This week we had a real autumn feel to the air and as I am driving up and down Deeside I can see some of the trees are starting to turn rusty, and it is only August! I am hearing that there are many more coloured fish being seen in the river and to the rods as well, so this is another sign of the seasons progressing. This week there was a salmon of at least 25lb caught on the lower river, the biggest recorded for a couple of years as I recall, more about that in the report below. In total we had over 80 salmon and over 30 sea trout to the Dee rods this week. I hope all of you taking the Bank Holiday have had chance to get some time on the river.
Around the beats
This week we had the beats fairly well fished with salmon recorded from the lower beats of Ardoe & Myrtle right up to Crathie, near Braemar.
So, let’s get right onto the big news and congratulations to Tilbouries syndicate member David Cairns, who dropped me an e mail to tell me about his fish of a lifetime, caught on Friday 23 August from the Lawson pool at Tilbouries.
The fish was hooked in the early evening. David confirmed the fish was handled gently, not damaged and shot off after a few seconds of recuperation in the water to continue its epic journey up the Dee. Whilst he didn’t have scales or indeed a tape, he did measure against a mark on his net handle which was then formally measured when he got home. It came in at huge 40.5 inches which we believe equates to 26lbs, the ghillie had only just left for the day, but Kevin, who is another syndicate member, was thankfully on hand, as this fish must have been some size to deal with, well done David and Kevin.
Park regular Joe O’Sullivan landed a14lb beauty on Saturday morning, well done Joe, one of 13 salmon and 6 sea trout for the Park beat this week.
Crathes Castle beat let me know that they had the guys from PBLJ on Wednesday, they had an excellent day with five fish. Kev McPherson had 3, on a fly tied by his wife – proving she probably does have to do everything apparently! David Farquhar and Gordon Cantile had one each, congratulations to them all.
Brian at Cairnton and Middle Blackhall mentioned blustery winds from the west almost every day, some persistent heavy rain and a fair drop in air temperatures along with water levels being unsettled which made for a hard weeks fishing, in his report, however Kim Michelsen’s party from Denmark did land 2 salmon and 3 grilse with a few others lost, sticking with traditional patterns they were on Blue Charms and March Browns. Again, he said the catches are not reflecting the numbers of fish that are about with a good mix of coloured and fresh fish showing. Water temperatures were in the mid 50’s Fahrenheit all week and water levels started at 4” on Monday/Tuesday followed with some peaty rises and finishing at 1’ 7” on Saturday.
Having booked a day at Aboyne Castle on Friday ,Garry McDougall caught his first ever salmon of 5lbs from Tanar Mouth on a size 12 Cascade. Many congratulations to him and ghillie Stewart Cumming hopefully the first of many, I hear Garry was at another beat and had some secret expert tuition from a certain beat owner earlier in the week, so maybe that gave him the magic touch!
Other beats with fish to their rods this week were Altries, Upper Drum & Lower Durris, Lower Crathes & West Durris, Knappach, Little Blackhall & Inchmarlo, Upper Blackhall, Woodend, Commonty, Sluie, Ballogie, Dess, Birse, Waterside, Dinnet and Cambus O’May and Crathie.
I can’t believe we are at the last week in August already, and there are between 5 & 7 weeks of the season left to fish depending where on the river you want to be, check availability for your trip here – https://www.fishpal.com/search/fisheries/in/dee?from=27/8/2024&to=30/9/2024&curr=GBP&sort=5
Next week I will be reporting on Tuesday as I am away for a long weekend, so any news you would like me to include then please e mail me by 5pm Monday for me to add.
Tight lines.
Debbie Cooper
07979 878971
Pictured
25lb fish to the rod of David Cairns at Tilbouries in August 2024.