Scottish Fishing Days and Nights 1989
by John Gray
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In addition to my Endrick permit, I have taken a
season permit on the Callander Town water on the River Teith, so the start of the salmon season
on 1st February saw me on the Gisha pool
at the lower end of the Callander Town water on the Teith. Spinning a
light black and gold 3 inch Devon minnow, after only three or four
casts, I hooked a fish of six or seven pounds, probably a kelt but a
good start. This is a lovely pool, which I will try later in the season
for both salmon and sea trout. There were no fresh salmon taken on the
first day - a few kelts and a 3 pound sea trout.
It has been the mildest winter on record. Plenty of rain
until April with several high spates. Very cold during March and April
with no sign of salmon on the Teith. The netting has started on the
Forth at Stirling. I will try for sea trout at Callander late
April/early May when the river drops to a lower level. I have taken a
season permit for £50. I had a day on Banton Loch early April and had a
3/4 lb rainbow on a small shrimp fly - a very cold day with an east
wind. I have persevered on
the Teith during late spring and early summer, hoping
for a sea trout but with no success. I have concentrated
on the lovely water at the lower end of the beat. It
seems that there is a better chance of sea trout at
night up above Callander at the confluence with the Leny.
It has been an exceptionally dry and
hot summer, with only about three days of rain from May
to July. All the rivers are very low. The driest,
hottest summer in about 15 years. There was possibly one
early spate at the end of June but it seems that the Teith has been running too low to attract fish up from
the Forth estuary. A change in the weather at the end of
July saw 2 days rain, giving about 1 1/2 inches in three
days, probably not enough for an Endrick spate. There
have been reports of large shoals of fish moving up the
Leven around the end of July into Loch Lomond.
Wednesday 3rd August
River Leven - 10 pm - 1am
Fished the River Leven at the back of the
industrial estate at Renton. Using a size 6 black and
red lure, I hooked a finnock of 3/4 lb. Had a few more
offers as the tide came up at 12.30am
Friday 11th August
The River Teith was running at a
good height for daytime/evening fly. It is necessary to
wade to fish the fly well at the lower part of the beat.
No sign of fish running. Large numbers have been waiting
at Stirling for rain.
River
Endrick 11pm - 1am Meetings. Very few fish showing
but five fishers on and two fish caught. The Endrick has
had two small spates in the last week and is now at a
good night height. One more good spate should hopefully
bring a good run of fish up from the loch.
Sunday 13th August -
Midnight
There had been heavy rain
overnight on Saturday ( over 1") but not much of a
spate. A slight flow on the Dam but no sea trout present
yet. A good flow at the Meetings but with a bit of
colour. No sign of fish, though some reported at the
Pots. Still need a good spate.
Tuesday 15th August - morning
Fished above the Aberfoyle Road Bridge.
River running coloured but clearing after very heavy
rain ( over 1") the previous night. There hasn't yet
been a big spate, although fish seem to have been
running over the Pots for the past few days.
Evening - I and a few others had fished
the Dam till midnight with no result. Tried the
Meetings, where there were three others. one fish of
about 1 lb caught and another two lost. I had no
touches. The river is running at a good night height.
Fish should now be running but still need a good spate.
Wednesday 16th August - evening
1 grilse
River Teith, Gisha
Pool. River running clear about 18 " of the wall showing. At 9 pm I caught
a fresh grilse of 4.5 lbs near the tail of the pool on a
size 10 Kamasan treble (red, black and silver) fished on
14 ft Greys rod, neutral line.
Very heavy rain Saturday evening and most
of the day Sunday 20th August (roads flooded)
Monday 21st August
5.30 am - 8 am
3 sea trout
The Dam, Endrick - The top of the stone
was just showing at 5 am and the water running clear. A
fairly dull morning, not properly light until 6 am. No
fish showed but they came on for half an hour between 6
and half past. I had three, two very fresh, and lost
another, all around the two pound mark. Peter M had one.
Fly - size 10 Kamasan double, silver, red and black
shrimp (2 fish) and black, red and orange shrimp (1
fish), fished on a Masterline neutral line (chestnut).
This is the first sign of sea trout in the dam. Still no
salmon.
Tuesday 22nd August
1 am - 4 am
Dam - A mild drizzly night. No fish
moving early on. Only four small sea trout taken all
night with a few lost. I lost one about 1am at the top
of the pool, which took just as I began retrieving.
Reports of salmon at the Pots but no sign of them up at
the Dam yet.
Wednesday 23rd August 6 am
- 8 am
River Teith, Gisha Pool. 18 inches of the
wall showing, a good height. Saw only one fish move at
the tail. I had two small touches .... a fish???. Some
rain later in the day but not a lot. Endrick should be
running at a good night height.
