It was a steady week of weather, with another rise of water levels caused by mild daytime temperatures and midweek snowmelt. A bright full moon, cold starry nights and a touch of early morning frost made for beautiful conditions, complimented by sunshine and blue skies. It was great to see more anglers on the river, with several beats getting underway and 10 reporting salmon to their rods. A promising start to the month of March.
News from the beats
I hear via the grapevine that long-time Dee visitor , Arni Baldursson was fishing on the lower river last week and landed a springer from the Mill Pool at West Durris on Wednesday. Congratulations to him and we hope he enjoys his second week on the Dee, this time on the upper beats.
Above Banchory at Cairnton and Middle Blackhall, Brian Brogan hosted Kent Harkansson’s party, returning from Sweden. They fished Cairnton all week and, although everyone had encounters and saw fish, Kent was the lucky one—landing a 9lb salmon on a Monkey in the Malt Steep on Wednesday afternoon. Just ten minutes later, regular visitor Andy Ashcroft landed an 8lb fish on a Willie Gunn from the opposite side. Well done to them both.
Brian reported water heights of 4’5” on Monday, which settled back as the week progressed. He noted a small rise on Thursday, with levels finishing at 2’5” and dropping by Saturday.
Angus Rutherford reported from the Upper Blackhall beat, saying that he saw the first real appearance of oyster catchers along their banks. The beat has some availability in late April and May and is a lovely spot on the river for spring fishing, details on FishPal.
Sluie had one fish for the week, a first Dee salmon for Cathal Morgan from the Lower Jetty Pool on Thursday, a lovely springer tempted by a Dee monkey and estimated at 8lb, a great Dee memory for him, congratulations.
I heard from Alice Nicol at the Ballogie Estate beats, she let me know that Alex Davies fished Ballogie beat Mon 2nd – Wed 4th last week. He enjoyed his stay in Ford Cottage on the estate with his dog and was delighted to catch a salmon too. From the photo it looks like a mirror-bright springer, well done to him.
Ali McEwan from the Lower Dess beat reported on their social media that the consistently high water hasn’t suited them so far this season. He was therefore delighted to net their first fish of the year—a solid, silver 14lb salmon caught on Thursday by guest angler Keith Gambriel. It took the springtime favourite fly; a Dee Monkey fished on a full S3 line. Let’s hope it’s the first of many for both the beat and the angler.
Graeme Simpson, whom some of you may know, is ghillieing this season. He dropped me a message to say that Aboyne Castle was lightly fished last week, but the syndicate rods were out on Craigendinnie. Iain Mitchell landed a 9lb fish from the Jockie Fyfe Pool on Tuesday, taken on a copper-bodied Dee Monkey. Well done to Iain — that’s the beat off to a good start.
Craig McDonald from Cambus O’May dropped me a note to say it was good to be back out on river again and conditions were good on their beat after it dropped back from high water on Monday. Auction winner Jerome Brunet and team were on holiday from France staying in Birkelunn and fishing. They enjoyed themselves but no fish this time sadly, but there was a little action with couple of kelts. Keep an eye on FishPal later in the month as the beat may have some late availability showing online.
There were fish to the rods at Little Blackhall & Inchmarlo, Woodend and Kincardine. If you were fishing at any of those locations then please get in touch and I can add your stories in next week.
In other news…
I’m looking forward to our first Come & Try Day at Banchory this Saturday, 14th March. We have 10 enthusiastic newcomers keen to try fly fishing. Many thanks in advance to the Banchory beat, Twin Peakes Fly Fishing, and our wonderful volunteers for their support—perhaps helped along by my promise of a hot Sheridan’s pie for lunch and Shona’s delicious homemade soup! With a bit of luck, we might even see a fish to the rods; we managed it a couple of years ago.
Tight lines.
DC
Debbie Cooper
debbie@riverdee.org