Blackpowder Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Over the past two weeks we have had some welcome summer rain here in the Scottish Borders bringing some spate water and a few fresh salmon into the Tweed tributary where the local association has salmon fishng rights. It is great to tackle up by the river side when you can see the river is clearing to that beery colour between porter and Belhaven Best. Its shouting SALMON! River levels suggested an intermediate line, and a fast sinking leader to fish the fast run above the bridge, down through the faster water into the start of the pool proper. The magic moment in salmon angling the line draws tight, the reel screams and a fish is on. This fish decided to run upstream tight against the far bank and there was a strange sense of power being fed through the line and rod, it leapt quite a modest fish around 8lbs or so. Then like torpedo on steroids it shot downstream, where incidentaly it was impossible to follow due to the tree lined bank and deep water, the backing was well down when it decided to stop and return upstream a little. The backing was scarcely regained when it was of again almost under the bridge arches. This time it was apparent that something was amiss as the fish came to the surface and lay like a dead weigh Eventually by pumping the rod and then resorting to winching with the rod level, the fish was brought within netting range which proved impossible so it was dragged to the bank to reveal a fish foul hooked six inches forward of the tail. Held in the water with head upstream for five minutes the fish recovered and with a kick was gone, amazing as it had been dragged upstream for fifty yards with the gills acting as sea anchors. Fast forward another week, another spate and fishing into the same lie, again pure magic, line tightens reel sings and the fight is on. With quite a heavy spate in the stream this fish gave a good account of itself taking the reel well down before it was brought under control. First attempt at netting failed with the leader being out and in the top rings several times before again it came into position for netting. Ping the rod straightened, the sinking leader fell across my wrist, with unusual presance of mind this was grabbed and now became an interesting experience of having a still lively salmon on the end of what was now a handline. A bit more presance of mind would have had me picking up the landing net , but, as it was the fish was drawn near enough to be able to grab it by the tail. A measure to which the fish objected as it shot off again, fortunately breaking the line where it had wrapped round my pinkie. In examination of the braided loop on the end of the line this was found to be chaffed through I would think due to the reputed friction in and out of the top rod rings while the rod was under extreme tension, certainly ewhen changing leaders on a previous outing nothing was seen to be amiss with the now failed item. Exciting just the same! Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beretta Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 sounds like a great couple of weeks you had. always been an ambition of mine to catch a fresh salmon but doubt it will ever come to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollie Posted July 29, 2011 Report Share Posted July 29, 2011 Great rite up and was enjoyable to read. Just like Beretta I have always wanted to catch a Salmon and I hope one day to achieve this. I have caught plenty of sea trout but unfortunately our little river doesn't get a big run of salmon anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 Hi guys thanks for the reply, I did have a couple of fish on the bank and lost two others during this period. Some salmon angling can be had at a reasonable price in Scotland so dont despair it is not all £1000 a day. Where I described costs £150 a season Feb to Nov. Even private beats off season offer salmon angling for less than £50 per day and I have had fish from those beats. Have a look at Fishpal or Fish Scotland, click on salmon beats and find your way to prices and booking. Or if you have a specific river in mind such as Spey, click Google Fish Spey and follow the route above. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hushpower Posted July 30, 2011 Report Share Posted July 30, 2011 good write up,do they still use tailers on salmon still ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted July 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 31, 2011 good write up,do they still use tailers on salmon still ? No they are banned in Scotland if not England also, my unsuccessful tailing was an attempt by hand to grsp the wrist of the tail. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul87 Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 (edited) My father was recently fishing on a river in Donegal and hooked a decent fish. He had been playing it up and down the pool for around 20 to 25 mins when it shot off down stream emptying his reel of fly line and onto his 20 lb mono backing (silly man). Well to cut a long story short the backing snapped and the fish took off with the fly line still attached, he followed the line down stream and waded into the water to retrieve the line. He managed to grab the last nine or so inches of the fly line (sink tip) which was floating on the surface and tried to play the fish by hand. But the fish took off again and without the forgiving flex of the rod he could only try to follow the fish, he couldn't follow it fast enough and then it happened the dreaded pinging back of the line. He retrieved the line thinking the leader would have been broke only to find that the hook had been straightened. In all this time he never seen the whole fish just the top of the head and a bit of the tail. He has been salmon fishing now for 35+ years and in his experience with lack of sighting of the fish, length of play and the fight still left in the fish it was definately a 16 lb+ salmon. A few days prior to this on the same river he hooked another. He had been using 8lb leader on another river which had just started it's run of grilse but never changed it when going to this river which hadn't had many fish run it due to lack of rain throuhout the beginning of the season. Anyway the fish took the fly and started its run down towards my brother who was fishing below him it got maybe 20 yards and as my father tried to slow it (coming to the bottom of the pool) the leader snapped. It happened right in front of my brother who seen the fish and was able to see it was at least 12 lbs in weight. The mandatory selective few swear words followed with the after thought of what could have been, hind sight is a wonderful thing and he learnt a valuable lesson (change leader to suit the river). They ended up having a good 4 days on the river with 9 salmon landed between them the biggest being 12lb and the smallest 4 lb with an 11 lb, 2x 9 lb and 2x 7 lb fish with a few more lost. It was obvious from these 2 accounts and another angler catching a 22 lb salmon a few days before hand that it was just getting its spring run of fish so to speak. It was good to hear of your experiences blackpowder I just hope mine make sense. Paul Edited August 1, 2011 by paul87 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpowder Posted August 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Yes Paul, nothing surprises me in fishing, it appears that your team eventually had a very successful spell. Pure magic. Blackpowder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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