Nae Fash.

Saturday 27th March. 09:00 - 18:45. Craigendinnie, river Dee. Mild and Sunny.

We thrashed the water to a foam again on Saturday - our last day on the river - but couldn't buy a bite.

Rob and I both fished the same left bank pool in silence for the last hour as the sunset on our week, pondering what might have been. By this late hour we were fishing with the shackles off: shoulders aching, grip fading on both hands and chapped skin on knuckles. I double spey casted off my left shoulder and Rob single speyed off his right. Both lines were flying out.

Above average effort with below average luck is my summary of the week.

I think we impressed the ghillie with our endurance and sheer perseverance. Not one morning did we greet him with anything less than a hearty smile and some self-deprecating line about our talent vacuum. We've seen fishers cave in by Wednesday and blame everything and everyone for their lack of success. The ghillie is usually in line for a pot shot. But that's salmon fishing for you nowadays - a lot of fishing and not many fish.

A weeks solid salmon fishing is a test of mental strength at the best of times unless you catch one early doors that is. In which case you fish like a millionaire for the rest of the week. Neither of us are millionaires however and it took a lot of effort for me to maintain the right frame of mind on the last day.

Can you remember the last time you fished for six days solid without a bite?

If I'm honest a three word phrase crept into my mind late Friday evening and dogged me on and off throughout Saturday. Unusually for me the phrase was completely free of expletives but at that moment carried more impact and weighed more heavily than a ton of bricks.

Waste of Money?:

Sunset on Tanar Mouth and our week.

The backing on the reel didn't see the light of day.

A disproportionate week on many levels.

The above photos are intended to counter the preceding sentiment.

Cheers.

ps Hope to see or read you on the bank soon Danny.