I will be as brief as possible: A week’s holiday for the last week in June 2012 has been booked - work pressure limits choice so maybe it’s not the perfect time for Salmon or Seatrout, but we ‘just gotta try’.
Having skimmed here and there, then avidly read nearly half of Bruce Sandisons book ‘Rivers & Lochs Of Scotland’, the Loch Ailsh/rivers in the Assynt area seems most suitable for my wife and I in our mid 60’s, and OS Map 15 was purchased accordingly - we have used maps and compass and are familiar with trig points.
We’ve never flyfished for Salmon and Seatrout previously, nor fished lochs, experience is nil, although as much knowledge as possible has been gained thru’ FF&FT; (thanks for great articles - please keep them coming), online research, books etc. We both love wild/river trout flyfishing and have fished for Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Lake District Brownies.
Our budget will not stretch to include the purchase of a Salmon/Seatrout outfit to share AND a weeks holiday (it really is one or the other as they’re about the same price), so I will use my Stealth #8wt outfit (seafished successfully with it in UK and Southern African Indian Ocean), and it roll casts really well, even into a very stiff onshore breeze.
Flies are my dilemma however. What to tie, what size etc?
I think a general hook pattern for Salmon & Seatrout of #8, e.g. Kamasan B280 Low Water Salmon Doubles (budgetry restraints apply) will suffice for both (any other suggestions?).
I already have most flytying materials. Colour themes - shades of yellows/oranges thru’ to red with Pheasant Tippet & Topping and Jungle Cock and a bit of tinsel/flash for Salmon hairwing and hackled flies.
For Seatrout day/evening/night fishing, silver, blues and black with some flash and Jungle Cock.
I know there are literally hundreds if not thousands of fly patterns around as well as tying your own ‘unnamed’ flies, but am not experienced to know which to tie (Bruce Sandisons recommendations excepted).
I intend to purchase a ‘roving’ loch/river weekly all zones tickets for my wife and I from the Assynt Angling Group.
We would love to get a response to this posting from experienced Salmon & Seatrout flyfishers as to the foregoing, and welcome all advice hits & tips etc.
In summary; the holiday is booked, budget and equipment limited, flies to tie/use is an open question BUT we both really, really want to flyfish for Seatrout and/or Salmon at least this once.
For us its the surroundings, solitude, and the fishing that restores what the rat race removes.
The actual catching of fish is another issue altogether!
Thanks in advance.
