Friday 22 June 2018

32lb Salmon


Date: 21 June

Air Temp: 6C
Water Temp: 13C
Water height: -4cm
Number of rods: 14
Number of fish caught: 22
Biggest fish: Martin V 32lbs
No 30lb+: 1
No 20-29lbs: 2
No 8-19lbs: 17
Grilse: 2

Weather:

We awoke this morning to see low cloud down on the river. While the weather promised to clear (we looked at 10am then 11am) in the end we had to make the decision to head out on foot at 12pm. As it turned out, the weather did not lift until after 2pm. It is an unwise decision to get walking too early as you run the risk of the weather lifting and then missing the opportunity to make full use of all the beats. It was chilly weather at 6C and moderate winds making it feel cooler still.

Walking to the beats
Manager’s Comments:

Those of you watching the blog keenly will see that the river rose 9cm overnight. In fact it continued to rise gently during the day.

As is the case on a day when we cannot fly, we spread the fishermen out between Poachers and Lyliok and make the most of the excellent fly water close to the lodge. It was however a mixed bag with some blanks and seemingly numerous takes or losses.

View from above
Colin J had a good start in Pump when he hooked a fish within the first 5 minutes and he finished the day with a 12lber and 15lber.

Martin V had two 15lbers from Lyliok and the first pocket in the Lyliok rapid. Changing to a heavy 15 foot sink tip for the last casts of the day, he hooked a fish which was clearly a good one. After a 25-minute tussle he brought a 32lb fish, his personal best, to the net.
 
Martin and his 32lber personal best
John H had a superb day. He started the day with a fresh 21lber from Lyliok. There then followed numerous takes/losses when fishing Lyliok and Crow’s Nest. His final tally was 7 fish weighing 5lbs, 12lbs, 14lbs, 15lbs, 16lbs, 18lbs and 21lbs. Quite a day!

The evening session was relatively quiet but Ken M had two 12lbers from Lyliok and Paul K had one there as well plus a 20lber from a pocket in the Lyliok rapids.

Easing tight muscles after casting in the wind
The rise of water will do no harm and the cool 6C weather might bring the water temperature down a touch which will be a good thing for the days and weeks.

Henry Mountain