Salmon Fishing On A Small River In The Scottish Highlands

An evening Salmon fishing on a gorgeous small river in the highlands of Scotland.

[@Dannydanny991]

I enjoyed the video ive never tryed fly fishing ive bought my self a few bits cant wait too learn

[@nairnfly]

Great video really enjoyed that. Getting the the take on camera was really good, i really felt for you when the fish got off. It is difficult when you have a fish on in a small river. If i can offer some advice and this works for me is, when fish is close in i dont play off the reel i pull in line and keep pressure on like you do when trout fishing. If the fish pulls i let the line slip through the fingers then hold again. If you feed the fish slack line you are removing tension from the hook hold. Just my view anyway but well done again ...looks like the Shin ?

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers, glad you enjoyed it! That’s good advice too, thanks. Aye it’s the Shin, I remember seeing a video of you getting a nice fish from there before!

[@crestonlaager3216]

No criticism, just a fan that enjoyed your video. I send greetings from Upstate New York.

[@sc-flyfishing]

I appreciate that, thank you! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@stevemad4salmon]

Great vid fella, those midges looked savage, you're not too shabby left hand up, so go for it, tight lines.

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thank you! Aye they can be hellish at times!

[@raftonpounder6696]

@@sc-flyfishing DEET

[@anthonypretty2877]

Here in NL we fish mostly small rivers for Salmo salar. It feels more intimate and provides the opportunity to work all the small pockets of water. Nice video on the take. Tight lines.

[@sc-flyfishing]

That’s a good way of putting it, it is more intimate. It can be more challenging too but really enjoyable! Tight lines!

[@XsribsInflatableBoats]

I am just back from La Poile and Serpentine and am staggered at how different NL Salmon are to Scotland, virtually no Scottish fly will work in NL, mainly due to size but the success of "NL bugs" and the Blue Charm is staggering, such small flies and such big fish !

[@MRDPAUL13]

Harry’s river in NL is my local go to

[@Salmonaddicts]

Very nice mate😊😊

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers!

[@denethomson6170]

Set the drag on the reel, the fish will take line if needed. Dinae feed the line out by hand. If you're releasing it, the longer you play it the more you reduce it's chance of recovery.

[@FlyFishingChronicles]

What set up did you use? Regarding line, sink tip(?), leader etc. Thank you!

[@sc-flyfishing]

I was just using a full floating line with 10-11ft of 15lb maxima as a leader. Really simple set up 👍🏼

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

oh mate! "oh bugger" is a lot less than I would have said! well done on the self control lol!

[@sc-flyfishing]

😂 sometimes it’s just a case of if you don’t laugh you’ll cry. Often I am crying tho 🤣

[@markandrew9215]

Great to watch, what was that rod ,reel and line set up ?

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thanks Mark! The rods a Guideline LPX Chrome 12’9” in a 8/9. The Reels a Hardy Cascapedia with a Guideline 4D compact line 👍🏼

[@XsribsInflatableBoats]

I fish in your part of the world a lot and have done so for 35 years + I would agree, squarer gives you better hook ups, 45 deg they just snap at a quick Sunray. I take the rod to the bank as soon as I have cast and retrieve square across the flow... you need a reel with a really good smooth drag and I put all Salmon on the reel but the drag must be smooth to let them take line if need be....works for me, But what ever works for you is the best !

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thanks for your comment, I totally agree sunrays are better fished at more of a 90 degree angle if not even a bit up river. On this river tho due to its width and bank access that’s not always easy/possible. The Hardy reel I have doesn’t have the most amazing drag but I like the sound of it too much to part ways 🤣 All the best and tight lines! 👍🏼

[@riseshine495]

Thats the joys of it. Sometimes no matter what you do is not enough. As we say if your name is not on him you wont get him,. Keep her lit man. Just subbed.

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thank you, I appreciate that! Aye sometimes it’s just not to be, still good fun tho!

[@riseshine495]

@@sc-flyfishing Yep Its not just the fishing its everything that goes with it. ,

[@chriswright2135]

Brilliant that, an unlucky just wasn’t meant to be that day 👏👏

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thank you, glad you liked it! Yeah some days are like just like that but still enjoyable.

[@simongill8344]

Great video. Are you using a cascapedia reel and if so, how do you rate it? Some have commented on the drag not being great.

