So I hit on something that I have never actually witnessed before – wild toad sex. When I started fishing the river I noticed something swimming down the river towards me – it was a toad, happily swimming along. I added it to my memory as just one of those quirky things you see on the riverbank. As the day progressed I began to see more of them – and some of them were in doubles….giving… er….piggy backs, just drifting along. On my return home I have found out they were in fact common toads (Bufo bufo) and they can have a lifespan of up to 40 years. They are solitary, except during the breeding when the males usually wait for females at breeding sites. Males clamber onto the backs of females and hold onto them tightly which is a posture known as amplexus.
All very interesting!
It was not as hot as yesterday and this time there was a little haze of cloud cover. We did not see many olives hatching only the odd one or two drifting along. We still managed to pick up some trout to dry flies – I wonder if I would have done better with a toad imitation?
Here is a typical trout I caught on one of my deer hair comparaduns. It was one of the few trout I spotted rising – I managed to get a good drift first cast…I decided it was one for the BBQ.
Some fishing buddies and I are hastily making plans for Wednesday as we are supposed to be heading up North. Unfortunately the weather has been forecast to take a turn for the worse, we have no plans in place and the chances are we will fish The Don in terrible conditions again.
Looking forward to it already!
Alistair according the metoffice website the weather doesnt look to bad. Still around the 15 oC mark with winds at 10mph, however there could be 20mph gusts in between. You never know a change in weather might switch the fish on!
Hey Scott,
I was thinking the same thing however on one website it is forecast for snow in Aberdeen.
Not good dry fly weather.
On the metoffice it says there could be a chance of some snow on the hill tops. Dont think that will affect you! I dont think the rain is a definet yet either. You know what weather forcasts are like!