Snakes and Ladders

I'm out spring fly fishing for salmon at Bywell on the river Tyne.

[@brianpeutherer2666]

One good thing to come out of your video: it makes me realise that I'm not the only one catching nowt! Thank you for that. I did sight-fish a salmon I spotted on the Coquet yesterday. Watched it ignore my fly dozens of times! I should have tried stripping a Sunray Shadow as one of your contributors suggested. Next time, you’ll get one.

[@abakerslife]

I don't think it's just you and me by the sound of things. I tried the sunray over a fish a couple of days ago....the result was predictable.

[@steverichards7416]

Mate…..This video strikes such a chord with where Im at with Spring Salmon Fishing right now!😂. Its so F***ing hard! Love the authenticity of your vids as always.👌🏻✌🏻

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks, why do we do it to ourselves?!

[@steverichards7416]

@@abakerslife 😂 Hear ya! Stick with it brother & keep the faith. Remember n give me a shout if you are ever up on the Findhorn Association water again, and fancied a brew.👌🏻

[@abakerslife]

Will do👌

[@KEITHPARRIS2949]

I feel your pain mate , wanted to be able to fish for salmo all my fishing life , 74 now dodgy knees and overweight , 1st season last yr , fiirst ever spey casting lesson last couple of weeks of the season , hrs of practice so next spring I am going to start in ernest , as long as he doesnt mind ,lol , loving all your vids and your commentary etc so tight lines and wet nets for next season , I am on the Wear but may a day on the Tyne as I live up here now , till the next outing good luck and keep the singing to the gods , cheers mukka .

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks. Maybe if you buy earnest a drink first.. Sounds like you're ready to hit the ground running next year. The Wear is a cracking river I'm sure it will reward your efforts.

[@alexpeters1080]

Dredging the bottom with.... a floating line and 5 ft polyleader.! Sinking line required. They go out better in a wind and actually slow the swing. Mastering the sunk line will be a revelation for you in big water early season. I use the michael evans integrated short headed lines for sinking line work. The running line floats so think of it as a 40 odd ft sink tip.! I use the meduum sink a lot and often a 10ft odd fast tip on that. Ideally put a big aerial mend in on cast in order to get it to sink then when you actually start to fish the swing its dug in and swings slower with more control. I use a really slow retrieve unless the current really pulls. Its really rewarding. I only really use floaters wi tips in shallow riffles after april /may or when wanting to whizz it broadside thru lies with a belly. Ill often cast a heavy tip square let it sink to the required depth then tighten up and fish it across fairly quick but like to feel the tip dig in. Back when there was plenty of fish to easily enable comparison of techniques most folk used a sinker when the water was big fast and cold. After chucking a full sinker like a wetcell 2 or3 theyd make the change to a floater when it was warm and fish were cavorting in the lies. Or get yer inty working. Try it with a tip. These modern rods could chuck a 4 oz lead ! Theres so much more to salmon fishing than chuckin downstream wi a flioater and lettin g the current dictate speed and depth. You can dictate it! Sorry to go on but i feel when watching most of these vids esp in spring that folk are only scratching the surface. It encourages thinking about covering potential lies not just the water too.

[@abakerslife]

Thanks for the pointers, that was an old video though from my first and totally unsuccessful campaign of spring fishing. I learned the lesson myself though and adopted different tactics this year with better results.

[@tonytaylor1362]

stick with it you had a brilliant season last year we all get frustrated its part of the fun there are times that i would have sold my own grandmother for a fish when fishing i am enjoying your videos the honestly is brilliant keep going it will happen but always remember spring season are as rare as hens teeth now a days

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Tony, glad you are enjoying the videos. Yes it's frustrating but I don't mind it really (in fact if it was easy it wouldn't be half as much fun). Springers are rare as hens teeth for most people- I just heard about an angler who is already on 8 for the year so far!!!

[@stevenholmes4584]

Man you have a real talent at making these videos! Really enjoyed it, all the frustration at yourself it makes it for me haha! Seriously im not taking the pee, we've all been there mate. Ive had many long drives home after a shit day telling myself thats it all the gears going on ebay when I get back. The daft thing is after a good nights sleep I want to be out fishing again the next day. Bloody madness ! I try and approach my fishing like a zen budda these days and remind myself if casting is getting snatchy to just slow everything down, take five and return to zen. Im sure all your efforts will be rewarded - tightlines👍🙏

[@abakerslife]

Thanks a lot Steven, the videos are fun to make and you're spot on....it's all in the mind. Sometimes when you are in the right place casting is laughably easy. It takes no effort to ping one out but when your head's up your arse no matter what you do your line ends up in a tangled pile at your feet.

