A long dour spring has finally given way to some action in the North and many who have failed to contact a springer this season have finally hooked up, including myself! but I had to book a week on the Brora river to land 2.

Cracking water on the Upper Cliff pool Brora South bank

Water levels were excellent all week on the Helmsdale but overhead conditions have not been so kind with a stiff raw North Easterly reminding us we are still in April. Barring a rising river on Friday, the river did not go below a foot on the marker so the scene was set for some seasonal sport maybe! The action eventually did arrive but for a lucky few. It was a case of being on the right beat at the right time and beat 6 was the place to be as fish held back from the falls of Kildonan with high water and cool temperatures. Suisgill rods provided the first clue that there were a few more fish starting to enter the system by recording 4 midweek from beat 6. Enter Graham Robertson and Ross Mackay fishing Kildonan rods next day and they would surpass the previous days score with a super 6. Swirl, Little Rock 2, Vale of Tears 2 and the Falls made for a memorable day. Ross & Graham (both from Caithness) have fished the rotation in spring for a few years now and they were due a great day - the fish were there and these guys were well equipped to sniff them out and keep ghillies Martin and Gordon on the hop! Kildonan totalled 8 for the week. Some other rods were lucky, some were not. Count for the week was probably between 25 & 30.

First Brora fish in the net on an Alistair Tiger Tail tube.

The Brora had some high scoring on the upper river and proved that fish were clearly running hard and keeping their noses down. The North bank recorded 4 with 2 to John Mackay, Bill Baxter and Corrie Cormack had one each. Yours truly had 2 and Brother Andy 1 on the South bank. I don't think anybody saw a fish moving all week - 14 sea-liced fish were taken from the upper river on one day whilst the lower river struggled badly, the cool temps were good but high water obviously does not suit the lower Brora! The Oykel reported 24 fish in 4 days so it would seem a run of sorts has arrived.

Keep an eye out for some super fly offers in the weeks ahead as we move around some old and new stock. Listening to all the reports this week it would seem that most fish were taken on floating lines and sink tips with a wide range of flies from doubles to quite large Monkey tubes. The week ahead looks to offer better weather than last so smaller coneheads and size 8/9 doubles should fish well as rivers fine down to excellent levels. The Helmsdale Association water will be a very good bet for sport this week and at only £25 per rod per day you would do well to have a go! Local Robert Mackay had his first of the season midweek at 13lbs. Tickets are available from the tackle shop along with all the flies and tips required for a successful day out.

Tight lines.

 

last week provided around 15 fish for the rotation. Rain on Monday night generated the first real spate of the season but this was not enough to tempt in too many fish. Alistair Jappy had an early fish in the Association water on Monday and this was followed by an unseasonable 2lbs grilse to the rod of Mick Butterly. High water spoiled things on Tuesday and the rest is history! It is very evident that few fish are on the coast and we are experiencing a very quiet April.

Check out out latest short action movie below - some great salmon & sea-trout action on our flies. With special thanks to Damian McColgan for puting it together AND catching lots of huge fish!

 

Dee Mc Colgan , Ron Sutherland & Pablo Hevia showcasing flies from The Helmsdale Company with special guests the MacKenzie DTX crew.

The fly BOGOF is now closed - many thanks to all who took the opportunity to stock up.

 

 

We have our traditional fly BOGOF ( buy one get one free) in operation this week starting right now....this has caused some slight confusion in the past but in order for you to get what you want please note that whatever flies you order - this quantity will simply be doubled up. Happy hunting - a fab chance to stock up on a few flies! take advantage while stocks last or you may be unlucky.

The fishing is still on the quiet side here right now, I have an estimated 13 fish off for the week which won't go down in history as being one of the most memorable April weeks! this week last year produced around 30. The river has generally been in good order holding at around 9/10" but there are few fish entering the system it would seem, yet!

Fishing Badanloch rods, Adam Macdonald got the ball rolling Monday with a super 15 pounder from beat 4 above on a Temple Dog tube, the same party had to wait until late on Friday to meet another taker and it was Callum Gillies who landed his first Helmsdale fish from the Dyke pool beat 6. Adam then followed with another sea-licer from the fall pool. Encouraging numbers of fish were seen on the day.