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thanks Simon! Yeah it's the Cascapedia, the drag maybe isn't as good as some reels of a similar price but it's certainly good enough, plus it sounds great!

[@EasterlyWind]

Unlucky mate. Great footage of the take not sure if its the camera or what reel your using but it sounds so loud on the video i thought it was 50pounder. Looks like cracking river

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers! haha I only use that real because of how it sounds!

[@Gospodin_Nikoi]

wow great vid dude! keep to goood work going ! fishing is life ! :D :P :D lm fisherman too

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thank you, I appreciate that! I agree, fishing is life! Tightlines!

[@simongill8344]

All though, I really want a cascapedia as they look stunning 😊

[@adhdandme]

What kind of set up are you using? I’ve never seen a rod and reel like that.

[@sc-flyfishing]

It’s a double handed fly rod. There’s lots of different ones but the one I’m using is made by Guideline, it’s their LPX Chrome 8/9 and the reel is a Hardy Cascapedia.

[@ibana8449]

Great angling. The air would of been blue were it me, well done

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers!

[@johnmcguigan6717]

Hard lines dude!

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers!

[@Salmonaddicts]

What camera are you using looks really good

[@sc-flyfishing]

Im using the GoPro hero 11, it can film in better quality but found it over heated quickly and also takes up lot of memory when editing.

[@Salmonaddicts]

Picture looks really good I'm looking for a new camera someone mentioned the dgi osmo 3

[@rickwilkins3055]

Have never seen so much messing around to get a fish in.

[@m.h.english4773]

I want to go fly fishing with you!!!!BTW, I can see all bugs flying around and if mosquitoes think of your blood as a “fine wine” like they do with me, they also HATE the smell of coconut. 😀

[@charliesouthworth4200]

Is it a hitch fly your using or you just dragging it just under the surface ?

[@sc-flyfishing]

It’s just under the surface but I do also fish the same fly as a hitch sometimes!

[@philwesterman5304]

I've caught grilse up to around 7lb on small rivers on Arran. Sadly forestation (leading to faster floods) and otters messed these rivers up many years ago but still my favourite memories of angling are there. Not on the fly, the rivers were too small for this method so we used worm or prawn.

[@steveharrison4176]

otters have been around an co existed with salmon for a very long time ,try to get a grasp of how nature works !

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

Bro, how are you stripping back so fast with one hand?

[@sc-flyfishing]

I’m not very good at fishing slow and patiently any time I fish so I guess it’s just muscle memory from always retrieving 🤣

[@OdinsChosen208]

figure 8 retrieve

[@hattrickster33]

Drag was set too tight when the fish was in close. If you feel the need to pull line off the reel, that's a good sign you need to loosen up the drag. Like another commenter mentioned, it can be good to play the fish by hand when it gets in close, but a lot of people prefer to just loosen up the drag. Many big fish have been lost due to drag being too tight when the fish gets close.

[@taggardhecker6380]

Just may be a suggestion here from North America, instead of doing the strip, and wrap it around your hand just let it go through the swing and at the end when it’s in the drop as we call the dangle do your strip then to prepare for your next cast.

[@jamesmurray2311]

Great little video, any chance of a look at your Sunray fly please ….?

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers, glad you enjoyed it! Im pretty sure it's one I bought and will be tied by Caledonia Fly Company, if you have a google you'll find it.

[@jamesmurray2311]

@@sc-flyfishing cheers will look it up, I fished my local water today and ran into a lovely shinny tourist ….. 🐟👍

[@MrTattieshawuk]

Good video unlucky with the fish River Nairn ?

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! The rivers the Shin.

[@oakling7534]

Nice video

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@philippendlebury4518]

Hi what length and line weight rod are you using. Always interested in tackle set up. Thanks Phil

[@sc-flyfishing]

Hi Phil, I’m using a 12’9” rod line rated 8/9 which works fine but maybe a smaller switch rod would work better on this river. Thanks for watching and tight lines!

[@philippendlebury4518]

@sc-flyfishing Thank you. My favourite go to is a 12ft 9in Hardy Demon #8/9. Its an absolutely beautiful rod to use and you can fish all day with it without tiring. And it's chucks an AFS head or Rio Skagit as far as my 15 footer. Cheers mate.

