Archive

20

December

Couple of new short river vids & river opening info

Ronald Sutherland

For those of you who are familiar with the Well pool on the Association water - it's a little high right now and you would not be wanting to fish it for sea-trout in the dark! check out a recent surge here, you don't see water on this path normally! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhBQ9XHBZNM

A look at the Marrel pool beat 1 also in full flow here, the river had actually dropped 2.5 ft at the time of filming! 21/12/12 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWneAeJhwA4

The damage caused by the above spate to the head of the Whinnie pool beat 1 for those of you who know it - the river bank has been blitzed where the bench used to sit, no idea where the pool starts now! way up at the tip of the island? check it out here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKZeWwhglvs

Badanloch Estate have 2 weeks spring salmon fishing up for grabs on the Helmsdale river rotation in March 2013.
W/c March 4th 2 rods inc ghillie £775
W/c March 11th 2 rods inc ghillie £800
Accom not included.
Contact me if interested. FISHING NOW SOLD

The new Helmsdale season gets under way very soon. From Friday Jan 11th we have 4 free days on the water so a great chance once again to catch one of the earliest springers in the UK.

Monkey tubes have been deadly in recent years and we have plenty for you to try out - check out a selection below in Chartreuse, Black & orange, Black & yellow & Kola green.

Monkeys

Dont forget the legendary Willie Gunns also, they have caught so many early salmon over the years & more recently the Alistair has done pretty well too.

Willie Gunn special

Alistair

Come along for an opening day cast on the 11th, 12th, 14th or 15th, call at the Tackle shop as usual and pick up your free ticket. Breakfast, Bacon rolls & lunch etc will be available from Timespan ( just down the brae from the Bridge Square ) on 11th & 12th and a very interesting new film from the river will be on show. Artist Hugh Watt filmed a trip down the river from a Kayak and we are all very interested to see the results!

As usual, the Austrian crystal Bridge Hotel Trophy will be on offer to the angler who lands the first spring fish from the river along with a bottle of our famous local Clynelish whisky and a selection of Ron's salmon flies.

Please return all "out of season" fish quickly if you catch any. A number of baggots and rawners may be in the river ( male and cock fish that have not spawned ) and kelts will also be keen to grab your fly. Some of these fish may appear quite silver and may be mistaken for fresh run fish but they will be out of condition and easily recognisable (pic below)

If you are lucky enough to catch the real thing it will look like the picture below and there will be no mistake. There are likely to be sea-lice present (but not always) the fish will generally be in super condition with a thick set body, tight vent and pink gills free from gill maggots. It will fight hard usually and you will know almost immediately you land it that it is the real thing. Most springers are in the 7 - 15lbs bracket. To claim the trophy, nothing less will do!

A couple of good springer examples below - fat, solid, deep & bright silver fish with sea-lice.

Springer 15 pounder

Johnny hardy springer

The fish below is a baggot which appears fairly silver but rather worse for wear and dark around the gills. It probably entered the river very late in the season, did not spawn and was heading back to sea. They are very soft in the belly.

baggot

Here is a classic kelt salmon shape - Silver but very lean and out of condition, large head, extended vent.

Classic Kelt salmon

Tight lines for the new season ahead and we all look forward to seeing you here for a great opening, a nice dram of Clynelish awaits you at the tackle shop on Opening day afternoon. The opening ceremony begins at 9.30 and no rods on the river until it is officially opened. Below we have Karen & Eileen from the shop showing off the Prizes for the first fish!

First fish trophy