Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2013 8:05:20 GMT
Hi all,
I'm Steve and I live in the Cairngorm National Park at 1200 ft. I started fishing again this year after a couple of years off. It was the usual stockie rainbows on a nearby lake, but our local river was what got me in to tenkara.
The Dee is the main river but as a salmon river it was not really an option. The Clunie is a narrow rocky river (more a stream really) that starts at nearly 2000' and drops over around 5 miles to 1200'. As we have had very little rain this year the majority of the water is around 1' to 2' deep with some stretches just inches deep and a few deeper pools.
Having read many blogs and forum posts Tenkara sounded an ideal method for fishing this and the nearby Shee. I purchased a 12 Iwana rod from Tenkara USA and a 3.5 level line and a furled line to see which I preferred. I decided to try sticking to one fly (an amani sakasi kebari) and to concentrate on my technique and presentation.
I have now had about 10 sessions on the Clunie and covered about 3 miles of the river that my permit and access allow. I'm pleased to say that I have caught fish along the entire length and thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that the river presents. The fish have been very small and most would have fitted in to a sardine tin but I did get one of around half a pound. I usually manage around 6 to 10 fish in a couple of hours with plenty more tugs that don't connect. I have never felt any need to change fly. The most I have done is to try different colours to see if there is any preference. I can't say that any colour is winning so I tend to stick to cream or dark green.
The biggest challenge has been the wind. Being so high up and hardly a tree or bush along its entire length casting can often be difficult. The wind does largely run straight down stream so I walk this way as well. Quite often when walking between pools the easiest way to move is just to hold the rod vertical and the fly is like a kite. When the mountain forecast say winds at 3000' being 40 to 50 mph with gusts to 70mph you know it's going to be a challenge to get the fly on to the water at all, even at 1200'. I must admit sometimes its simply a case of letting the wind take the fly and then lowering the rod until the fly lands.
On gentler days I am steadily learning how to manipulate the fly depth and control its course along the rocky runs. I'm also getting a feel of where I think a fish will be located. Nothing better than seeing a spot and thinking 'if I was a trout that's where I would be' and then casting to the spot and being proved correct.
In a weeks time I am having several days in the far north west and intend to fish a number of the hill lochs around Scourie. On suitable waters and on the streams it will be Tenkara as much as possible, I'm hooked.
I'm Steve and I live in the Cairngorm National Park at 1200 ft. I started fishing again this year after a couple of years off. It was the usual stockie rainbows on a nearby lake, but our local river was what got me in to tenkara.
The Dee is the main river but as a salmon river it was not really an option. The Clunie is a narrow rocky river (more a stream really) that starts at nearly 2000' and drops over around 5 miles to 1200'. As we have had very little rain this year the majority of the water is around 1' to 2' deep with some stretches just inches deep and a few deeper pools.
Having read many blogs and forum posts Tenkara sounded an ideal method for fishing this and the nearby Shee. I purchased a 12 Iwana rod from Tenkara USA and a 3.5 level line and a furled line to see which I preferred. I decided to try sticking to one fly (an amani sakasi kebari) and to concentrate on my technique and presentation.
I have now had about 10 sessions on the Clunie and covered about 3 miles of the river that my permit and access allow. I'm pleased to say that I have caught fish along the entire length and thoroughly enjoyed the challenges that the river presents. The fish have been very small and most would have fitted in to a sardine tin but I did get one of around half a pound. I usually manage around 6 to 10 fish in a couple of hours with plenty more tugs that don't connect. I have never felt any need to change fly. The most I have done is to try different colours to see if there is any preference. I can't say that any colour is winning so I tend to stick to cream or dark green.
The biggest challenge has been the wind. Being so high up and hardly a tree or bush along its entire length casting can often be difficult. The wind does largely run straight down stream so I walk this way as well. Quite often when walking between pools the easiest way to move is just to hold the rod vertical and the fly is like a kite. When the mountain forecast say winds at 3000' being 40 to 50 mph with gusts to 70mph you know it's going to be a challenge to get the fly on to the water at all, even at 1200'. I must admit sometimes its simply a case of letting the wind take the fly and then lowering the rod until the fly lands.
On gentler days I am steadily learning how to manipulate the fly depth and control its course along the rocky runs. I'm also getting a feel of where I think a fish will be located. Nothing better than seeing a spot and thinking 'if I was a trout that's where I would be' and then casting to the spot and being proved correct.
In a weeks time I am having several days in the far north west and intend to fish a number of the hill lochs around Scourie. On suitable waters and on the streams it will be Tenkara as much as possible, I'm hooked.
