the second week of May, over a weekend.
Why?
1. Because the first sea trout shoals are already appearing off the coast, and the high water should bring them into the South Esk.
2. The Spring salmon run is far from over, and the spate should bring the later running spring fish into the river, thereby supplementing the considerable numbers of 2SW salmon already in the deeper pools of the middle and upper river
3. The nets are currently supposed to be ‘off’ (not operating), observing the statutory weekend slap (from 1800 on Friday to 0600 on Monday). The trouble is that these mandatory weekend closures by the nets are carried out for less than 40 percent of the total number of weekends of the fishing season (2010 figures) on the grounds of “health & safety”. You don’t have to be a cynic to question the need for that.
Castle Beat. This is the view looking across Pheasantry towards David’s Treehouse from the Finavon Hill side at 1100 on Sunday 8 May 2011
Back to my thesis: the second weekend of May and we have a roaring spate, with the rain still pelting down. Despite the problems, I still believe that this is the optimum time for stocking the South Esk with the last of the Spring run of salmon and the first, usually larger, sea trout of the summer runs which should continue well into July, peaking in a normal year in the last week of June.
People who read this Bulletin Blog will have noticed that we are of an optimistic mindset. That is perhaps true, but this time, with the river unobstructed & open to the sea (we hope), there are grounds for our optimism!
TA
Postscript added on 14 May. The good water level stayed with us all week as the South Esk gradually resumed normal spring service after an unseasonally violent spate. Yesterday (13/5) and today we caught a salmon each day, saw a few more, as well as the welcome sight of some fine sea trout. In the next few days we are expecting showers and cool temperatures, struggling at night to get much above freeezing. My guess is that the extended spring run, steady rather than prolific, will continue with most of these 2sw fish heading quickly for the hills. I am told by members of the Kirriemuir Angling Club that there are good numbers of salmon above Dunbog Farm and well up into Glen Clova, but they are difficult to catch in bright and chilly conditions – typical east coast May weather. There are some spare rods available for spring salmon fishing in the next fortnight. If you are interested please phone me 07748 634 658, or Moray Macfarlane 07835 717 150.