If you were salmon fishing what would you do?

[Wildfisher]

Fred is the £75 job book in advance or pay on the day ! If  its pay on the you have the choice when to go after a wee tad of rain !

All the best salmon fishing has to be booked well in advance Colin. This is one reason I don't do it.

[gerrymaguire]

used to have an odd day at the back end on justinaugh beat on the esk was only about a tenner but all the fish were like kippers when we were there, better left alone to spawn

[jimmul]

A good beat does not always guarantee fish just had two days on the Tay at Meikleour( which fortunately for me I did'nt pay for, it's an eye watering price) the lad that invited me had 8 fish from the boat 4 on the fly and 4 on the spinner, I had none fishing the bank, the water was good and plenty of fish around so it's just your luck how you go.  (Of course it might be I'm just  a crap salmon fisher) But I still had a great couple of days despite no fish for me, I think it depends why you go fishing? to catch fish or enjoy being out with your friends and being in a beautiful place. ( I still would have loved to get a fish though)
Hopefully I will get a chance to fish on my local river the Ribble poor salmon river but always a chance
Jim

[rubberwellie]

Depends on the beat and the weather forecast / water conditions if you're booking the fishing close enough to the day to know.  Although the better beats do tend to be booked well in advance rods do become available.  Other considerations are petrol money, food and accommodation if travelling any distance for the 3 day trip.  I don't think £75 is that expensive for a days salmon fishing on a good river with a good chance of a fish or two.  I would consider how many times during a season I'm going to go ahead and treat myself to a days fishing on a good river / beat and if its not that many go ahead and do it.  Its similar to eating out in a nice restaurant, you wouldn't want to fork out every week but its nice to treat yourself now and again.  You only live once!

[Highlander]

Problem with pre booking as superscot touches on is that you can be unlucky with the conditions on your day. Having said that you can get it right & have a brilliant day. What you will not get is your money back if indeed the day is washout so to speak.
I would take the chance & go for the best river & the North Esk falls into that category especially lower down.
Having said that I have fished Kinnaber at £100 a day & caught zilch . Another day I caught five with one at 20 lbs.
Upstream at Canterlands & Gallery I only had one fish for both visits but not at a prime time so guess I had to expect that.
Only exception is one of the larger rivers Tay or Tweed where irrespective of water at this time of year you would expect there to be a fish or two around all be a lot of them coloured. I remember a Tweed leviathan that was that black it was singing Dixie. I do not know much about Don Salmon but a fairly substantial river in place so may be worth a punt with the cheaper tickets. Nice to have the choice though.

Tight Lines

[rubberwellie]

Aye if you're worried about conditions on the day, which lets face it can make or break the trip I'd try to enquire if there are parts of the beat which will fish in low and high water.  Some beats have pools which fish well in either but conditions are generally in the lap of the gods.  I've been flooded off the Tay a couple of times and its cost me £100 plus petrol a pop but I think its a risk you have to take now and again if you want to fish good water.  £75 is affordable unlike some of the crazy priced beats on prime rivers which cost several hundred and upwards to fish putting it out of reach of the working man. 

[Suki1312]

Seen many of my mates book good beats in advance only for there to be no rain/water when they go . Been on some nice beats myself but they were invites  . Will stick to my local river £25 for the season and can go out when the weather or notion suits .

[gerrymaguire]

my cousin is head ghillie on taymount beat on the tay been waiting for an invite for a few years now..... never gonna happen!!

[hopper]

You pay on average £100 per rod for a day on the North Esk for the last 2 months of the season. You pay your money and take your chance as far as the conditions go. As anglers will never be happy with the conditions and very rarely the results.

As 3 old guys said on the Esk tonight we have seen loads of fish all day and touched bugger all, and one said a bad days fishing still beats a good days work.

[Highlander]

the lad that invited me had 8 fish from the boat 4 on the fly and 4 on the spinner, I had none fishing the bank

You would think he might have let you have a shot from the boat. If it had been me I would.
I know you were invited FOC but I would not have fished with him again.

Tight Lines