Achentoul rods also had 2 from beat 6 and 1 out of the tail of the Shepherds beat 5 for ghillie George Hardy. Tara Parker saved the blank on Torrish rods with an 8 pounder and Husband Tom further eased the pressure with a sea-licer from Johnny Gordons beat 2 below. John Young and Roy Bagnall had a couple on Kildonan rods but it was all very hard work!

The Association water should offer a great chance next week if the water and cool temps holds and I think the river in general will fish ok with hopefully upwards of 15 in the book. Time will tell...

We have a great new salmon fishing DVD available, A Passion Called Salmon, 70 minutes of action to keep you engrossed! Buy on-line here now for £24.99. All proceeds from this film will be used for the ongoing efforts to protect and save Atlantic salmon.

More big news is that I can tie you up some of our new Tiger Tail tube flies as my list of orders is now under control. Check out the pic our awesome Flamethrower 3/4" tube below, all tubes are tied in this style...

Choose from the following list of TT tubes - all in copper, £3.50 each

Flamethrower TT 3/4"

Halley's Comet TT 3/4"

Willie Gunn TT 3/4" - 1"

Black & Yellow TT 1/2" - 1" - 1.5"

Alistair TT 1/2" - 1" - 1.5"

To order these please drop me an e-mail or call the shop on 01431821372

Deadly Halley's Comet invented by Mike Shepley

 

 

SIMMS + RODS & REELS, LINES SALE, check out our lists below for some great deals - please mail us or call the shop on 01431821372. Postage at cost.

SIMMS STOCK –                                                            WAS               NOW

RIVERTEK BOA BOOT – Lt Brown                                  £189.00           £150

UK Mens 9   EU 43

UK Mens 10 EU 45                                                        

UK Mens 11 EU 46

UK Mens 12 EU 47

FREESTONE BOOT – VIBRAM                                         £149.00           £120

UK Mens 9   EU 43

UK Mens 10 EU 45

UK Mens 11 EU 46

UK Mens 12 EU 47

FREESTONE STOCKINGFOOT ( new model )                    £249            £199

Brown M  

Brown XL

RIVERSHED BOOT STUDDED AQUASTEALTH          £149.00           £99

UK 7 EU40

GUIDE BOOT STUDDED FELT                                         £149.00           £99

UK 7 EU 40

UK 8 EU 42

GUIDE BOOT  FELT            UK 7 EU 40 x1                                 £179.99            £149

GUIDEBOOT  FELT  UK 6 EU 39                  

FREESTONE 11 STOCKINGFOOT            (grey model)             £199.99            £150

LK   

XL   

XXL

GUIDE STOCKINGFOOTS G3                                           £399.00           £350

XXL

LL (12-13 foot)

GUIDE STOKINGFOOTS G4                                             £549.00           £350

MK Sterling

Women’s HEADWATER SAGE (s)                                £349.85           £299

HEADWATERS L SAGE                                               £329.85           £280

L2 STOCKINGFOOTS Sterling XL                               £249.00           £199

 SIMMS ACCESSORIES STOCK                                                       WAS                NOW

SIMMS WADING SOCKS                                                   £19.99             £15

Large

XL 

RIVERSHED SWEATER                                                  £119.00           £65

Sterling Lrg

Sterling M

RIVERSHED CARDI x Large Brown                                  £149.00           £80

HEADWATER TACKLE BAG                                       £119.95           £95

SIMMS WADERWICK LAYERING                                  £29.95             £15

Crew Top –

Small

Med

Large

XL

Bottom –

Small

XL

SIMMS CHUNK KNIT BEANNIE                                     £27.95             £15

 Black or Sterling

SIMMS VISOR BEANNIE                                                  £27.95             £15

 Grey or Green

FREESTONE CONVERT GLOVE/MIT                              £29.00             £20

Lrg 

Med

XL 

STRETCH NECK GAITOR - Black                                £17.95             £15

GUIDE FLEECE BIB (All in 1)                                            £79.00             £55

Lrg

XL

Sm

RODS AND REELS                                                                        WAS                NOW

TROUT

SHAKESPEARE Trout 3pc 9’6 wt – Reel and line Combo    £74.99             £

SHAKESPEARE Odessy 9ft 3pc - Reel and line Combo        £69.99             £

DAIWA Trout 10ft 7wt 3pc                                             £99.00             £85

DAIWA Trout 10ft 8wt 3pc                                             £99.00             £85

VISION 3pc 10ft Fast Action                                          £175.00           £99

