Wednesday 12 July 2017

Lyliok Ping Pong Ball

DATE: 11th July 2017

Air Temp: 22’C
Water Temp: 15’C
Water Height: +.25m
Number of Rods: 13
Number of fish Caught:  28
Biggest fish: 23lbs Sam Amos
No 30+:
No 20-29lbs: 2
No 8-19lbs: 18
Grilse: 8

Weather: 
A grey day, lots of cloud cover, windless and slight drizzle 
Managers Comments: 
Another hugely successful day on the river, everyone coming back to camp with huge smiles. Excellent to see and great fun. The fishing is still getting better yet, numbers wise this is our best day of the season so far. 
We are catching a huge variety of fish, everything from two week old fish to sea liced fish. I think that a good number have been sitting right down at the bottom of the river waiting for the right time. Whatever it is that gives the salmon the incentive to run has certainly just happened and all fish fresh, and old have started to move on up.
Evening sunset
As is typical with running fish we are losing an awful lot, also each angler is having a good number of pulls through out the day which often don't materialise into anything else. Sam had an entertaining moment with a grilse in one of Boulder Alley’s pots. The fish took seven times before it eventually grabbed the fly properly and we landed it. I think having lots of pulls and shaking off a large proportion of fish we hook is due to the fact they are running hard. Which is course is no surprise, with such a late season the salmon will be keen to get up river. But plenty of action is a good confidence booster and very exciting.
Another fantastic day for George and Alan down in Lyliok and Crows Nest, eight fish between them and plenty of other action. Alan had an epic fresh fish in the tail of Lyliok, a beautifully marked 20lb fish. 
Alan's 20lb fish
Lyliok once again provided a wonderful evening for the night time fishers. I went down tonight with the team and acted as right bank night guide. I thought this would be fantastic, I’ll get a nice relaxing evening on the river bank. I'm pleased to say, it was quite the opposite. I felt a bit like a ping pong ball bouncing between James and Leo netting fish after fish. Two hours of fishing for five fish with a little bits of action in between. I'm now a pro at wading the Lyliok stream! 

Fish always measured and weighed
Still using a variety of gear that all seems to be working, generally speaking for most anglers and much closer to the surface now. Full floating lines with an intermediate tip or slow sink. Flies have again ranged from tiny little doubles to large Snaeldas. Fresh fish don't seem to be fussy!

Toby Burrell