[report]
I’ve been upping my donations to the karma pool lately with the hopes that maybe, just maybe this trip would turn out to be the one where not only did I have a good time, be in a great setting whilst chasing fish…but that I’d actually catch a memorable fish. In this case an Atlantic Salmon on a swung fly in Scotland.
It was quite an interesting evening the night before, I ended up staying out a lot later than I should have. If you ever talk to me in person, ask me about it. Wasn’t supposed to meet my guide till 8AM…Christ that’s the middle of the day?? So I had a traditional Scottish breakfast from my hotel’s buffet.

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMG_1975_zps46ac77c4.jpg[/img]Not that bad if you don’t think of what it really is.
Drove about 30 minutes outside of Town and had some good reading material

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6754_zpsa5b994f5.jpg[/img]Pulling into our beat for the day.

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6800_zps48655f84.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6751_zps23685058.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6749_zps09f8f0e1.jpg[/img]I loved that car

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6758_zps167c2d9b.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6785_zps2093b029.jpg[/img]The Fishing Hut was alright too

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6759_zps9538056b.jpg[/img]Met the Ghillie and got deloused

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6757_zps21c59d65.jpg[/img]My fishing companion for the day

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6792_zps9c70086a.jpg[/img]Reviewed our selection of shrimp flies

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6755_zpscd3424f2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6756_zpsc61191b8.jpg[/img]And chose one

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6777_zps89fd5f72.jpg[/img]The plan was to get started with the Guide and Ghillie’s choice and switch over to one of the classics during the day. The common method over here is tube flies and double hook systems.
I was going to do what I was told.
This was my first time with a 15’ set-up. They had a brand new Scott McKenzie 10/11wt set up with a traditional spey system. I have no idea about these things but I was quite impressed, after a bit of instruction I was successfully moving line forward in a nearly correct direction 3 out of 5 times. Things got better as they day progressed and occasionally one might mistake me for actually doing it correctly. Regardless I felt comfortable and really enjoyed the process.
Action Shots

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6770_zpsda1dfa5e.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6769_zps501c10e6.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6768_zps43b8c39d.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6767_zpsbf3df639.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6763_zpsff35c532.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/486548_10151389360252880_1508641436_n_zps1c293369.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/600316_10151389361207880_933154282_n_zps46acefd5.jpg[/img]The Ghillie showing me how it’s done

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/555141_10151389361182880_1866724409_n_zpsd21cd71a.jpg[/img]There was a pair of river otters active around the beat that day. At one point one swam right up underneath me and came up right next to my feet. Very cool seeing this.

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/886617_10151389359997880_1014419726_o_zpsb6c44204.jpg[/img]So right before lunch I was off fishing by myself while the guide prepared lunch. Cast, mend, swing, step, repeat. It was a good pool and I was on edge as I expected something to happen at any time. It did. About ½ through a swing at the tailout of the pool there was a solid hit, shake and run. I freaked, but slowly raised the rod tip, grabbed the line as it was tightening up and making the drag hum. I had one hooked!!

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/482830_10151389361177880_1685842860_n_zps25883587.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/384166_10151389361262880_525449399_n_zps4e24a0ca.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6772_zps1545a581.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6773_zps367c3a30.jpg[/img]I’m not good at estimating weight, they estimated between 16 – 18lbs and it was measured right at 37”.
This fish has ruined me forever.
After watching her swim away strong and quickly we broke for lunch, it was quite a celebration. What follows is not at all my style. I typically am a granola bar and keep fishing kind of guy but when in Rome…
Whisky was poured

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6780_zpsa740d6d7.jpg[/img]Beef Bourginon made with Aberdeen Angus on a slow cooker…delicious

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6782_zpsc376472a.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/64118_10151389361327880_28707295_n_zps62e734a8.jpg[/img]And some wine. I do think I could used to living like this though…
After lunch we moved to a different beat and my casts continued to improve. At this point I thought I was already well beyond where I hoped to be at the end of the day. My cast was working, I had caught a fish and I had a pretty solid buzz going. I wanted to swing the classics that PBR had sent me, so we tied on the Miss Grant, which the Ghillie said would mimic the sand eels the salmon feed on at sea…not a shrimp.
Over the course of the afternoon we got 3 more bumps and had 2 on but could not keep them buttoned. They were quite impressed and I believe the Guide was going to work out a tube pattern to mimic the Miss Grant. As I said before they say single hook fishing is very rare there these days due to inability to keep them hooked. I don’t know, I think it definitely could be done.
It was an amazing day. The other gentlemen I met during the day were just that, Gentlemen. All very nice, anxious to learn about fishing back in the states and happy to share, suggest and support. Heck, they even come equipped to share with class and style on the riverside. I’ve got to get one of these dram sets!

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/IMGP6799_zpsf4b2244b.jpg[/img]So that’s it for my big River Dee adventure. I truly can’t wait to return soon. On a side note I just so happened to pick up a bunch of business in Norway….ummm Heero?

[img]http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv289/everett212/Scotland%20March%202013/45678_10151389361397880_16411444_n_zpsfd618e8b.jpg[/img][/report]