The water level on the Lee River has been perfect for the last week at just two feet above low summer level but having fly fished it through all the beats with different sinking lines i had nothing to show not even a take. Using heavy flies on a floating line with a very long tapered leader has produced plenty of salmon in the past but not this time and yet the Laune river and the Blackwater river at Fort William are getting fresh fish almost off every tide. Maybe with some fresh water at high load will bring fish in because even though the east winds are keeping the temperature down one must always remember that the water coming out from the bottom of the dam is cold and added to the wind chill is very cold even to wade in. Once the wind moves to the west or south then we will have fresh fish moving upstream from the sea.
The Croy at Beat 4
Beat 1 Woodside
Perfect water but not perfect temperature, we will have to wait for milder weather and then we should see some springers showing up and hopefully being hooked on the fly.
Paul i think the only reason they are getting fish low down in fort william is because they are holding up in the castle pool is because they water temp is under 7 degrees celius on the opw gauge at ballyduff, and the fish are not running. plus easterly winds are around for nearly a month now and i have not seen a springer around fermoy for nearly a month now. The spring tides over the last few weeks should have brought a good few fresh fish into the system one would think. i went to a few rock pools today to get some fresh prawns and they were scarce as well. hopefully by the weekend temp will rise.
ReplyDeleteHi Kieran, it just goes to prove that the old saying about the east wind not being good for man or beast and in our case salmon too.
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