So there I was out for a jog…I have a little route that takes me up along the canal and then cuts back along the Kelvin walkway………….dodged a new burnt out car on the pathway…..was agahst at another new burnt out car actaully in one of the pools in dawsholm park and then headed back up the road. The river was in ok condition……..bugger it I thought “Im going fishing”
Got my gear out headed up for my first visit to the vet school…..might as well before the place gets busy. Put on a little searching dry fly first had a few experimental casts….Nothing….wander up a bit…nothing. Put on a wet….search a pool…nothing….wander about a bit more….nothing. Im going to blank!!
As usuall appaled at the litter
Im telling you if this place was fly only that wouldnt happen…
Anyway, wander about for a bit….I notice a rise on the other side of the river……or was it a bird shitting in the water??? I watch….cant see any birds flying away…..cant see any flies for that matter…..walk on……on the other side of teh bif main pool I see a fish rising. Try to cast to it but it is out of reach. Head over to other side of river………tricky casting as there are trees to iether side of me……….Im fairly exited by this point……there around 4-5 trout rising to olives on the water……big flies that look juicy. They are pretty close to me about 3#4 yards out and in a space around 4 yards square. They are fairly supping those flies down……shaking now!!
I cast…….cast again…….fly drifts……..fish rises…strike…miss……….cast….drift…..cast….. drift……..cast….fish rises… strike…..fish on……..pump pump underwater……….fish off…..damn (or words to that effect)….cast…….fish rises…fish on………stays one!!! Lovely little brownie…………..photee?? nah slip back in quickly……….cast again……again……again………..fish fairly rising quickly………….fish on…………whoooeee a pretty nice fish……….damned nice fish actually…………around the 3/4 pound mark…..big and fat…..eatable?? nah why kill a fish from the Kelvin………there are few enough fish as there is !!! Consider taking photee but decide against it….new camera in pocket……….I think I would rather savour the memory of this first visit out 🙂
Hi Ally
Thought you might get a fish to-day. I walked from Halpenny bridge down to Kelvin Hall and back at around lunchtime. Saw a lot of the Olives you describe, first indication was the birds taking them, also saw a few pockets of rising fish. Most of them were wee splashy risers but I saw one or two ‘boils’ – maybe bigger fish taking nymphs on the way up (or maybe my imagination!). Thinking of getting a permit this year as I can be on the river in 10 mins but rubbish etc is off putting – what do you think.
Cheers
Phil
The permit is only 15 quid……pick one up, give me a shout and meet up for a fish 🙂
Hello Alistair,
Have been having a look at the river over the last few weeks just waiting for it to come good. Must congratulate you on your website, have been looking at past and present posts. I have been icthing to try the river this season. Going to GAC tomorrow to get a permit £15 good value and keep the wife happy. Been fishing different fisheries and reserviors for a number of years and they aint all that cheap. Brother-in-law came over a year ago from the States and had booked a days fishing on the River Tay. First time I had fished any river that was me hooked. Also caught my first sea trout only fish of the day the brother-in-law was oh so jealous. Maybe see you down at the river sometime as I only stay in Summerston. Tight lines Alister.
Jim.
OK Ally your on.
Jim – well done on getting Sea Trout on your vist to the Tay – maybe the next will be from the Kelvin!
Just thought i would let you know that i had a great day on the river yesterday.I started off with a lovely fish of 1.25lbs!!! The water was pretty low so i was fishing some of the wee pockets on my favourite stretch with an upstream hares lug and BANG!! I have scaled down to a 4 weight d.t. line this year and i find that presentation and the short casts often necessary on the Kelvin are far more achievable with this set up,and also the fish are given a sporting chance to show you what they are made of.I would highly recommend the use of a d.t. line over the more common w.f.,although the d.t. does not respond well to false casting,which is a good thing as i try to make no more than one these days (spooky fish again)After lunch i made my way down stream to another of my hotspots and took two plump half pounders on the waterhen bloa (do you really need any other fly at this time of year,if so i doubt any can be as deadly!!!).Ihad to go and take my son to the baths so i rounded of the day with another slightly larger fish and two lost on a tiny iron blue nymph.The river is fishing really well at the moment but remember the feeding window is short and any cold wind or long periods of bright is guaranteed to put the fish down.
Picked up permit on Saturday but then had to go visting family so had to wait until Sunday to try the river. Had a few fish having a nip at dry fly also had two fish get off, maybe just a bit to excited at how good the fishing was. Monday was the red letter day ,first ever river Kelvin brown trout 6-7 ounces small but it was a beauty.Then another one bit bigger again few more nips and tugs then this time best fish of the day 11/2lbs. Went home very happy, most enjoyable days fishing I have had in a long time. Only thing to annoy me on the Sunday was when approaching the bridge at the back of vet school there was a boys football team crossing the bridge ,then not one but two plastic Irn-Bru bottle are thrown into the river. Little sods maybe if I burst their ball that would annoy them.
You should have shouted at them Jim, or complained to the vet school security!
Well done on your fish 🙂
Bloody atrocious behaviour from those people!!