A week of wild weather gave our anglers and the fish plenty of challenges, one minute we had thunder and lightning, the next we had wild wind and even some sunshine in between. Water levels were quite low, but not unusually so for August. Just over 70 salmon/grilse reported to FishPal this week. It is full moon today as I type my report, so hopefully we will have some higher tides to bring a few fish in and then there rain on the forecast this week so the fish should be able to move up the river. Yesterday was bright and sunny and today there is a nip in the air as if the seasons are changing already.
Around the beats
Starting right on the lower end of the Dee this week with a couple of fish at Ardoe & Murtle, an 18lber on Saturday was the biggest salmon on the river this week, there is availability on this beat in the coming weeks as it has just come onto FishPal – have a look here – https://www.fishpal.com/Scotland/Dee/ArdoeandMurtle/
Altries has a few salmon this week, as did the next beat at Tilbouries with one of them at 12lb on Thursday this week.
Upper Drum and Lower Durris had a salmon and 8 sea trout, and at Park there were 10 salmon and a sea trout for their rods this week. Lower Crathes & West Durris had 4 salmon and 4 sea trout.
Will from Twin Peakes Fly-Fishing let me know that some of their clients had their first ever salmon on the Crathes Castle beat this week, well done to James How with a 4lber, Geogina Fenn with a 5lber, and Chris with his 1st ever salmon from the Island Pool, some great Dee memories made.
At Banchory , with low water levels on the river it has been a thin week with a Sunray Shadow getting most of the action! There were some resident grilse about and Gary Symonds, visiting from New Jersey caught a one on Friday from the Feugh mouth of 3lb.
Brian Brogan at Cairnton & Middle Blackhall mentioned unsettled the river was, however, they did have 1 salmon and 3 grilse and were unlucky not to land more with a few fish lost also. After the thunder/lightening cleared away on Monday, Jacquey Goodchild managed a lovely 4lb grilse from the Grey Mare. On Wednesday Andy Blundell had a 5lb grilse in Salt Vat. On Thursday Andy Ashcroft had a 5lb grilse from Canary and not to be out done Stephen Goodchild landed a fresh 7lber in the Cottage on Friday. Brian did say river heights were 3” on Monday and after a few rises mid-week finished at 7” on Saturday. Water temperatures were 55f/60f.
Peter Jones dropped me a note to let me now that Aboyne Water had another very good week, with 9 salmon/grilse and 4 sea trout to their two rods. No records broken, but he told me their total of 29 salmon/grilse since the beginning of July is their second best since 2012, and the salmon/grilse total for last week (full week 28 of the season) has been beaten only once (narrowly, in 2022) in the last 21 seasons. Let’s hope this trend continues!
Fishing guide, Scott Rutherford sent me a note to tell me about a first salmon, on the first time salmon fishing for Alba Game Fishing guest Laurent Charade last week, an 8lb fish from Bank pool on Waterside & Ferrar, Glentanar. After losing a fish in the morning Laurent hooked the cock fish on a green butt cascade, well done to him.
At Craigendinnie Richard Harries landed a 4lb grilse from Upper Fontie on a size 12 Cascade followed by a 3lb sea trout in Middle Fontie.
To round things off there were 3 salmon/grilse to the Crathie rods at the top of the river, with the biggest being 16lb on Friday.
Other beats with fish to their rods this week were, Little Blackhall & Inchmarlo, Upper Blackhall, Sluie, Dess, Birse, Dinnet and Cambus O’May,
If you were fishing the Dee last week and I have not mentioned you, then do drop me a note or give me a call and I can include details on your trip next week, deadline is 2pm on a Monday.
Debbie Cooper
07979 878971
Pictured
Fish to the rod of Laurent Charade at Waterside in August 2024.