The opening..
.
.Day for the 2024 season was held at Inshewan on the South Esk. There was a good turnout at Inshewan and the river was in fine form in fact both rivers were looking very fishable. Tom Sampson from the Esk Rivers Trust did the honours in blessing the river with a bottle of whisky kindly donated by Glencadam Distillery in Brechin. Archie Dick piped anglers down to the river with some fine tunes on the pipes. After the devastating floods that storm Babet brought to both rivers towards the end of last season, plus one after that just to rub it in there was understandably a little apprehension as to how this season will fair. Well with 9 springers caught in the first two days of the season put most at ease. Balmakewan had 2 springers, Canterland 1, Pert 6, with plenty lost to boot. Inshewan lost a one on the opening day as well. I hear you now thinking that lost fish do not count, well you are right. What it does prove though is that there are plenty of fish in the river. Still a little early for the South Esk to be catching but the odd one I am will be caught shortly.
Click the link to read the Opening day article in the Courier.
The Week Ahead.
With fine settled weather ahead, be it a little cooler. Water levels should be perfect, clear and cool with a good flow. Sink tips with varying density depending where one is fishing, deep and slow putting the fly on the nose of the fish. As for flies black and yellow are very good spring colours, Dee Monkey, Posh Tosh, Gledswood. When fishing the South Esk you need to be careful and not fish to big, a size 12 double at the current water levels is a good bet then jump to a size 10 if there is a lift or more colour. If you like to fish tubes nothing over the inch even, then maybe too big.
North Esk
Canterland 1 salmon 13lbs.
Balmakewan 2 salmon.
Pert 6 salmon up to 16lbs.
South Esk
Nothing to report.
Total: Salmon 9
Grand Total 9
Photographs (top to bottom)
Opening day 2024 at Inshewan, Sout Esk.
TomSampson Blessing the river.
John Mitchell ghillie at Inshewan with Tom Sampson.
A happy angler with a Springer at Balmakewan, North Esk.
Another happy angler from Balmakewan, North Esk.
Mark, with a springer this time from Canterland, North Esk.
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!!