[@stevenholmes4584]

@@abakerslife One of the hardest problems for me and it still can be at times is wanting to push the cast with the top hand. This comes from years of fishing overhead single hand casting using a lot of right arm. If you watch most average casters they are pushing far too much, the best scandi casters are really economical with their arm movements, using the bottom hand to deep load the rod on the foward cast. Like you say some days are better than others, its a never ending and many times humbling experience . I used to carry so much expectation to the bankside cos you just want it so much its a burden, but that desire also makes you get better I feel. 😉

[@paulkennedy5953]

The Tyne has improved vastly. Jack Charlton did a video 'salmon run' in it he stated that it took millions of pounds to clean up the tyne. He journeyed up the upper reaches to see the salmon spawning. A great improvement.....🙂👍. I often listen to that Lindisfarne song 'The fog on the Tyne' is all mine....

[@northumbrianfisher254]

Gusty winds are a challenge for anyone. It can blow your loop out or push your anchor when you lift off. There are other casts you could try when its like that. The reality is though that practise with sink tips is needed to perfect the timing - its just hard. Try not to let it get in your head though. When i get frustrated with my casting (which is often!) its hard to be pragmatic about correcting mistakes and often i match my frustration with more power which only serves to make it worse! Won't be long now before there is a few more fish in the rivers to frustrate us!

[@abakerslife]

Cheers, I usually find it easier to cast when there are fish around because I forget about what I'm doing and focus on fishing. I have most problems on a big empty piece of river where I think I need to cast to the horizon to have any chance of covering a fish.

[@peterncox1963]

Great video chap. I've been salmon fishing quite a few years, I can assure you that casting all day like a complete arsehole is totally normal. In my experience.

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Peter, glad to know it's not just me then!

[@yoshipoche333]

釣りをしていると、時間を忘れてしまいますよね。👍👍😃

[@seanleicester4018]

The fishing is tough just now everywhere hopefully with the weather warming it will bring more fish and some luck. Fish or not your videos are a great watch

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Sean, yeah it seems like it's been a quiet spring so far for most rivers.

[@user-th5bn8tg6x]

Get someone to show you how to coil the retrieved line in your left hand. At the moment, on a long cast, you have a massive loop of line in the water, causing a lot of drag. Coil it in your left hand will give you an easy extra 10 - 20 feet in your cast.

[@abakerslife]

I will keep that in mind, cheers for the pointers.

[@50Squirrel]

OMG I can feel your pain!!! What a “real” video!!! Brilliant!!!

[@abakerslife]

Thanks Earl- luckily my blind optimism keeps me coming back for more punishment.

[@neilandrew961]

Great video again sir i have seen me fishing at end of the season fish everywhere jumping out and can't get a take any way

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks Neil. They certainly are an enigma.

[@norman5202]

That was some effort mate. Tight lines you will prevail with your attitude.

[@abakerslife]

Many thanks, here's hoping.

[@user-jz1kv3uh6d]

Easterly winds and crap weather aren’t really helping sea fishing from the Tyne either. Fingers crossed for some decent bloody weather and perhaps try for a cod.

[@abakerslife]

Looks OK out there today, but I won't be out there for a couple of weeks yet. I'm going to wait for the fish to turn up first! I can't take another blanking!

[@ladyintheskyuk]

What a shame you didn't catch. You wait and see.. you will catch 4 next time out.😊 Enjoyed the trip out Rob. Tight lines for the next one.We did see a few fish Rob...a tin of sardines. ❤

[@abakerslife]

If I catch 4 that might use up my qouta for the next two years which could be disastrous. Thanks for the encouragment but to truthful even the sardines were a disappointment (weirdly mushy).

