Archive
27/3/11 We have our excellent tube fly vices back in stock this week which you can buy clicking on the link below...no more spinning tubes in the vice! and this particular vice will accomodate all copper, aluminium, brass and bottle tubes. A "must have" for anyone tying tube flies. http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1038 On the fishing front, the past week was far from spectacular. 13 salmon were accounted for throughout the lower Helmsdale with the best being a 17 pounder for Kildonan rods. The Association water finally got off the mark when local Robert Mackay landed the first fish. Huge tides last week were predicted to push in a few more springers and an afternoon session on the Wednesday ebb tide provided a super 16 pounder from the Flat pool for Robert. A traditional gold bodied Willie Gunn waddington was the killer fly. Another fresh fish was lost on the same day by a visiting angler.
20/3/11 Action came to a sudden halt last week on the Helmsdale for some unknown reason. Hopes were high as this week has produced results well into double figures for the last two years. Tides were high, water levels seldom shifted from an excellent 1ft 3 but amazingly only 5 fish were caught. Ric Marr, fishing Kildonan rods, had his eye on the ball on Monday & Tuesday taking fish from Kilphedir and Lower Caen (15 & 9lbs). Crawford Little had a 12 pounder fishing Borrobol rods from Kilphedir midweek and Johnny Hardy and Crawford scored again for Borrobol rods on Saturday (bt 6) with 2 fine fish from Church Stream. Crawford commented that both fish were sea-liced and the second, around the 15lbs mark, was in exceptional condition. Overall, a rather dour week with 5 fish limping the river total to 32. The Lower Brora suffered almost an identical fate producing only 3 for the experienced Vince Keany team on South bank. A temporary local blip perhaps but that's fishing! Word has it that the Naver river had by far it's best week of the season last week with a score in the teens...maybe that's a sign of fish heading our way! Get out on the Helmsdale Association water asap if you can as very few fish this week could mean lots in the coming week - a good run must start soon! 13/3/11 The Helmsdale total has risen to 27 fish off. 7 fish were landed last week with al least 5 from beat 6. Alistair Jappy and Kevin Steel had 2 nice fish on Monday morning on Temple Dogs from the Falls and Manse pools on beat 6. Cecilia White had 2 cracking fish of 12 & 15lbs from the Whinnie (bt 1) and Manse (bt 6) on a TD. Kildonan rods had a fish midweek then Johnny Hardy had a super afternoon on beat 6 landing 2 fish on a Green Highlander copper tube, Falls 14lbs & Little rock 10lbs. The fishing is still tough as you would expect at this time of the year and many experienced anglers blanked last week. Fish are few and far between but if you get lucky you can be rewarded with a stunning fish or two! Remarkably no fish have been caught on the Association water yet. This water can be accessed for £26 per rod at the moment and your chances of a hook up must be fairly good now. It is the last day (Sunday 13th) for the great fly deals below in last weeks fishing report, Temple Dogs are fishing well right now! get stuck in and order on-line. Don't forget that we also have everything you need to enjoy your salmon fishing to the max, for example:- Mackenzie DTX salmon rod + Carron Jetstream fly line - why suffer with anything else!! Of-course we have many more fishing combo's which can be enjoyed on the river, it's all down to personal taste! More photo's from the first week in March... Alan Shannahan with his superb 22 pounder from the Sand Bar beat 4.
Andrew Thomas with a 10 pounder from Salscraggie pool
6/3/11 Another 7 fish have been reported this week with the best a fine 22 pounder for Alan Shannahan fishing Achentoul rods. The Sand bar on beat 4 was the hot spot for Alan and his fishing partner Andrew Thomas also landed his second fish of the week in the Stoney point pool late on the same day. Martin Grant finally got Kildonan rods up and running with a 7 pounder from Lower Torrish, Suisgil & Torrish rods also scored this week. I managed to get off the mark myself too but had to go to the Brora to do it! 8lbs, Lower Cliff pool, Willie Gunn conehead. We have two superb new fly selections up for grabs right now at great prices, check out both these links - TDs Coneheads deal http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1035 - Tubes deal http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1036 The Association water has failed to score yet but obviously fish are passing through. There is good availability at the moment on this water and day tickets are still only £26 per rod. The Helmsdale & District Angling Club have an AGM ths week on Friday 11th, 7.30 in the Bridge Hotel...all keen local anglers are very welcome to come along.
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