Big..

..Water at the start of last week. Both the North and South Esk were running at about 8ft on Sunday, though slow to come down to fishable height for Monday morning. The South Esk on Monday morning was not fishable, anglers were giving it a go, fishing the margins with short lines and heavy flies, by the afternoon fishing was back to normal autumn stuff. Over on the North Esk Gallery did manage three fish, 1 salmon and 2 sea trout, which considering the water was a very good effort. As the week progressed the weather improved; sunny days and frosty mornings made for some very pleasant if cold days fishing. The big autumn salmon are at their finest now with some big ones being caught. Pert had a 25lb salmon caught by Mr A Gale from Derbyshire and Mr A Westley from Cambridge had a 23lb salmon. Gallery had a 20lb salmon caught by Steve Wickes. Plus, up the river at Stracathro they had one at 21lbs. The South Esk also had a good salmon at 18lbs from Finavon Castle Water. The saving grace so far this season with very few frosts are that there are few leaves in the river, as they can be a real bug bear at this time of year and quite frankly a complete pain in the proverbial…! Yet again there are still a few sea trout being caught, it will be interesting to see what the future years hold for the sea trout. If this year and last are anything to go by could be very promising.

Week Ahead

If you have been paying attention to the weather forecast, you will understand the fishing this week will be limited! So, with that in mind make the most of the start of the week. Clear water cool water, so lovely autumn flies with the colours to match and a good sink tip. Or you could try a fly called a Skull Head, or the more interesting The Kursk. This is an interesting fly as your leader goes the side of the brass head, this in turn gives the fly an unusual movement in the water. For the rest of the week hope that this foul weather passes with out to much damage to the river systems. Tell some stories of the one that got away guaranteed it will be four times bigger than you remembered and after a dram or two even bigger?

Tight Lines.

North Esk.

Kinnaber. 1 salmon 10lbs.

Canterland.  4 salmon to 12lbs.

Gallery. 9 salmon 20lbs, 3 sea trout 2lbs.

Pert. 21 salmon to 25lbs, 17 sea trout 4lbs

Stracathro. 6 salmon to 21lbs, 1 sea trout 2lbs.

South Esk.

Finavon Castle Water. 7 salmon to 18lbs, 3 sea trout to 3lbs.

Inshewan. 7 salmon to 8lbs, 2 sea trout to 3lbs.

Kinnordy. 2 salmon, 1 sea trout.

Total:  Salmon  57                                                  Sea Trout  27

      Grand Total 84                                                            

Photographs (top to bottom)

Loch Esk. Which holds some very good brown trout, so I have been told.

Steve Wickes with his 20lb salmon from Gallery.

Steve Wickes again with a 14lb salmon at Gallery .

Louis Sandiground with his 19lb from Gallery.

The 20lb salmon in the net.

The Red Francis Kursk Salmon fly.

A Cascade Skull Head Salmon Fly.

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!!