DIVERD Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 The Diver Dave wader team had another red letter day out this week. We try to take a day clear of work once a month and go fishing or stalking together, and after successful outings to the Dee and Spey we were looking for another fishing venue. After repairing a couple of pairs of waders for Ghillie and goose guide John Lewis we were invited to join him on the Ythan Estuary, an area I probably had not fished for 30 years. Bob and Iain are keen sea trout anglers, I am more of a salmon angler so I suppose it was a fair compromise. The plan was to meet at the Newburgh Bridge at 0630, and catch the second part of the rising tide, initially fishing from the bank. We were to tool up with Tasmanian devils, a substitute for Sutherland specials, and terrors, long sand eel type flies, so both spinning and fly rods were required. We started with a dram at the bridge, to wish the team luck. The tide was low and dropping, and we had to start reasonably quickly. Iain on one bank and Bob and I on the other, we started with the Tazzies, and on his first cast Iain was into a very lively fish, which jumped regularly before he landed a fine sea liced sea trout of about 3lbs. We waved our congratulations as he landed the fish. However we rather changed our waves as he hooked another fish a couple of casts later. Two seatrout landed within the first half hour. I then went on to catch a series of finnock, I think 3 before I hooked and lost 3 good seatrout in about 15 minutes. It was rapid action fishing! However as the river dropped the fishing slowed, so we moved on and took out our fly rods. The sun was bright, but the wind was rising and I was finding it tricky to get a reasonable line out, however, struggling of both Iain and Bob landed good sea trout, probably a couple of pounds at least each. The tide turned and we decided to have lunch, and take a break. It was already a successful day, and now it was very bright and sunny, but also really quite windy. The plan now was to fish from the boat, on the rapidly rising tide. What was surprising now was the number of seals, there must have been hundreds, surfing up the river on the ride. John got us sorted out with the boats and we whizzed off up river, anchoring in a river flowing very rapidly up stream! The incoming tide had huge power and it was not like harling on the Tay, as the river was both wide and powerful. Action was slower now, we could see Bob and John on the other boat, anchored a short distance away taking the odd finnock, but action was distinctly slower, Iain and I were struggling – in what was a baking hot day. We moved a couple of times until john guided us into a quiet bay The action was not frantic, with fish tugging and following the lure to the boat each cast. It was like a rainbow fishery on a sunny afternoon, except these were wild sea liced seatrout, and fought like demons. We lost numerous fish, had tugs and pulls most casts and landed a good few. There must have been hundreds of fish in the bay! We ended up with 16 seatrout to 5 ½ lbs, my biggest in probably 30 years! All of us had fish to 3lbs and additionally all had numerous finnock, probably 8 – 10 each. All this on a sunny day, fishing in salt water, Scottish seatrout fishing does not get better. The fishery has a 2 fish limit per rod, thereafter it is C&R. Though the estuary is split into a number of beats and has a small angling club there is tons of available fishing water. It is stunning value at £30 a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Amazing !!!!!!!!!!! Well done!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIVERD Posted June 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 A very special day out, what was surprising is that it is like this everyday for months! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ack-ack Posted June 18, 2011 Report Share Posted June 18, 2011 Nice write up chap, glad you're having some sport up there. Tight lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Hi fella.Can you tell me where you get the tickets from and is it the Newburgh side you were on?Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Good write up and picture, thats my appetite wetted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cranfield Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Most enjoyable read, I haven't been sea trout fishing for years, but that certainly got me thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tycoon01 Posted June 19, 2011 Report Share Posted June 19, 2011 Great write up well done. :good: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DIVERD Posted June 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Unfortunately the memory of the day is now rather tarnished, as a number of complaints have been made, because there is 8 fish in the photograph on some of the other forums. There is a 2 fish limit on the fishery and there were only three of us in the photo. For those who felt it necessary to complain, I did not mention the fourth member of our party, as he was not one of the wader repair team and it was a story about our fishing trip. He was the one holding the camera! This is the first fish I have kept, from my records in 8 years - every other fish has gone back. It is the first sea trout I have ever taken from the Ythan. I am a great believer in conservation, and as a past chairman and now manager of the River Don Trust, and Director of the Dee Trust I certainly do my bit for this. The others in the photo are also on trusts and boards, and make enormous efforts to manage and conserve the stocks on our rivers I hope that those who have complained are working to conserve the stocks in all our rivers, and make the efforts that we have made in recent years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Nice bag, sounds almost comical you've been slated for 8 fish and 3 of you in the picture. You'd imaging they worked out there was someone holding the camera as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 re the complainers trying to stitch you up, There's lots of petty minded, jealous (ahhh)souls out there sadly Ignore Them :yes: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clydebuilt Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 Seatrout from the salt are one of the finest sporting quarry the UK has to offer IMHO, rock hard, fight like demons and best of all, taste beautiful. I too practise catch and release with most of my Salmon and Seatrout however, I'm not a 100% catch and release maniac, I take a few fish a year for the pot and thoroughly enjoy eating them. I presume the Ythan fisheries board (or whoever decides the policies) have bag limit for a reason, your not breaking the law, taking a harvest of fish is your reward, christ, back in the day they'd have all been chapped but think on, the Ythan has become a fantastic fishery in it's own right and that's not because it's C&R. Well done Dave, I enjoy your posts on stalking ans fishing as we have similar interests, now, get the smoker and brown bread out, food fit for a king!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted June 20, 2011 Report Share Posted June 20, 2011 A great result Dave, its a place I have always wanted to fish but never so far got around to it. Sounds exciting there in the boat with the tide surging upstream. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Fished the ythan least week couple of finnock between the thre of us :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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