Wednesday 23rd
10.30 pm - 3 am
3 sea trout
Cowden Mill Dam - A fairly dark, mild,
drizzly night. Only three other fishers. River quite low
with only a slight flow despite light rain on and off
all day. I had three fish between 1am and 3am, two at
the head of the pool just below the beech tree (2lb and
2lb 10oz) and one at the tail (2lb) with a further fish
lost. I fished 2 flies, one size 8, one size 10, with
maggots fished on a WF8F Gallion line on a Bob Church
10.5 ft Allrounder (home built). The fish at the tail was taken on
the fly/maggot dropper while stripping a wake lure on
the tail with fairly fast figure of eight. May be worth
a try more often! All fish fairly fresh hen fish,
probably having run into the pool that night. Three
other fish taken. Still no sign of the bigger fish but I
saw a lovely 8lb cock fish taken down at Dalnair on
Monday.
Friday 25th August
10.30 pm - 3.30 am
4 sea trout (Alan 2)
Peter M had one when we arrived and had
lost another. No other fishers on a dark, mild drizzly
night! Alan had a nice sea trout of 5 lbs at the head of
the pool about 11pm and another at 2lb later on. I had
four - two at the top of the pool and two at the tail
(2, 2.5, 3, 4 lbs). Peter M ended the night with 5 and
Peter G arrived late and had one. There seems to be a
good run of sea trout from 2lb upwards. The salmon will
hopefully arrive on the next good spate.
Monday 28th August
12 midnight - 5 am
2
sea trout
Dam - a cold clear night with very few
fish showing. Alex started in the top run while Peter
and I fished through the lower part of the pool to the
tail. Alex had three fish in the first hour under the
beech tree. By 4am, Alex had four, Peter had four,
Murray had 2, most being taken at the top of the pool. I
had had no touches until around 3.30, when Alex gave me
a cast of two of his favourite sparsely dressed size 10
flies (TBS and Butcher). Loaded with 5 maggots each, I
had 2 fish (3 1/4 and 3 lbs) and lost another in half an
hour, all taken under the beech tree. Was it the flies
or the taking place or just luck? I will tie a few
similar flies anyway, as they beat my usual spiders on
the night. Alex finished the night with 5 fish, with one
at 6lb and one at 4lb. Total caught 13.
Tuesday 29th August
10 pm - 3 am
1 sea trout
Dam - A clear night turning cloudy and
very close later. Rain promised for the morning. River
running very low with only a slight flow. I had to wait
to get on, with a total of 8 or 9 fishers on the pool. I
had one fish of 1lb 10oz in the middle of the pool about
midnight on one of Alec's style of flies. 5 fish taken
in total. Some light rain Wednesday morning.
Thursday 31st August
6 am - 8.30 am
2 sea trout
There had been heavy rain most of
Wednesday until about 6pm with the river rising
steadily. A good spate had followed overnight, falling
by daybreak.
Dam
- The
stone just showing and the river dropping. Four fishers.
Billy S had a sea trout of about 5 lbs. Colin had one
about 6 lbs. I had one run down the pool with no success
so decided to give Coolies Lynn a try.
Coolies - 7am - 8-30am
With the river running at a
good height, I took 2 sea trout (2 1/4 and 3 1/4lbs)
on a size 12 Partridge LW size 12 silver shrimp, one of
them taken with bright sunshine shining directly
downstream.
* Locked car keys
inside the car, borrowed John's car to drive home for
spare, opened shop late at 11am.
Friday 1st September
10.30 pm - 3 am
4 sea trout
Dam - only five fishers on the pool when I
arrived, so I only waited minutes before starting. A
cool, clear, calm but moonless night. Sufficient flow to
keep a floating line on the move. Most fish were taken
around and above the beech tree. Alan M had 2, Frank M
had two. I had four fish 1 1/4 (returned), 2 1/4, 2 3/4
and 3 lb, two above the beech tree and one at the stone.
Again, none at the tail, although some big fish moved
down at the bottom end. I also lost a good fish in the
run when the hook broke on striking. Flies
- size 8 and 10, later two size 10s. Totla catch for the
pool when I left at 3am - 9.
Monday 4th September
Midnight - 3 am
1 sea trout
Dam - A mild, calm, dark night with the
river running very low. Very few fish moving. Four or
five fishers. I had one about 1 3/4 lb just after
midnight in the run above the beech tree. Robert M had
one about four pounds later. No other fish caught. Need
another spate now.
Monday 11th September
Midnight - 3 am
1 sea trout
The gate in the Dam is now shut. The
level is a bit higher but there is no flow. A clear cold
night with no moon. The farm light was on for an hour or
so. Alex and I had one fish each around 1am in the run
above the tree, both fish 2 lb. We have had no rain now
for a week.
