The Brown trout season is over now home and abroad and with the autumn colors, it is time for our annual salmon trip on the South Tyne. It is now I think the eighth consecutive years I am staying with a group of fellow anglers at the Lambley Cottages Estate in Northumberland – UK. It is a trip for 6 rods and we are fishing the Lambley beat just in the backyard of the farm.
We arrived there to meet our great friend and host Jim on the 11th of October. This year the group was me, Georgi Praskov, Stoyan Filipov, Roy Christie, Hilary Robinson, and Reece Connor and we were waiting for Rosen Velev and his wife to arrive a few days later. On the first day, the river was low – 4 inches and we only saw a few grilse jumping. On the next day the rain we were praying for started and didn`t really stop for quite some time. The river rose 7 ft 11inches which is the biggest flood of the year.
We did not fish much this day really. On the third day, the river was near the 3 ft mark so although it was still high it was fishable. Jim gave me precious advice on where to go and try to catch a sea trout.
I started fishing the river below this spot and when I arrived there just on my second cast I felt that little pull and I slowly lift the rod to feel the weight of the fish. It start jumping around and I was really glad to realize I had a fish on.
After a short fight with such a strong rod and tippet, I landed magnificent sea trout about 5 pounds.
Luckily a man walking his dog passed and I asked him to take me a quick picture.
I caught it on a fly that Stoyan tied and gave me the previous night. The dark violet-colored one. The second one is from left to right.
In the afternoon Rosen arrived and said to me he wants to catch a sea trout like mine. Well, we try to arrange it. On the fourth day, the river was at its perfect level but was still missing the salmon jumping in it. We all agreed that they have just not arrived in the upper system yet. Certainly not in the numbers we needed. We only saw one or two fish jumping for the last 4 days. So in the absence of the river king – the salmon we had to concentrate on sea trout. Rosen managed to catch his first sea-run brown and a pretty good one about 5-pound cock fish.
Only 2 days left. The water was perfect. We all hoped that on the 5th day the salmon will finally reach our beat. I and Rosen went out to start the day and took our positions in the river. I didn`t make more than 10 casts before I felt the twitch. Waited a few seconds and slowly lifted the rod. YESSS…. and I saw the fish -it was a salmon and certainly a massive one.
The fish ran into the pool below where Rosen was fishing and he went out of the water and start giving me courage. We fought the salmon for good 20 minutes and had one unsuccessful try to land it which cause an accident because Rosen hooked his ear on the upper fly and it cut it quite badly so it started bleeding.
The next time the fish felt tired and laid on the surface he manage to net it and what a relief… It was the biggest salmonid I ever caught in my life – 101 cm pure muscle cock fish. It is hard to express my happiness. The fish took size 12 Ally`s Shrimp tube fly with a double Partridge hook. The tippet was 0,35 or 20-pound strength. Just Perfect for this fish which experts estimate is between 20 and 22 pounds. Well, that was more than enough for me …
More pictures to follow as well as a clip after Rosen returns from Scotland.
On this day one more salmon was caught by Jim`s son Ben.
One thing was clear – they have already arrived. We were seeing them jumping out of the water all around.
The rest of the group get really enthusiastic as well but had no luck that day.
On the last day of our fishing we knew the fish were swiming the water we cast in. We really try hard during the day without success. Then me and George had to leave earlier so we went back to the cottage and packed… but there was still time left for a few more casts. We decided to give it one last try without the waders on. There was a number of salmon jumping in the Madam`s pool and I suddenly hooked one just a few seconds later George was also playing a fish. Two salmon at the same time … this was hard to believe…
All fish went safe back in the water after they were caught. What an amazing end of this year’s trip. We couldn`t really ask for more.
Next year the trip will be at the same place at the same time from 12th of October to 19th of October. For more details and bookings please do not wait too long and contact me preferably by e-mail. See you, next time friends!
Photography by me & Rosen Velev