Salmon season is off to a quiet start

Mar 20 2008 By Tom McGregor

The salmon season started in February and there had been so much rain in January that there were high hopes that fresh fish might have come into the system in time for opening day.

For about a week, conditions were suitable for any salmon anglers who were prepared to use flies.

The reward that some of them got for their efforts included only kelts.

Being experienced anglers, those that I have spoken to knew exactly what they had hooked and the fish were released unharmed immediately.

A few anglers were able to take advantage of the short period of good weather to try to fish for grayling.

Very few of this species were taken but quite a lot of trout were falling to maggots intended for the Lady of the Stream.

Very soon, conditions deteriorated dramatically. Gale-force winds, heavy rain and even snow made fishing virtually impossible.

With no-one fishing, the river will have had a short rest before the start of the trout season.

The prolonged cold snap is likely to have delayed the development of the aquatic insect life. Certainly there have been no reports of large hatches of the Dark Olives which are often common in February.

These, along with March Browns, should be plentiful right through April.

With so many anglers choosing to use flies instead of baits, there will be no shortage of patterns to try.

Generally speaking, dark flies are probably the most useful at this time of year when it is still cold.

Black Spiders, Magpie Tails and Starling Tips spring immediately to mind.

There will be a lot more nymphs in the water than normal because these have not been encouraged, by the low temperature, to emerge as adults.

Harelug and Pheasant Tail nymphs should have their part to play.

l The Lamington and District Angling Improvement Association have announced changes to the prices of their various permits.

The adult season permit will cost £40 this year. The trout weekly permit will cost £20, while the day permit is set at £8. It is worth remembering that anglers under 16 years of age will continue to fish free but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Until this year, spinning or the use of minnow as bait was allowed on the club waters only after the start of May. This was to protect early season trout which would gorge themselves on smaller fish in an attempt to regain their condition after spawning. However, it was noted that a lot of fish were still too easy to take on minnow even in May, and that some anglers were taking advantage of their vulnerability in spite of the bag limit.

To prevent such abuses it has been decided that spinning or the use of minnow as bait will not be allowed at all this year. The one exception to this rule will be in the Quarry Pool at Langholm Farm.

The part of the river often referred to as the Dredgings is so different in nature from the rest of the Clyde that it comes in for some unique treatment in terms of what is allowed and what is not. Elsewhere, the rule will be strictly enforced.

l In February, the United Clyde Angling Protective Association lost another of their stalwarts. After a long illness Neil Miller, of Crawford, finally lost his painful battle.

Just over a year ago, the association awarded Neil a life membership to mark their appreciation of his long service to the Clyde.

For longer than anyone can remember he had acted as a bailiff, and then river warden, in the upper reaches.

He was heavily committed to the fight against the American signal crayfish. He was also a farmer of the old style, who had a love of the land and the animals on it.

So respected was he in the community that it was hardly surprising that the church in Abington was packed to capacity with his friends.

I could not help thinking that such a bright frosty day would have been ideal for grayling fishing.

In spite of that, angling friends donned suits to join in saying farewell to a gentle man who was always a gentleman. Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.