Street Style : Upstream Fry Fishing.

Yesterday while I was out walking with my son I found something very exiting. 400 Meters from my house in Edinburgh lies the Water of Leith and as we crossed over the bridge to St Marks Park we paused to look into the river. This particular stretch is festooned with shopping trolleys, traffic cones, an Ikea table and (I kid you not) a dilapidated blow up doll. As we surveyed the scene I noticed a good sized trout rising just upstream of the bridge! We finished our walk and I decided to head back down to see if I could catch him. I grabbed my LRF kit and 5 minutes later I was under the bridge.

Under the bridge down town.

I rigged up with a 6lb leader, 1/32oz #10 Shirasu Fine jighead and a red Gulp! 1" Fish Fry. Before I approached the swim I had a couple of casts down stream to wet the line as braid casts a bit smoother when wet. I crouched low and made my way upstream until I was in range of the happily rising trout. 1st cast fell short as did the second but 3rd was a charm and fell 6 foot beyond the fish. I slowly retrieved the lure, gently bouncing it along the bottom and it trundled into the fishes line of sight. He seized the lure, turned, shook his head and was off in an instant! Gutted! I knew he wouldn't take again for a while as he had felt the hook so vowed to come back later.

Today I had half an hour to spare so I popped back down to see if he was up for round 2! The weather was gloriously warm and as I approached the swim I could see at least 2 fish rising. This time I rigged up a Berkley Gulp! 1" Minnow in watermelon-pearl on a 1.4g #10 Shirasu Fine jighead. I rigged the minnow with a slight curve to it as this adds a bit more of a flutter when you impart little twitches to the lure.

Berkley Gulp! 1" Minnow in watermelon-pearl on a 1.4g #10 Shirasu Fine jighead.

Note the slight curve to the plastic to give it a nice action when twitched.

The fish were rising 10ft beyond an overhanging willow and after a couple of casts down stream (to wet the line) I crept into position below the fish. I cast upstream beyond the rising fish and started gently twitching the lure back towards me. The take was instant and savage! Yet again he did his headshake and threw the hook! First cast as well and I had lost him again! I decided to let him rest and headed down stream to below the bridge to what I refer to as the "Ikea Swim". A couple of casts later and I was into a coffee table! Now any doubts I had about my new Graphiteleader Corto EX rods strength were quickly quashed as I landed the said table after a spirited fight in the current. It was promptly released back to the water.

The Table after release!
Having been beaten by my new Graphiteleader Corto EX Rod.

I decided it was time to revisit the willow tree pool again in the hope the fish had forgotten their last experience with me. Again I approached from downstream keeping low and back from the edge. On the 4th cast just as the lure came past the willow tree I felt a sudden bite and a flick of the wrist set the hook! Fish on! The rod cushioned the trouts lunges beautifully and she was quickly and calmly brought to my hand!

A lovely wild urban brownie!

Just nudging 1lb and in lovely condition.

I quickly unhooked her and took another couple of snaps before she slunk away up stream.

My first Water of Leith brown trout. The first of many hopefully!

Back to fight another day. Soon!

I was very pleased, she was a great looking fish in fabulous condition and caught from the Water of Leith! As I sat back to contemplate the fish a pair of king fishers flew past in an electric blue moment. I noticed as well that there was still a fish rising in the same spot so I thought I'd leave this one for Hutch to catch! Which will hopefully be very soon indeed.

Tight lines, Schogsky.