is there anything to interest the WFer in or around Aberdeen this coming weekend? if pushed, I might even consider taking my young nephew to a fishery...... :shock:
any recommendations, including fisheries, most welcome :lol:
ps a visit to Somers isn't really what I had in mind (although my bucktail & deer hair stocks are running a bit low :roll:)
Not much I'm afraid and the Don will be closed for trout tomorrow night until April 2016. Apart from salmon and some very expensive trout fishing (up to £35 / day on the Don) the Aberdeen area is a wild fishing desert. Why do you think I moved away? :lol:
To be fair some of the beats on the Don are not that expensive.
Dave what sort of distance from Aberdeen would you consider?
For lochs you could be half way home before you find a wilder trout water. You may find some small streams a bit closer.
Quote from: Robbie on September 29, 2015, 01:21:45 PM
Dave what sort of distance from Aberdeen would you consider?
Aviemore? :lol:
Seriously though, after 30 + years up there I really struggle to think of an area with fewer wild fishing opportunities. Most of what there is is either private, expensive or just unavailable to casual anglers looking for a day or two. Even the lowland pike fishing is syndicated or fishing banned on the lochs or heavily restricted. Other that the Don (which will be closed by the weekend) you will have to chance it and fish without permission for trout, because you won't be granted it. It's not a good fishing area and that's one reason the stocked ponds do so well.
Are ticket available on the Urie or Deveron, not sure when the trout season ends on these waters.
You could try:
http://www.ldaa.org.uk/index.php/permits (http://www.ldaa.org.uk/index.php/permits)
I've heard the fishing on these waters can be OK :D
You may also be able to get day tickets on Cowie or Carron in Stonehaven but not sure.
These are not big fish waters but should provide an enjoyable way to pass a few hours.
cheers folks :D I've got an enforced trip to Aberdeen itself this weekend, with possibly very limited transport once I get there. taking my nephew stockie bashing could be my escape from wandering around the town. any fishery suggestions?
Is Haddo fishery still on the go. Not my cup of tea but I have heard that it is a pleasant place to fish & the owner is very amenable. Might be a place to take the youngster.
Tight Lines
Some salt water possibilities; used to be plenty of flatties at the mouth of the Don; no permit required. May be some rock marks south of the Dee down towards Cove.
Quote from: Part-time on September 29, 2015, 02:47:09 PM
Some salt water possibilities; used to be plenty of flatties at the mouth of the Don
might go for that one, John. any suggestions as to which side of the bay accessibility-wise?
If you are intending fishing at Don mouth just be sure Jim Kerr or his bailiffs don't catch you. These guys take no prisoners. :lol:
If you want rainbow bashing Lochter fishery not that far from Haddo if you can't get on there, just outside Oldmeldrum they do a fine plate of soup at lunch time,
Quote from: corsican dave on September 29, 2015, 02:54:59 PM
might go for that one, John. any suggestions as to which side of the bay accessibility-wise?
The bit I used to fish regularly as a youngster (over 30 years ago :shock:) was on the north side of the estuary. Heading north on the Ellon road, as soon as you cross the bridge take the road immediately on the right. It's a dead end road and should be somewhere to park along it. Walk down to the sandy beach area at the narrowest point in the estuary just where it enters the sea. Ledgered lug (even garden earthworms) used to be the best for the flounders.
Fred makes a fair point about bailiffs but the place I'm suggesting used to be popular with sea anglers and I'd guess still is - maybe something on the current situation on some of the sea angling forums. I fished there lots (albeit a long time ago) and there was never any bother and I doubt you will get any now unless you bring the double hander and fish with an Ally's shrimp :)
You might be OK bait fishing with obvious sea gear, but anyone fly fishing or spinning is likely to be challenged. Jim Kerr is a fine bloke, I got on OK with him, but he takes no prisoners with perceived poaching. There were also issues with neds and junkies around there a few years back.
What makes the bailiff think you can't catch flatties on the fly, we had a junior years back catch the biggest bag of flounders on a gold head in the sea pool on the North Esk.
cheers folks! i'll probably try lochter or raemoir(?) if I have the young chap with me. otherwise it'll be flatties on the fly, with my running shoes on.....
Quote from: hopper on September 30, 2015, 10:32:02 PM
What makes the bailiff think you can't catch flatties on the fly
One guy I know was hassled by The Tay Board bailiffs for fly fishing off the beach at Elliot just south of Arbroath near the burn but still in the open sea (he was after bass). They accused him of fishing for salmon and sea trout, because, they claimed, sea fishers don't use flies. There has been a fair bit of poaching there in the past (as there has been in The Don estuary) but this was O.T.T.. He just refused to stop fishing and quite rightly so.
if you see any reports of bailiffs needing resuscitation, they'll have been looking in my fly box :8)
Speaking of bailiffs, Ness and District SFB (never known to spend money needlessly) has bought stab-proof body armour for their bailiffs.