[@mikegarvan836]

Video of a thousand casts

[@qtpi6450]

1 big reason i miss being in uk... ^ that is 8pm & looks like mid day 🥳

[@sc-flyfishing]

It is nice having long days during the summer. They're especially long in the north of Scotland, some summer nights it can barley get dark at all!

[@boxingstarcmbballer8797]

But them long winter nights though huh 😂 I don’t live as far north and I hate the limited daylight in winter can only imagine at that latitude.

[@Na-Muche]

Unlucky🎣👍🏻

[@tuukkapitkanen]

What chrome is that?

[@sc-flyfishing]

It's the 12'9 8/9. I really like it, very good rod for not silly money!

[@georgeaubrey547]

Really dont understand why you pull little bits of line off when playing the fish- please explain

[@user-li3li1tu3x]

What line is that?

[@sc-flyfishing]

It’s the Guideline 4D Compact.

[@PapaTube-ep1nk]

Looks like the Nairn or Alness,

[@sc-flyfishing]

A bit further north than Alness 👍🏼

[@muzza6047]

What is the river mate ?

[@sc-flyfishing]

The Shin 👍🏼

[@Ukmongoose3]

Is that the Brora?

[@daviddempsie4743]

What river was this on

[@user-eg7vn5ek2f]

You so deserved that second fish. You did nothing wrong.Great video. Tight lines next week. Jim Davies

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thanks Jim I appreciate that, glad you enjoyed it!

[@papiezguwniak]

Does one need a license or permit to fish for salmon?

[@sc-flyfishing]

In Scotland just a permit is required. In England and Wales a rod licence and permit is needed 👍🏼

[@oldharry09]

What river mate

[@kennethmorton2626]

Is this the Carron?

[@raftonpounder6696]

8:02 never ever feed a fish line. It creates slack which will allow the hook to let go if it has a poor hold. Amateur error. If the fish wants line it will take it. 11:08 you just proved my point. You caused that yourself. You created slack.

[@sc-flyfishing]

Thanks for your feedback. I wouldn't necessarily agree with "never" feed a fish line, in theory all it is doing is loosing the drag slightly and letting the fish run a bit instead of only giving it the option of shaking its head. But I do agree it could have played a factor in loosing the fish and maybe that wasn't the right time to do it. Im definitely not claiming to be an expert and I certainly do make mistakes!

[@kevintaylor4560]

This guy is on the river nairn I would say ,

[@reicheld590]

Sad luck loosing that fish. That said, next time suggest you pay attention to your fish instead of fooling around with your phone. Also, totally agree with comments about your drag... if set correctly you NEVER need to play with your lines just keep steady pressure on and work them to the best location to land them. Better luck next time.

[@weforever137]

Good video, kinda highlights one thing slow your fly down, in my opinion 👍

[@bentebbutt8316]

Gutted for you! -

[@sc-flyfishing]

Cheers, that’s fishing I suppose!

[@bentebbutt8316]

@@sc-flyfishing - for sure - enjoyed your video

[@MrKveite1]

If you cast a lot more straight across the river you will have more success with your sunray.

[@12dougreed]

The reason you lost that fish is because you are using reservoir tactics. You did not let the line go or loop go on the take , therefore badly hooked.

[@garyjohnson4778]

I had no idea what you were doing there. Why were you paying out line and encouraging the fish to run downstream into the fast water? You had a perfect place right in front of you to land that fish and should have kept the fish there until your dad arrived. In fact the fish was in that slack water for some time, until you paid out line to it and it ran downstream.

[@rdigimages9242]

Strange style. Let it swing and dangle then strip. That's a triple faster strop than still water trout ? . Why pull line out when you have the fish under control.

[@seamuscooley3389]

You are fishing way too fast...the slower you draw the line the better...18 Inch slow draws and a pause between each..and don't tighten into the fish right away let the fish turn go back to the lie and take some line then slowly raise the rod..the fish will hook itself..also use a sink tip to match the water height

[@moeshields7493]

U give it slack when u pulled line off your reel in my opinion it takes very little for fish to get that degree of slack.we all loss fish tight lines 2023

[@charliemartin7492]

Why wont you say where you were? Poochin'?

[@sc-flyfishing]

🤣🤣 definitely not! I’m happy to say where I am. It’s the Shin.

[@golfscotland]

so many bitties

[@JS-xn3ql]

Played it too hard that’s why he lost it - inexperience

[@onlythaclonessir2525]

J ? NOT ?