Can't hook a brown trout for love nor money! No problems with sea trout though!

I headed to the Water of Leith to try and catch a brown trout again this afternoon with my new Nories Rock Fish Bottom Ultra Light and Daiwa Steez setup in hand. Spooled up with Sunline Rockfish #0.3 PE 6lb and tied on a 3ft leader of 6lb Sunline Siglon Flourocarbon. Ecogear Shirasu jighead and a Gulp! 1" Minnow on the end to start off with. The water was quite high and coloured up from all the snow and rain recently and as I worked my way upstream fishing each pool with no sign of any fish I began to think I was wasting my time. I decided to try a Bass Assassin 2" Curly Shad in Black Shad and a few casts later a golden flash signalled I had just missed a bite from a brown trout. I cast over it again but with no further interest I continued to work my way upstream.

No further action and soon reached the point in the river where flood prevention work is being carried out so I headed back downstream fishing the pools as I went. I tried a large red Isome this time hoping the trout would be looking for worms washed into the river. I got all the way down to where I had started and decided to try a 2" Reins Rockvibe in Gold Legend. I started casting over to the far side under a tree where I've had a few bites before. Nothing. I tried a few casts down towards the bottom of the pool and on the third or forth cast just after the lure had entered the water I was hit by a decent fish. The rod handled it effortlessly, absorbing the initial headshakes with ease and I was in total control playing the fish up through the current towards me. As I lifted it out of the dirty water I quickly realised he was in fact a nice silver sea trout. A lovely way to break in the new gear!

My first Water of Leith trout! Not a brown trout but I don't mind!

Lovely bar of silver. Weighing in at 1lb and 12oz.

I headed home shortly afterwards with a nice big grin on my face! I'll just have to keep persevering with the pesky brown trout I suppose! I was very pleased with the way the new rod handled the fish. Initial impressions of the rod are that it's a lovely piece of kit but I would say it's a little too heavy to be described as "Ultra Light" though and can see it being better suited to fish of 2lb+. Perhaps I've just gotten used to my ultra sensitive solid tipped Shimano Diaflash though and I'll reserve judgement until I do a spot of blenny bashing.

On another note I spotted the kingfisher again today. He seems to be a bit of a lucky charm. I'd love to get a few photos of one. Beautiful little birds.

Tight lines, Scott.