I am all Topsy Turvy here – by this point I am usually fishing most evenings and have really got into the swing of things – instead I am having to pick and choose my fishing opportunities based on experience and knowledge – unfortunately the trout (and pike – see last post) have decided to mix things up a bit.
The other night I decided to hit the Clyde and then at the last minute changed venue to the Kelvin for a dusk session – I have usually found dusk to be a great time on the Kelvin when usually spooky trout will take your fly fairly readily when just an hour ago they were spooky as the Ghostbusters – especially in this heatwave we are experiencing right now.
Turned out that was a load of baloney – when we got to the river at 8pm it was roasting hot with bright sunshine as well as trout rising all the way up the stretch of river – there was some lovely trout rising in amongst them so we dived through the bushes to attack full force – I reckon we spooked every one of those trout – if not with crazy wading then with one to many poor drifts…..
I mean sure we hooked trout in the flats where they were rising however none of them stayed on – it was only when we walked up the river to some riffles did we finally managed to fool some trout – I even had to put on a Jardines Ducks Dun to fool the blighters as my Deer Hair Emerger was just not working.
The trout were never big – I mean we know there are bigger trout mixed up with the smaller ones they just did not let us get anywhere near to them..
Campbell caught a fair few as well…note size of net compared to trout – ever hopeful..
We had not brought bottles of water so made do with what nature gave us:
Still – we knew that we were playing around until dusk – then the trout would really come out and play – sadly, it just did not happen – the rising trout slowly disappeared one by one until finally no trout were showing – or at least as sporadically as they do at any other time.
Still – plenty of action and great chat – casting to rising trout is great after the long sabbatical (mind I went crazy for Pike at the end of last years trout season) and am now storing up a wad of brownie points for the next few weekends.
Now – where are my microscopic hooks!
That looks like a slightly different part of the river from normal, quite close to me if im right, ive often wondered how it would fish.
I haven’t seen any decent fish in the Kelvin lately. The past fews sessions I’ve had have been poor, including tonight. Loads of flylife-yellow mays, sedges and more but only small fish showing.Caught plenty but all tiny, around 6-7 inches.I could count on one hand the number of decent fish I’ve had from the river this season. By decent I don’t mean huge, just around 1/2-3/4lb.Don’t get me wrong I’m not a top angler who always catches big fish, but by this time last season I had plenty of nice fish from the Kelvin.Anyone else struggling?
cheers
Paul
Paul – I was thinking of fishing last night – If I had I would probably have met you – the strange thing is that the particular place that I would have met you has not fished well at all this season – I have no idea why! Like you – I have been struggling – so I am with you on that one !
Scott – aye – it was further up river!
Ach one day Alistair!
I’ll need to broaden my horizons and fish different bits of the river. Especially as you saw good fish in the section you fished the other night. Still puzzling how a bit of river which used to hold lots of good fish now seems to be void of them.
cheers
Paul
I’ve noticed that myself on the Kelvin, where a pool can be fantastic one season and not so good the next. Perhaps localised pollution and low oxygen levels drive the trout into other, more suitable pools? Shifting gravels on salmon rivers are well known to alter the dynamics of a pool, changing a perfectly good pool one season into a fish-less waste of time the next!
Hi Al,
Had the same experiences on the Cart…its possibly due to the changes in the riverbed (these might be slight) and the flow has changed into the bargain. A perfect example is the run below Snuffmill Bridge: prior to the houses (at the entrance to the park) being re-vamped and the concrete retaining wall being erected, the run below the was a much saught after lie for trout, but the ground work around these houses has changed the physicallity of the area and the trout lie has disappeared. In the case of your glide on the Kelvin; maybe there are some folk out there who eat 5 inch trout for their dinner! There again it could be a whole host of reasons: lack of fish in the system; too many small fish; predation e.g. by herons, commorants; localised pollution that effects small areas but disapates after a few yards. Willie Yeoman would struggle to give you as many theories, ha!
Cheers
Roddy
PS, Alistair when ur you talking me out fishing: not next Sat as a gaun to Menteith.
Alistair
After looking at the crap that you’ve taking trouble to photograph in the Kelvin, and that some stretches of the Cart could immitate your favourite water perfectly, how about all local clubs coming together and helping their neighbours to clean up each others rivers? We join up with a few local groups on the Cart e.g. Friends of Linn Park and the Snuffmill Group to do some clean ups; why don’t the angling clubs do the same…we could have an annual event…any thoughts?!?
Cheers
Roddy
I was talking to Neil Sinclair last year on the Tummel and he pointed out the stretches we usually fished were not fishing well due to the winter spates moving gravel around – must be the same of the Kelvin with half bricks.
Saying that – I have heard that a lot of rivers are not fishing well – and I mean well – not people catching a few fish! zat make sense?
Certainly a possibilty Roddy – I will speak to the sec about it!
On the Clyde at Wolfclyde bridge a few nights ago and I have never seen so many trout rising. And you know what? Tried just about every pattern I had but couldn’t connect! Great time though.
Tony