Last week
(Last Updated: Monday 10 October)
7th October 2022
A series of lifts in water levels over the past few weeks has helped keep fish on the move and catches have been steady with most beats picking away with a fish or two from Parkhill up to Kildrummy. The extra water has shifted the dormant fish which were held up on the lower beats and these are now well scattered throughout the system. Coloured grilse from 3-7lbs have made up the bulk of the fish landed, along with a few bigger salmon up to 19lbs. The big coloured male fish have started to appear over the past week, although we’ve had no hard frost appearing in the early mornings the water temperature has fallen recently and this seems to have sparked them back into life, several have been sighted in the mid-twenties and a couple were hooked and lost. There is the odd fresher fish around, Kintore, Inverurie and Fetternear beats claiming a silver one, however they are few and far between and I doubt we will see a substantial run appearing by the end of the season.
Plenty of coloured sea trout have been landed recently with a good few in the 5-7lb range, surprisingly a healthy number of male fish about this tear which is not normally the case. These fish will be spawning shortly, and a number have already been seen in the upper tributaries preparing to start.
The Don can become busy as other river systems close for the season, so don’t leave it too late to book a day or two before the end on the 31st.
For those anglers visiting the river for the first time please note the Don has a Category 3 conservation grading and all salmon/grilse landed must by law be returned to the river.
Martin Webster
Helpful Information
Tackle Shops and Outfitters nearby.
Guides and Instructions on the river Don.
Where To Stay on the Don and the surrounding countryside.
Where To Eat on the river Don.
Fishing Permits for the Don and its tributaries
If you would like to share any interesting stories or pictures from your time fishing on the River Don for the purposes of this report, please feel free to contact us, via email [email protected]
Martin Webster
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