These bulletin blogs represent news about Finavon and the South Esk, and my views as a riparian owner. They are not the views of any other organisation, nor are they designed to promote the interests of any individual or organisation other than Finavon Castle Water and factors affecting the fishery. Tony Andrews
These last few days have seen the South Esk in perfect conditions, with the exception of today which was a mite on the bright side. With the river fining down after an extended period of high water, good numbers of fish in all the pools, a high proportion of them fresh, and a gradually rising barometer, you would have thought that catching salmon would be fairly productive and uncomplicated. Not so I’m afraid, and this week has produced only 5 salmon and 3 sea trout to date (just a chance of a fish this evening as the light fades – always optimistic!). If it’s any consolation to people coming to fish the South Esk in the next few weeks, the last of the 2011 season, fish usually come back onto the take after the first frosts put a sharp dip into water temperatures, but we will need water and, with a ‘High’ developing over the North Atlantic, we may see water levels drop and the leaves start to give the river that minestrone look.
Paul Boston 10lbs
Congratulations to Paul Boston (above) who caught his second salmon – a hen fish of 10lbs – in the Bridge Pool on a size 12 Cascade. He achieved this by obeying the first law of successful salmon fishing – “perseverance catches fish”! In difficult circumstances, and with not much else being caught, this was a good fish. Well done Paul!
I mentioned in the last bulletin that fish have been hooked and lost, and that continues to be the case, but there was a nice 10lbs salmon caught in the Bridge Pool yesterday and plenty of fish were seen.I fished down the Marcus House Pool at dusk and saw good fish, some well into the teens of pounds, showing in the top section of the pool. I fished it twice, varying just about everything you can vary – angle of cast, size & colour of fly, speed of retrieve, depth etc etc, but nary an offer, although after I fished it through there was briefly a period of heightened activity, suggesting my passing by had stirred them up. But all to no avail.
Later on I fished through Harry’s Bar and Upper Melgund, all in perfect conditions. I saw salmon showing in the cheek of the stream at the head of Melgund Pool, but that was about it. That’s September for you, a month that can offer doldrums-type salmon fishing, but it can also be spectacularly productive! The uncertainty of which it will be – feast or famine – is why we go salmon fishing!
TA