Any clues to this one?

Found in numbers on the Aberdeen Dee in August, it is brilliant white and about the size of an Alder fly.

River Eden end of month.

We have certainly had some fine autumn days during the first half of November in Cumbria, a nice respite from the last six months. It has been a real pleasure to be outdoors on such occasions in so mild a climate.

With the salmon season now finished six weeks ago on the Eden, it seems an absolute age since those fish were on our minds, the good numbers of fish that have run the Eden all year should ensure a decent spawning for future stock.

Grayling are the main quarry now until the salmon season once more kicks off in the middle of January. The river has relatively behaved itself this first half of November due to the more settled and dry weather, the levels and water clarity were about perfect. The grayling fishing of late has had some good and also some poor days, such is fishing sometimes. It is all down to the air and water temperatures, river conditions and the unpredictable weather. These factors are always out of our control and it is a hard combination to get right for any chance of success sometimes.

Grayling fishermen both trotting and swim feeders using maggots are getting good results, unusually fly fishing techniques do not seem to be so effective this autumn. This seems to have been the same scenario all over the country for whatever the reason may be, just as it has been with the salmon fishing, they just were not taking; you can put it down to unsettled weather I guess.

If you can locate the grayling, it can be a relatively easy task after that, but finding them can be difficult on occasions, this is where the bait fishers do have the advantage. I do not think there are the grayling numbers on the Eden that there were in previous seasons at present. The fish that anglers are catching are mainly on the large side, grayling over the two pound bracket are common and the smaller average Eden fish of around the pound mark are just not there in the quantity that there should be.

The last few days of November, the weather has deteriorated somewhat with very high winds and a mass of lows coming in off the Atlantic. This has put paid to any thoughts of getting on the river with the fly, although the anglers trotting and feeding bait are doing quite well. Water temperature is now at 9oC which is warm for the time of year and the river once more is in flood.

River Eden

Richard

Neil

River Annan salmon school 2011

The Annan salmon school run by Anthony Steel and Mark Bowler at Kirkwood has been an annual early November week date in the diary for me the last six years. It is one of the weeks of the autumn that I thoroughly enjoy to instruct and guide on the Annan and one I look very much forward to. It is not so much for the fishing side of things, although that is very enjoyable, but for the anglers that often return from previous courses that I have got to know quite well. It is also the people I  meet for the first time, sometimes new friendships are created and sometimes your life is a little richer for having the company of these people.

Mid-week on the change-over day, the BBQ was on and there were two fish caught that day. Many of the anglers on the course had travelled from abroad, it was a great mix and everyone got on like a house on fire.

The weather at the start of the week was a little on the damp side to say the least, there were certainly fish running and there were plenty to be seen but the water was high. The beginning of the course was on the Sunday where the majority of people who came were from a trout fishing background, so the day was filled with Spey casting tuition to make ready for the Monday fishing.

Everyone made a fantastic job of the casting, some for the very first time and many were covering the water both at Kirkwood and Jardine hall effectively from the first day. The water rose and fell and rose again during the first half of the week, such is salmon fishing sometimes. By mid-week it had fell to a wade-able height and one or two fish stopped for a look. There were talks and demonstrations in the evenings over a few drinks after supper and great conversation.

Mike Cooney playing a salmon (Boyo fly)

Duly landed, happy days!

It was now a turn for Chris to hook up (on a fly his good wife had tied!). 

Almost there at the net with Roger in attendance, but look at the autumn light, it is such a pleasure to be out sometimes. 

 

Landed and returned. (A first salmon for Chris) 

The otter was doing very well on the fishing front, it was seen most days and gave a lot of pleasure with its antics.

On the last hour of the last day Robert from Toronto fishing the tail of the Stone pool, hooked up to a fish that was quite substantial. The salmon dogged around heavily for some minutes without showing, a lot of pressure on the fish was applied. The fish deciding it had enough of this, left the pool with great haste making Roberts Classic reel sing very loudly. Unfortunately it went down the far side of the channel into the rough water behind a stranded tree and came lose! By then it was very dark and time to head back for the wonderful supper laid on back at the accommodation.

A very good week, great company, food, fishing and entertainment, I am already looking forward to next year.For more information - http://www.cumbriaflyfishing.co.uk/temp2.htm