DUE TO COVID-19 WE HAVE HAD TO POSTPONE OUR EVENTS PROGRAMME UNTIL 2021

Welcome to the start of your fly-fishing journey.

Fly fishing has huge amount of benefits, from enjoying nature and the outdoor life, learning new skills, improving health and wellbeing and of course… catching lots of fish.

The Dee Board has been running angling development events since 2014 and since 2019 has created a new programme called Aberdeenshire Fly Fish 50. AFF50’s vision is to introduce and encourage at least 50 new people each year, from across all ages and backgrounds to take up fly fishing in Aberdeenshire.

AFF50 is delivered by a group of volunteers, including professional instructors, Dee ghillies and a beat owner, who have been pivotal to the success of the programme, which would not be possible without them. The programme has received support from Loop tackle, which has provided trout and salmon kits and has also funded a website, which will go live in late autumn of 2020.

We run events on the river and have now developed a teaching syllabus for still water trout and salmon fishing.

On the River Dee we hold three main events:

Introduction to Salmon Fishing

This is held each June at Invery & Tilquhillie. Participants have a full day of professional instruction and fishing. All equipment is provided.

Ladies Day

This popular event takes place each September on Invery & Tilquhillie and the neighbouring Lower Blackhall and Banchory beat. Ladies fishing has grown on Deeside and this event is a great opportunity to meet other like minded people such as the River Dee Damsels who run their own ladies only angling events throughout the year. Participants have a full day of professional instruction and fishing. All equipment is provided.

Big Fish, Little Fish

Big Fish, Little Fish, is a days fishing where an adult brings a youngster (strictly 12+) to a beat for the day to share a cast together. It is an ideal introduction to the Dee for young anglers. All equipment is provided.

Stillwater Trout & Salmon lesson Blocks

The still water trout lessons take place over three evenings at one of the many excellent trout fisheries in the region. The block costs £50.

The first session is a full of great tips and advice to get you started as a fly fisher. Our instructors and assistants will walk you through the basics.

The second session focuses on casting with a single-handed rod. Our instructors will break down the basic casts and demonstrate the correct technique to help you get the most out of your fly fishing.

The third session looks at the trout's varied diet, which changes throughout the day depending on the time of year and weather and many other factors. Our challenge is to develop our understanding of what they eat and how imitate that with artificial flies.

The salmon syllabus follows a similar pattern with three sessions beginning with the basics of salmon fishing tackle and flies. It also introduces some of the cast we use. The second session focuses on casting. Finally we do some fishing on the Dee. This will be run as a pilot in 2021.

For Further information contact Ross Macdonald, Fisheries Development Officer

ross@riverdee.org

tel. 01339 880411/07979878971

Also keep an eye on the AFF50 Facebook Page for the latest news and events.