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
This October has been hard going for our intrepid salmon fishing visitors to FCW. Water levels have been erratic giving the fish little respite between freshets. While there have been no really big spates, there have been times when the water has been turgid and coloured, which in the South Esk often makes salmon reluctant to respond to any fly, however delicately presented. One of the features of this autumn has been the number of really big fish. In Melgund, Red Brae and Willows we have seen a number of salmon in the 20lbs category, and one of our visitors played and lost a very large salmon in the Beeches. Over the weekend there was some rain and the water levels held up. During the week ending on Saturday 22 October we caught and released 11 salmon, the biggest of which was in the order of 17lbs from Volcano as dusk was falling on Saturday. Simon Walter had two salmon (see photos) including a beautiful hen fish of about 9lbs and a bruiser of a cock salmon from Indies of about 16lbs. My brother John had three salmon from Tyndals and Willows, and no-one went away entirely without a sporting opportunity, because many other fish, including the big one in Beeches, were hooked and lost.
This beautiful October hen salmon of about 9lbs was caught and returned by Simon Walter (who designed this website) in Melgund Pool on a bright autumn fly of his own design and tying on Saturday 22 October 2011. Fish of this quality have been much in evidence during the 2011 season.
This cock salmon of about 16lbs was caught and released by Simon Walter in Indies Pool on Thursday 20 October. There have been many fish of this size seen at Finavon this season.
Monday morning came in like a lion with big gales and flurries of leaves filling the air with biomass. My nephew Charlie Palmer started the week with a lovely 4.5 lbs cock grilse fresh from the sea. But then things got difficult again with the river full of leaves and the upstream wind making casting very tricky. Nevertheless it is impossible to get bored in these conditions, because salmon are showing in all the pools, the river is at a great height and the water clear.
More later…..