A very depressing sign of the times.
The Baliffs of the Loch Lomond AIA are former SAS members. They don't get much hassle! Some years ago the Lomond baliffs had the life expectancy of first world war pilots !
Fly fishing at the mouth of a river that has a run of salmon or sea trout is going to attract the attention of Baliffs. The same goes for any other method of fishing. The offence is basically 'to fish for or take without lawful authority or written permission' I believe that still applies as does the limit of 'within one mile of the low water mark' of the river concerned.
As Fred says , there is nothing to stop you fishing for other species in this area but the baliffs are quite entitled to check you out and to take action if they feel you are 'fishing for or taking' migratory fish. I would guess that if you were fishing a cast of well known, recognised sea trout flies you may have questions to answer. If you produced a box like Dave's I would think you would be fine. I know of instances where the baliffs have been unconvinced and have seized tackle and summoned the police. The matter would then be left to the PF to decide what the evidence suggests you were fishing for. In the meantime you have no gear and perhaps no car.
I know that in some places they do everything they can to 'discourage' people fishing certain areas of saltwater and sometimes they can be a bit 'pushy' and less than considerate of your right to fish for other species but the action they take is often in response to your attitude towards them when they approach you.
There is often a ticket that can be bought which will provide the 'written permission' that allows you to take sea trout if you catch one in saltwater near a river mouth.
It is a good idea to phone the baliffs or those who control the water near your saltwater spot. Tell them who you are, what you are driving and that you are after and you will often be allowed to fish without anyone going through your tackle. My experience with them is, If they think you are genuine they are often quite helpful.
I think Rannoch Raider sums things up pretty well. I certainly don't want to cause hassle to any salmon fishing interests/bailiffs and if legally fishing for non migratory fish was likely to cause hassle I wouldn't do it or advocate that anyone else does. On some river estuaries you could be well within your legal rights to fish but to do so would cause trouble if you get in the way of paying guests fishing – so better not to fish there. On the other hand there are other estuaries (such as the Don) where historically locals have regularly fished for sea species well away from any migratory angling interests (pretty much from the first road bridge then upstream on the Don) then fine – but if in doubt ask; in the case of the Don contact the ADAA.
Bottom line is that it's perfectly legal to fish in tidal water/estuaries for non migratory fish in Scotland; just be reasonable about it, make sure you have an understanding of what the law says, and don't (just out of common courtesy) unreasonably disturb migratory fishing interests even if you are entitled to fish there.
It's always possible a seatrout might take the worm you are ledgering for flatties in an estuary but so long as you return it unharmed then no problem; if you knock it on the head you are breaking the law, just as you would be if you knock one on the head that's taken your bait half a mile offshore and miles from the nearest estuary.
There has been, and seems likely to be more soon, legislation restricting how and where people to fish so I'm reluctant to avoid fishing somewhere I have the legal right to fish providing I do so responsibly and don't unreasonably upset anyone doing so. Just because other people have acted irresponsibly or broken the law should also be no reason to restrict my own legal access to fishing. The bit I suggested fishing on the Don estuary I don't believe would cause any upset to the migratory fishing interests but any doubts or concerns contact the ADAA before you fish there.
ended up on a long day trip; Somers was the main benefactor with hobbycraft as a secondary beneficiary. well, give or take Costa coffee.... some seriously good tying stuff in Somers btw :8)
Quote from: Part-time on October 03, 2015, 12:52:37 PM
Bottom line is that it's perfectly legal to fish in tidal water/estuaries for non migratory fish in Scotland; just be reasonable about it, make sure you have an understanding of what the law says, and don't (just out of common courtesy) unreasonably disturb migratory fishing interests even if you are entitled to fish there.
It's always possible a seatrout might take the worm you are ledgering for flatties in an estuary but so long as you return it unharmed then no problem; if you knock it on the head you are breaking the law, just as you would be if you knock one on the head that's taken your bait half a mile offshore and miles from the nearest estuary.
There has been, and seems likely to be more soon, legislation restricting how and where people to fish so I'm reluctant to avoid fishing somewhere I have the legal right to fish providing I do so responsibly and don't unreasonably upset anyone doing so. Just because other people have acted irresponsibly or broken the law should also be no reason to restrict my own legal access to fishing. The bit I suggested fishing on the Don estuary I don't believe would cause any upset to the migratory fishing interests but any doubts or concerns contact the ADAA before you fish there.
I have recently caught 2 Sea trout about a pound and a half each beach fishing and returned both back alive, all have asked why, when I explained I was not surprised to hear that all and sundry would have killed and eaten both 'em and plenty have indeed done so.
Burnie, I for one salute you; at the end of the day it's a personal choice & I think you made the right one. but I have a nasty feeling that we're in the minority (not necessarily on this forum, but you know what I mean)