Salmon Junky

[@mikegoodchild6129]

Its been great following you, thanks

[@FinLineFly]

Nothing better than dedication and commitment! Nice video, very enjoyable!

[@abakerslife]

Thanks glad you enjoyed it, last year I was absolutely both dedicated and committed! I got the bug badly.

[@johngraham5996]

another lovely video from you, and what a beautiful pool that first one is to fish through! good to see you out with the dog, i love a day out with my two labs, my pal had a hardy rocket and could'nt take to it, he struggled with it from day one then swapped over to the rio scandi outbound and loved it from the first cast!

[@abakerslife]

Thanks for the encouragement. I am really enjoying the Rio line but only got to use it once before the end of the season. It was like night and day compared to the rocket. I haven't had a fish on the Cascapedia yet so can't report on how the drag performs but I sure am looking forward to hearing it sing because it does make a lovely noise. I got mine for £425 which is a lot less than a perfect but with the advantage of drag over click and pawl. I like that it and my rod were made in Alnwick too.I do like the look of the danielsson reels though with the control drag so I might indulge in one for my Switch rod at some point. As for fishing with the dogs I find it much more enjoyable to have mine with me. That way I can be out for the whole day without feeling guilty that she is left behind. Not long to go now....Will you be fishing the lower findhorn early season? I'm definitely having a few days up there again this year but probably in the summer again. The Tyne is going to be my main focus for spring fishing.

[@burtonbrocious171]

Love your. Videos great dog too.

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks, yes she is a great fishing companion.

[@sammcdougall6506]

Really enjoying your videos! I’m planning on starting my own Salmon and Sea Trout journey this year on the Welsh Dee and other N Wales rivers. Inspired by your success, keep sharing its great stuff 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Sam, good luck, it will be more than worth the effort when you get hold of one.

[@nmb5689]

Fantastic videos! I started with the Salmon angling and finished with the cooking and baking videos. Across the board, great work! You my friend “get it”!. I am a bladesmith/cutler in America and steelhead fish in my spare time. It’s awesome to see another fellow living the same sort of hustling life style and enjoying it! Hope to see some more bakery/cooking vids in the off season. - Nick

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks Nick I'm very pleased that you have enjoyed the videos. If I 'get' anything it's that our time on this earth is short and I just want to make good use of my time here. I bet steelhead fishing is awesome?

[@nmb5689]

@@abakerslife steelhead (Great Lakes, not west coast) fishing is fantastic! Right now the temps are well below freezing and the rivers are frozen stiff, but when the water is warmer, it’s great fun. Fall and spring is great fun, although a lot of guys fish with bait and centerpin and go for numbers. Kind of frustrating to see people miss the “magic” of steelheading. Swinging flies is the magic I’m after and magic it is! At any rate, I hope you had a fantastic Christmas!

[@chriswright2135]

Good to see it up there , fished Boleside a couple of times just below there , cracking place lovely scenery 👍👍👍

[@abakerslife]

It's certainly a nice part of the world, might have a couple of days up there late spring. The problem is that in this part of the world I am spoilt for good fishing.

[@chriswright2135]

You certainly are , I’m not far from you myself and it’s where I do all my fishing, Tyne ,Tweed , Yorkshire Esk 👍

[@flyfishingdan]

Thanks for the Rod and Tackle mention. I will let Grant know, I'm off there now for a shift. 🎣

[@abakerslife]

Hope Santa is giving out lots of lovely new rods this year and you're nice and busy.

[@50Squirrel]

I was getting concerned! Welcome back!!!

[@abakerslife]

Cheers, I've been thoroughly engaged with the unfortunate process of earning a crust 🍞

[@CornishChrisTheFish]

Hey Rob, great video mate. Thanks for the mention. I have done the same on my video on the yair going out on Xmqs Day. Merry Christmas Chris

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Chris, next year you should try the north east where the beer flows freely, the women are scantily clad no matter the weather and the rivers are bursting with salmon! Merry Christmas to you too 🎄

[@CornishChrisTheFish]

@@abakerslife wow, sounds like heaven!👍

[@ibana8449]

Get yourself a day booked at Tweedhill for April, Ghillie Brian is a font of knowledge, been on the beat for over 30 years, and is passionate about getting you in the fish. Only an hour to drive so not that much further than the Tyne. Tight lines and thank you for the video. Ivan

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Ivan, I might well do that. I have been enjoying not fishing but come the start of the season I will be raring to go.

[@markmcclure4982]

Great videos mate. Look forward to seeing more for the new season of 2023.

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks, plenty more to come hopefully.

[@markmcclure4982]

@@abakerslife your welcome mate. Do you have a gye net for the upcoming season.

[@abakerslife]

Yes new net ready to go.

[@markmcclure4982]

@@abakerslife that's great, I was asking because if you needed one I had one I could have gave you as I have 3 lol, But glad your sorted pal.

[@abakerslife]

@@markmcclure4982 Thanks for the offer, as it happens you're the second person to offer me a net, it's amazing where a few youtube videos will get you!

[@davecanty8867]

Nice one, you got the bug, bad!! 😂 Loads of blanks await us come February, but always the chance of that magical bar of silver. Happy Christmas, hope Santa going to bring something nice?? All the best.

[@abakerslife]

Standing in a freezing river trying to catch a needle in a haystack sounds right up my street. All the best to you too.

[@alexpeters1080]

Addict behaviour! Love it pal. Like most pleasurable activities salmon fishing can lead to potentially addictive levels of dopamine in the brain! I guess its better than smoking crxck tho!

[@abakerslife]

Luckily for me I didn't discover salmon fishing earlier otherwise I would have accomplished nothing in life!