Saturday 16th September
6 am - 8 am
Alan 1 grilse
Heavy rain on Friday from 11am to 6pm
produced the long awaited spate overnight but the river
had dropped a bit too low for the dam by daybreak,
although Colin lost a fish. Alan and I moved up to
Coolies, where it was very windy but there was a fair
flow through the pool with the river running quite
clear. Alan hooked and landed a nice fresh grilse of 4.5
lbs - his first salmon - in the fast water at the top of
the pool, on an orange and gold shrimp, size 12 fished
on a floating line. The hook came out in the net.
Monday 18th September
Midnight - 3 am
After the spate on Friday, I had high
hopes for the night fishing tonight. A mild night with
the moon obscured by cloud, and a number of fish moving
in the pool did nothing to dampen hopes. About nine fish
had been caught on the previous night, Saturday. It was
not to be, though. Only one small fish of a pound and a
half was caught by Colin. It seems we need another spate
to bring in a fresh run.
Thursday 21st September
6.30 am - 8.00 am
One
lost
Heavy rain on Wednesday morning had put
the river into a high spate, which had dropped back to a
perfect height by daybreak on Thursday, with the water
just covering the midstream stone at the top of the
pool. I lost a grilse of about six pounds at the net. It
had taken a red and silver shrimp. Alan also lost one on
an orange and gold shrimp. Alex, Billy and Robert all
had a fish each. I had three more offers but did not
connect. There now seems to be a good stock of salmon in
the river with about a dozen fish taken from the Dam for
the day.
Monday 25th September (Holiday)
7 am - 5 pm
1 salmon
River Teith, Callander - The river was at
a good fly height with about two feet of the wall
showing. I had one salmon of 9 pounds in the tail of the
Gisha Pool on a dyed red shrimp (bait) and lost another
of the same size later in the morning. No other fish
were taken from the Gisha. A few fish had been taken at
the weekend, following the spate of last
Wednesday/Thursday. The river up here seems to fish well
three to four days following a good spate.
The Endrick hasn't fished well at night
during September. The last spate of the month brought in
a run of grilse but not many sea trout.
Wednesday 27th September
4 pm - 7 pm
1 salmon
River Teith, Callander. I fished the pool
at the very bottom of the beat, just above the caravan
park. It was a nice bright afternoon with occasional
cloud cover, with the river running at a perfect fly
height for that pool, i.e. the top stone was just
covered. I hooked a fish on a size 10 treble silver and
red shrimp beside the stone on the far side opposite the
gate. A nine pound cock fish, very strong, which fought
well with two long runs to the far bank, coming out of
the water at the end of each run. I managed to net it
after a hard fight on the 11 ft single hander/neutral
line. Peter G had an 8 pound fish on the lower Teith the
same day on the same fly. This fly has done well in the
few weeks since I first tied it, having accounted for 5
salmon and four sea trout.
Wednesday 18th October
2 salmon
The first half of October has been very
dry and the rivers have not been worth fishing, except
the Leven which has had a good season. This morning I
fished the Endrick at Kiltrochan but the river was too
low with a lot of leaves. The Teith was at a good
height, with about 18 inches to 2 ft of the wall
showing. A few fish were moving and I tried everything -
shrimp, spinner and fly. My first fish was taken on a
large orange and black Canadian Wiggler in the bottom
pool from the lie beside the stone on the far side
opposite the iron gate, a 10 1/2 lb cock fish, fresh
with seal damage on its flank. The second fish, a fresh
10 lb hen, was taken on a small red shrimp (bait) from
the tail of the Gisha, under the trees on the far bank.
Alan played it to the net. The Teith seems to fish well
during September and October at Callander, given water
to bring fish up from the lower river.
Wednesday 25th October
Dawn till Dusk
3 grilse
Cowden Mill Dam - Rain early in the
morning saw the river rising for the first few hours but
it steadied and dropped during the afternoon, until
about 5pm when it began to rise and colour again. The
wormers on the far bank had about eight fish, with six
fish taken on our side in the afternoon. My three fish,
at 5 lb 6oz, 5lb 14oz and 6lb 14oz, were caught early in
the afternoon on a size 10 and 12 red/silver shrimp. A
good number of fish were taken upstream around the milk
bar area, too, with John Baird taking three. A
good end to the season!
1989 Season
A very poor season for sea trout with the
driest summer this century (dry from April to mid
August). There were only two good weeks (beginning 21st
August) fishing for sea trout on the Endrick but a
fairly good back end for salmon, and the Leven, by all
accounts, had a very good year.
Sea Trout .............. 21 (Alan 2)
Salmon/Grilse .......... 8 (Alan 1)
My salmon ..... Teith - 5
(biggest 10.5 pounds) ; Endrick - 3 (in one day)
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