What a week…
…it has been on both the North and South Esk with sea trout still coming in and the grilse starting to appear in numbers. Two days on the South Esk were unfishable due to high dirty water (6th-7th). The North Esk did not come up as much but enough to bring more fish into the system. Pert had a very good week last week with a total of 60 fish, with 39 sea trout being caught on the Saturday 10th. Mr B Milne from Glasgow had a 7lb Sea trout from the Boat pool, and there were also other big sea trout from Pert 5lbs, 4lbs from the Luther and Upper Stobb. A good salmon was caught by Mr A Crawford from Ayrshire at 12lbs from
the Boat pool. Gallery also has a very good week with 16 fish for their week, 14 of those were sea trout. Moving over to the South Esk. Finavon Castle Water have had their best week so far with 22 sea trout and 1 salmon; well done. Moving up river Inshewan also had their best week so far with 15 sea trout and 1 salmon, with 7 sea trout and several grilse were lost as well. Ivor Duffus had a lovely brace of sea trout from the Kirriemuir Angling Club water on the South Esk before heading home for breakfast. Consider that a few days lost due to high water that is very good going. As ever I am sure that there have been more fish caught, so the catches you see here are only part of the picture. I also feel as do anglers and ghillies that the weights of the sea trout have been exceptional so far this year, I am sure that we will get a double figure sea trout soon?
Just a reminder that Pink salmon may start to make an appearance soon.
https://fms.scot/pink-salmon-in-scotland/
Please report any catches of Pink salmon to the Fishery Board.
Note: If any of the angling clubs or anyone else that has anything to report on the North or South Esk please get in touch via email with your catches and stories. The more we can show what is being caught on our rivers paints a good picture.
Thank you.
Week Ahead
Whatever you are all doing, just keep on doing it, because it’s working!
With more fish in the rivers at the moment and a big rise in water on Saturday there are plenty of opportunities to catch fish; Monday has been a good day already. As the levels drop and the water clears this is the best time to head out. Flies with colour in coloured water and blacker darker flies in the clearer water. Now the grilse have arrived time to try some different flies, such as Iain Bain Specials, Executioner, Blue Charm. Look for the grilsey spots in the necks and tails of the pools, the lovely “V” in the tail just of the current. Fish the pots between the main pools, and the shallower margins first thing in the morning. Grilse have notoriously soft mouths and just as many caught are lost. So many rods are stiff and fast, no-stretch lines and nylon all put the odds against you when fishing for grilse. Use a longer softer rod, ditch the hard and stiff fluorocarbon and use good old maxima as it has a lot more give, and if you can a fly line with a little give. Also, just to note that the Esks were one of the top rivers in Scotland last week considering the angling pressure is very low, that’s pretty good going.
Tight Lines.
North Esk.
Kinnaber. 2 salmon to 9lbs.
Canterland. 2 sea trout 4lbs.
Gallery. 14 sea trout to 4lbs. 1 salmon to 8lbs, 2 grilse.
Balmakewan. 4 sea trout to 3.5lbs, 2 grilse.
Pert. 39 sea trout to 5lbs, 11 salmon 12lbs, 10 grilse.
Stracartho. 7 sea trout to 4lbs, 4 salmon 10lbs.
South Esk.
Kinnnaird Upper. 1 sea trout to 3lbs.
Finavon Castle Water. 22 sea trout to 4lbs, 1 salmon 9lbs.
Inshewan. 15 sea trout to 5.5lbs, 1 salmon 9lbs.
Kirriemuir Angling Club. 2 sea trout to 4lbs.
Total: Salmon/Grilse 34 Sea Trout 106
Grand Total 140
Photographs (top to bottom)
Casting a line to a likey spot at Inshewan.
Andrew Weir at Gallery.
Jason Walls at Gallery,
Andrew Weir again at Gallery. The salmon were caught on either a Stoats Tail or Cascade.
Kinnaird on the South Esk.
Gallery North Esk.
Casting a line at Gallery.
A beauitful 4lbs sea trout caught by Ivor Duffus from the Kirriemuir Angling Club water on the South Esk.
Another for Ivor Duffus from K.A.C, South Esk.
Keep an eye open for pink salmon.
Lastly I should say thank you to the ghillies and guests who send the photographs to me, with out them the report would not be complete and certainly not as colourful!!
