Island Pool Newtyle Beat

Here's a video taken earlier today of the Island Pool on Newtyle from the left bank. This pool is barely recognisable in the big water. You would not believe how good it looks in water under 8 inches on our gauge. You can see the back eddy coming off the underwater rock in front of the camera, when this pool is fishable this rock sits 3 to 4 ft out of the water !!!.
This is a great low water holding pool especially in the summer months as many salmon lie up here in the deep channel directly in front of the camera. My late friend Willie 'the gillie' Laird used to bring me down here by boat in the 70's and in those days during the low summer water he'd get me to fish this pool as he slept on the gravel in the sunshine. He knew that I would be well occupied by the occasional 30 pounder that would porpoise in front of the big rock and he would get a chance to sleep off the rum from the night before !!!. Willie always maintained that this was a great place for a big fish and sure enough in September 2004 one of our rods hooked a salmon beside the big stone that 'played him' (in full slow control) for 45 minutes before sending a straightened hook back. The fish was fully visible off the high island bank for most off this time as it cruised slowly up and down the pool. It was easily well over 30 pounds. There's a lovely stream that runs into the Island Pool and stealth is required as its very easy to spook fish by approaching too hastily. I'll video this pool from on the island as soon as I get the boats back on and you'll get a better idea (even in high water) of how idyllic this pool is.
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Jock Monteith