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Salmon Quest Pt 10 – At Last!!!!!!!!

30th October 2008 by Mike Duddy

After 40+ hours i finally caught my first Salmon of 7lbs from the Ribble – many thanks to Tony and Phil for all your support, especially Phil for the slightly rusty red flying c which did the business.
As the salmon season closes on the 31st Oct, back in July i had cleared the 30th and 31st of October in my diary as an insurance policy in case i hadnt caught a fish by then. I really didnt think back then that i would still not have caught my quarry.
So this morning the 30th it had been dry for a good few days i decided that my best chance of a fish would be to return to a pool where i knew that fish held in until water levels were higher.
I started fishing at 9am in a pool higher up the beat, and despite having caught some lovely trout from this spot i have yet to see any sign of a salmon. I fished for about 45 minutes until the river bed claimed a size 4 sliver mepps. Rather than put on another lure, i walked down to my favourite pool at the bottom of the beat.
I spoke to a couple of other anglers on my way down river, one guy told me that he’d had 6 fish in the last 3 weeks (four visits) using a small silver mepps with a red latex fringe type tail, the closest thing i had to this was the small, rusty, red flying c which Phil-K had given me as a tongue in cheek present a couple of weeks ago.
Thankfully there wasnt anyone in my favoured spot, where the water levels were a good 3 feet lower than my last visit.
Seeing as though i had tried every trick in the book so far, i tied on Phil spinner, and after about 15 minutes had the shock of my life when i felt my rod buckle over and a thump thump thump from the end of my line. Heart in mouth, i played the fish with a mental mantra of please dont get off, please dont let the knots slip, please dont get off.
During the hours and hours i have spent in pursuit of a Salmon, i had always envisaged the fight of a life time, with clutch screaming runs, arial acrobatics, with heart stopping last minute disasters at the landing net. None of these dreams came about as although the fish gave a thumping good account of itself it didnt make any determined runs, or ever took any line off the reel and was in my net within 5 minutes of being hooked. As i climbed back up the bank to unhook the most fantastically beautiful looking fish i have ever caught, i sadly discovered the reason why the fight was plodding, and slow. The fish had taken the flying c deep and the treble hooks were embedded in it inner gills. As there was no way i could remove the hooks without seriously damaging the fish, i thought it best to use the priest to prevent any unnecessary suffering. I guess the location of the hooks had prevented the fish from giving a really good account of itself in the water and it was bleeding heavily in the net. A real shame.
Other anglers were now fishing the head of the pool on the opposite bank, slowly working their way downstream, rather than fish on, i sat and ate my luch whilst watching them work their flies across the stream. I’ve always found it impossible to fish on after catching a good fish so after eating lunch i packed up and drove home.

Whilst elated at catching my first salmon, it was rather sad to have to kill it, as the longer i fished for one, the more convinced i was that i would return it to the water.
Next year i will try to catch one using flies rather than spinners and lets see if i can get Matthew to catch his first one.
Was it worth the wait? Absolutely.

manchester fishing Irwell Ribble Trout

Filed Under: Uncategorised

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tony says

    30th October 2008 at 5:02 pm

    Well done fella and well deserved nothing like commitment at last your quest is over or just beginning Double next !!!!
    congratulations

  2. Matthew Eastham says

    30th October 2008 at 6:07 pm

    Fair play to you Mike and well deserved! Nice clean fish by the looks of it too.

    Matt

  3. phil-k says

    30th October 2008 at 8:14 pm

    Can I have my spinner back now, please mister, Can I have my spinner back .:)

    Well done,great fish.I bet it was as exciting as hell!

  4. Mr.K says

    30th October 2008 at 11:04 pm

    Well done!

    Cracking fish , im jelous! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. bill says

    31st October 2008 at 12:18 pm

    Congrats Mike, well deserved after all your perseverance. Nice looking Salmon, hope it tastes as good ๐Ÿ˜‰

  6. Tony says

    31st October 2008 at 8:50 pm

    Been waiting for that report , shame it was deep hooked even so many take Salmon without a thought , So when we out after that Grayling ? almost mission accomplished .

  7. ste w says

    1st November 2008 at 9:02 am

    Well done mate!
    Great fish and a great achievement. After discovering this blog about 2 weeks ago i really thought your chances were slim with the season ending and the the nature of the target waters but the story has a fairlytale ending. Amazing! Inspiration for my mersey barble project next year. I might have to document that in a similar way.

  8. Mike Duddy says

    1st November 2008 at 9:50 am

    Thanks everyone for your kind comments. I honestly was beginning to think it wasnt going to happen this year.
    By the way – It tasted great!
    Cheers

  9. Trent Piker says

    2nd November 2008 at 12:58 pm

    Cracking fish, very well deserved! All worth it when it finally happens

  10. Nick Carter says

    3rd November 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Well done Mike, what a superb fish & hats off to you for such persistance – especially sweet being such a last gasp effort!

  11. Retiarius says

    6th November 2008 at 6:39 pm

    Congratulations! Nice Fish

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