A week..
..of two halves, the beginning of the week the water levels on both rivers where somewhat unsettled, which made fishing a little tricky. Balmakewan angler Bobby Ramage caught a lovely springer on the Monday, right place right time. Craig Somerville also had a springer from Balmakewan at 7 lbs on a Red Bann. Just down river Mark Casswell had Canterland’s only springer of the week at 8lbs on a Willie Gunn. At Stracathro 3 springers up to 10lbs where caught by Bill Cook, Gary Chambers and John Wood. The river levels started to settle on the Wednesday and more fish started to be caught, this can be by the returns on fishpal. Edzell is have a fabulous spring with springers being caught most weeks. Two that are worth a mention are. One from the previous week caught by John Walker at 18lbs and the other by Owen Walker at 19lbs this week’s report. Owen went on to catch a further two springers at Edzell to his own rod! Over on the South Esk. Finavon Castle Water infrastructure was very badly damaged by the floods last year and they have spent a huge effort to get the beat up and running, so it is good to hear that they are of the mark with a lovely springer of 7lbs. Just upriver at Inshewan, the first sea trout has been caught at 1.5lbs on a small Cascade. Were the is one there will likely be more? As I have mentioned before in various reports I feel that the sea trout are coming back in healthy numbers, so let’s hope this year will be a good year for them. So far, I have not seen or heard of any saprolegnia, may be a touch early but sadly it is just around the corner.
The Week Ahead.
Is it ever going to stop raining and warm up, of course it is? With the ever-changing weather four seasons in one day, you are going to have to keep changing tactics and fly size according to how you find the river etc. An occupational hazard of spring fishing for salmon. With settled weather on the way, river levels dropping slowly fishing should pick up nicely. Flies for the week the old favourite a Willie Gunn, Dee Monkey, Posh Tosh or a Park Shrimp.
Note: This is the time of year that we will start to see the fungus Saprolegnia make an appearance on the spring salmon. So please try to keep the handling of the salmon down to the absolute minimum.
Tight Lines.
North Esk
Canterland. 1 salmon 8lbs.
Balmakewan. 2 salmon.
Pert. 11 salmon up to 13lbs.
Stracathro. 3 salmon up to 10lbs.
Edzell. 3 salmon up to 19lbs.
South Esk
Finavon Castle Water. 1 salmon 7lbs
Inshewan. 1 sea trout 1.5lbs.
21 Salmon
1 Sea Trout
Grand Total 22
If anyone has caught a salmon or Sea Trout within the North or South Esk and would like to share please get in touch.
Photographs (top to bottom)
Tail of a springer.
Mark Casswell with his springer from Canterland.
Bobby Ramage with a strong springer from Balmakewan.
Owen Walker with a 19lb springer from Edzell.
The tail of Owen Walkers 19lb springer.
John Walkers 18lb spring from Edzell.
Finavons first springer.
Craig Sommerville’s springer from Balmakewan.
Lastly I should say thank you to the gillies and guests who send the photographs to me, with out them the report would not be complete and certainly not as colourful!!
