Re: Paul Whitehouse Opens the River Dee Salmon Season
I had a very good opening day on the Dee. I was at the opening ceremony with a few friends, and as always it is a great occasion. However this season I was itching to get away to go fishing, as I was to fish at Invery with the Fishpal Party. As soon as it was polite to do so I dashed off, and made it to invery just before lunch.
The morning had gone well, with 3 fish to 17/18lbs from the beat already, and a number of kelts. I got set us as quickly as I could, and had a pleasant 4o minutes sorting my casting out after the long break. Just as I was settling back into action properly it was lunch time, and I had a really enjoyable lunch and chat with the gang from Fishpal, however I really wanted to get a cast, so come two o clock I was back out.
I was to fish the jetties, a stream just below the hut. Karl and Jim, the ghillies talked me through the pool, how to fish it and where to cast. There is a really nice stream down the middle and the fish were going to be in there. As I got to just the right place the line tightened and it was game on. A cracking battle and good long runs, typical of a springer and after I guess 10 minutes, it seemed like hours Jim netted a 10lb springer for me. It was not flashy bright, and jim told me it had probably entered the river a month ago. Jim headed back to the hut, and I resumed the pool, now happy with my day and quite relaxed. The fly landed in the hotspot again and I could not believe it as the line tightened again, another battle and jim netted another springer for me, a little smaller this time. He told me that if I hooked another one to net it myself, as he could not get time to have his sandwich, (wink!)
Back into the pool and a few casts later (ok, I was in a daze) and the line drew away again, but I bungled this one, so it must have been a kelt! A couple of casts later I had a really savage take and a cracking battle, and as jim netted the fish it was clear it was a big one, but it was a big kelt. I wish I had met it last year, a cracker! I fished the pool out, with another tug or two then lost my special Ross MacDonald Monkey fly on the bottom, as the pool shallowed.
Never mind, into the S pool next, it was not 1500. I am not keen on this pool, it is deep and fast, with huge boulders and I don’t like the wade. I started at the top, and struggled down the pool. As I battled with net, rod and staff the fly came into the slack and stuck. I pulled to free it and it was clear a fish was on, but this one came in easily, a wee grilse kelt of about 3lbs, I hand lined it in without leaving the pool and released it. I decided to re cast, and then make my way to the bank, I had done well, had a great time and decided I did not want a ducking. Just as I was plotting my route to the bank I had a savage take, typical of a kelt I decided and bullied the fish in, but this time it came to about a rod length out and made short dogged runs, I struggled to lift its head and after longer than I would have liked the fish came to the hand, it was another springer, a short fat torpedo of about 5lbs. Not sealiced but very new.
I made my way back onto the bank, and basically floated back to the hut, my best ever spring, and all in a couple of hours!
When I got back to the hut and we got together to chat about the day I discovered that we had had 8 springers for the day, including the biggest opening day fish. We were top beat and had enjoyed a superb day, numerous kelts were caught and everyone had some action.
Top day!!!
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