[@ladyintheskyuk]

@A baker's life You go out to catch fish. I go out to get something special with my Lucy drone. Some days it happens other days it is just naff. But as long as you enjoyed your time out it doesn't matter......I just love ❤️ your trips out. 😉 enjoy Rob. No stress. You are going to have a cracking year with the old salmon 😋 x

[@ladyintheskyuk]

@@abakerslife I've just been to your shop Rob. I was going to get my lunch then walk the dog. Will just have to wait for a Saturday when we are not away to visit again. Any way I read your notice. Very nicely wrote. 👌

[@abakerslife]

Thanks, if you do come early because the shelves get emptied early by hungry locals.@@ladyintheskyuk

[@ianrobertson9744]

I know how you feel I fished the Welsh Dee for 18 months twice at weekends in the end decided I wanted to catch fish so fished for trout and used holidays to fish for salmon, also learnt how to spin and fish worm,then started to catch regularly. That way I didn’t fall out with fishing for Salmon don’t let it get at you vary your fishing and enjoy. Regards Ian from Merseyside .

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Ian, I will persevere though tbh I'm not bothered about spinning for salmon but I would like to have tried fishing the worm. Only problem is that it's banned everywhere these days.

[@Hardlinesangling]

I feel the same at the moment just back from the findhorn today just trout same with the spey last week. Here hoping the first salmon for 2023 is not too far away for us both.

[@abakerslife]

Keep plugging away, the worse the suffering the sweeter the success. Tight lines.

[@Hardlinesangling]

@A baker's Life indeed. Hopefully get a cast on the Findhorn when your next up. Thought I would have seen one at least maybe a bit too far up for them to be yet though.

[@abakerslife]

Reading river reports from throughout the land suggests that it has been a quiet spring so far for all. If I was a salmon I would run later too rather then spending all summer in a dried up river. Hopefully I can back to the Findhorn soon but it's such a long drive I want it to coincide with good prospects. I heard over the weekend that there were some tremendous catches off the river one day last week.

[@dennismackey7347]

I know how your feeling, as i had weeks fishing at Aberlour 2 weeks ago & travelled back home after 3 days fishing beaten by winds & rising water levels, then found out i would have met Robson Green on the river had i stayed another day, gutted 😢. Your day will come again tightlines 🥃🎣

[@abakerslife]

Cheers Dennis that's disappointing news about your trip. Luckily we are obviously all eternal optimists (or masochists maybe).

[@lewisgraydonflyfishing5575]

Welcome to the world of salmon fishing. Add a sunray shadow to you're armory cast square and rip it back........hold tight 👍🎣

[@abakerslife]

I got some, found a fish, cast across, ripped it back, held on for dear life and....you guessed it... the fish let it sail right on by 😂 Maybe the next one..!

[@lewisgraydonflyfishing5575]

@@abakerslife haha next time!! Pool tails swing and strip 🚀🚀🚀

[@Thepursuitforfreedom]

Not sure on the line setup your using (and i have limited knowledge on it), but have you tried a skagit head and shooting line? They make casting way easier

[@abakerslife]

I'm using a Scandi line and it's pretty easy to cast with - as long as you cast it properly that is!! Funnily enough though I did buy a skagit line to experiment with.

[@Andriasocianain]

⁠@@abakerslifewhat did you think of the skagit line?

[@abakerslife]

I haven't actually even tried it yet! I need a reel to put it on and never got around to looking for one. In the meantime I've been casting a fair bit and my technique is improving meaning that I'm appreciating more and more how good the rio scandi line is. I must get round to trying the skagit though because it should be handy in a big wind.@@Andriasocianain

[@moeshields7493]

Try bouncing your rod tip when your retrieving

[@abakerslife]

Will give it a try, cherrs

[@simonfrench3280]

Is this the federation water at bywell mate

[@abakerslife]

Hi, no it was the Bywell estate. The fed has the water downstream at Merryshields.

[@robertcross6834]

Your Salmon fishery is in trouble..

[@abakerslife]

I think they all are sadly but that wasn't the reason I didn't catch that day. I didn't fish very well.

[@flyasfukfishing8631]

springers are the holly grail stick in there bud "believe in the take" 🎣

[@abakerslife]

Cheers mate, I will keep hammering away. Have you touched anything yet?

[@flyasfukfishing8631]

not a sausage bud but il keep chipping away all the same 🎣

[@abakerslife]

Tight lines, fortune favours the persistent

[@flyasfukfishing8631]

@@abakerslife sure hope so 🤙🏻