[@tomjones7593]

Thanks for that- I've not fished the Yair but have friends who do- I totally agree re November- we used to go up to the Till (Tweed tributary) for the alleged 'autumn run' but if it exists I've yet to see it-fish all coloured Even the North Tyne in lateish October was seeming a bit 'asleep'; I think I'm a spring/summer man from now on -only let it rain !!!

[@abakerslife]

I can't speak for the north Tyne but the main Tyne was on fire in October. Whether that was just down to the dry summer I don't know. I won't be November fishing again it just didn't feel right and I don't like the short days. It makes it less relaxing.

[@abakerslife]

Mind you I did see a fair few fresh fish- mainly sea trout I think.

[@PapaTube-ep1nk]

If I understood you correctly you were not allowed to fish until the rest of the Anglers turn up out their lazy beds. If that is the case that would have drove me insane that I had to wait to wet a line till they got to the beat, bad crack. I would have been thrashing the water to a foam from daylight, first come first served in all the best pools. Stuff the Gillie, he must have been getting a better tip from the other Anglers. 😂

[@abakerslife]

Not quite but as much as the ghillie was a lovely man he is 83 or something. When you are 83 you move at a pace that is shall we say less intense than younger, hungrier anglers. I didn't enjoy that aspect of the experience. I enjoy being left to my own devices and fishing without looking at the clock.

[@paulkennedy5953]

No one can say what we do is easy, salmon fishing is always challenging, I often feel discouraged at times. But that's the way it is unfortunately.....🙂👍 I try to look at the glass half filled and not half empty.

[@abakerslife]

It's definitely psychological battle, I have started to remind myself that 98% of the time we are fishing over water with no fish in it!

[@DaiHGowerWales]

By you and Rob and other seasoned salmon anglers being honest and saying just how disheartening it can be it helps us new salmon fishers (like me) set realistic psycholigical goals and expectations. Thanks guys these videos are superb Rob. And the incoming comments are also very very helpful.

[@harryboyle9920]

Have watched just about all of your video’s and really enjoyed. If my memory serves me right you have caught around ten fish Which is a number most people would be pleased with. Try not to get ‘ Hung Up’ about losing a fish……..that’s part and parcel Of salmon fishing. I always think there is much more to fishing than catching a fish. Re casting from the bank……..that is usually more difficult than When standing in the water. I notice that you were ‘Double Spey Casting’ and doing quite well. Another very good cast to use on that side of the river would be A right handed Snake Roll…………this cast is very good alternative To D.Spey…….try it sometime… Keep the video’s coming and Tight Lines for next year!!!!!👍👍👍

[@abakerslife]

Thanks Harry I ended up with 12 ( but who's counting)!! 😂 Next year I am not thinking about numbers but I will be doing whatever it takes to get my hands on a springer. I crossed paths with a few anglers this year who regularly are catching 50 fish a season and each of them had a certain 'hunger' in their eyes The tug is the drug after all...!

[@harryboyle9920]

@@abakerslife good to know you ended up with 12 fish….. I think that’s pretty good…. These guys who are averaging 50 fish yearly must live near To salmon rivers and be fishing regularly……it would be interesting To know which rivers they are fishing…. The best fish of the year is a ‘Springer’ and that is a much prized catch… Good luck for next year…👍👍👍

[@johngraham5996]

​@@abakerslifei fish the findhorn and this season i hooked 16 but only landed 7 and had many many pulls, it used to bother me losing fish but you do learn to shrug it off as you know you will get more chances! unfortuneately its usually the good doubles i lose but i am happy if i get to see them as you can put a rough weight on it before it cartwheels into the distance!

[@stevemad4salmon]

Think I've caught this salmon fever too, been cooped up with covid and binged most of your vlogs, love em. Can I ask what line you used on your 7/8 switch rod pls?

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Steve, it's the Shakespeare oracle switch line. Hope you get the all clear soon.

[@ibana8449]

I have a RJC 9136 (13.6ft) and a Cascapedia with the 640 grain Rio Outbound line, fish it with mostly the Airflo 8ft Steelhead tips, occasionally the 5ft ones. Rio lines aren't the cheapest but they are very good. Anyway back to the video.....

[@johngraham5996]

@ibana8449 what do you make of your scandi outbound line? i bought a sage spectrum LT 9/10 reel and a rio scandi outbound line 9/10 last week and cant wait to try them on my findhorn on feb 11th 🤞 i will find a pond somewhere and have a chuck to test them

[@eighteenbull6177]

My rod on the rack, was off with Alan for a grand tour of the beat.

[@jamesbowman4605]

👍

[@tonebonetones]

Good God, you're keen lol! Take care it isn't fishing " greed' that creeps in once you're into double figures for the season. A wise man once said to me, be happy to catch a brace of salmon a season, and allow them their spawning break and overwintering in the river in peace. I must be honest, in my admittedly old fashioned opinion, the Tweed should also close at the end of October. There is no difference between a Tyne fish ready for spawning, and a Tweed fish. They both go to the same feeding grounds as smolts and return to two rivers not that far apart considering the hundreds of miles salmon travel at sea. The difference is money, the fame and history of the Tweed as a salmon river the world over. I never fish the Tweed in November.

[@abakerslife]

Hi, yes that was what I was trying to get over in the video...November fishing feels kind of wrong and salmon greed is very real! I got salmon fever bad this year but next year I won't be hung up on numbers. Still I definitely would want to catch more than a brace for the amount of fishing time I will be putting in next year! You know what they say..."The tug is the drug..."

[@steveharrison4176]

Before you go fishing again you should learn to cast of the left ,your resticting yourself .

[@abakerslife]

Wicked downstream wind that day.