KOLA Salmon / Sea trout 9ft 4pc 7wt                                  £149.00           £99

SALMON                                                                                          WAS                NOW

BLOKE SPEYMASTER 15ft AFTM 10/11 3pc                   £299.00          £ 199

HELMSDALE CLASSIC 13’6 9/10 3PC                             £549.00           £449.00

MacKENZIE DTX 16ft 11wt 4pc with FREE DTX line        £685              £450

MacKENZIE DTX 14ft 36-40g 4pc FREE 3x Shooting Heads £650         £430

MacKENZIE SIGNATURE 16ft 11/12                                £499.00           £350.00

SHAKESPEARE ORACLE 14ft with FREE floating line                            £110.00

KOLA Salmon 14ft #9 8.7oz 4pc                                          £299.00           £150.00

SHAKESPEARE EXPIDITION 13ft 6pc 9wt                                    £84.99             £75

BRUCE & WALKER SPEYCASTER 14ft 9wt 4pc                        £425.00           £350

GUIDELINE AWM 14’9 10/11                                            £299.00           £200.00

HELMSDALE CLASSIC B & W 12’6 8/9                                       £549.00           £300.00

BLOKE XL50 13’6 4pc                                                         £299.00           £199

SHAKESPEARE EXPEDITION 15ft 10wt 6pc                     £94.99             £85

 

REELS                                                                                   WAS                NOW

SHAKESPERE PFLUGER TRION 10/12 7.8oz                  £119.00           £105

MUSTANG REEL SPRING DRAG 6/7                              £15.00             £

ALPHA FLY 5/6 x2                                                               £19.99             £

SHARPES OF ABERDEEN Belmont Duo 4/6                    £45.00             £35

WILDERNESS 200                                                         £26.99             £

WILDERNESS 300                                                           £29.99             £

SHAKESPEARE PFLUGER TRION 9/10 6.9oz                £104.99           £89

VISON KOMA 7/8 and 6/7                                               £69.99             £65

LOOP CLASSIC 5/8R Trout                                                             £399.00           £250        

LOOP EVOTEC HD196 9/13L                                             £349.00           £299

VISION DEEP 11 Black                                                   £64.99             £

GUIDELINE REELMASTER LA911                            £159.99            £140

Lines

Carron Jetstream original (Int) 11/12 85ft long belly head. Was £89.99 - Sale - £75 superb big river line!

Rio Spey VersiTip 8/9 UK Power Spey (63ft head 42gm). Was £129 - Sale - £75 to clear

Rio Spey VersiTip 9/10 Shooting head kit (39ft head 38gm). Was £99 - Sale - £69 to clear

Shakespeare Worcestershire DT11 float 38yds. Was £45 - Sale - £25 to clear

Ian Gordon Partridge Spey (med head) 11/12 intermediate. Was £60 - Sale - £25 to clear

Scientific Anglers Mastery series backing 250yds 50lbs. Was £44.90 - Sale - £25 to clear

Shakespeare Wercestershire DT12 med Sink 38yds Was £45 - Sale - £25

 

 

 

 

On holiday - report to follow ... As far as I know there were 10 fish off last week. Kildonan rods had the best of it catching 2 on beat 6 and 3 on beat 5 the next day. The association water provided 1 fish while the river was still low. We have super water now after heavy snow and rain, unfortunately the river height has been very unsettled leading to very little action. Either there are very few fish around or the unsettled conditions are putting them off! This week will be interesting and should easily produce 20 fish or more.

Another tough week on the Helmsdale saw 8 fish reported up until Friday night and I have not heard of anything caught on Saturday yet. Borrobol had a fish from beat 1 below Monday and Achentoul ghillie George Sutherland grassed one from Dempsters Wednesday, Suisgill had 2. On Thursday Borrobol rods struck again with 2 from the One Minute Hole beat 4 and Badanloch rods John Browett had a super day with a 15 pounder from way down the tail of Lower Caen followed by another from the Woody pool on the upper beat. Local expert Alistair Jappy was called in as second ghillie for part of the week on Badanloch rods and put John right onto his sea-liced 15 pounder in a spot that is often overlooked unless the river is high.

The river is still low and running on compensation water at around 5". I have never known springtime to be so dry. Floating lines with coneheads and small copper tubes are doing the damage. The deadly Cascade tungsten Conehead (below) is fishing very well - I would get a few ordered while we still have stocks, they are disappearing fast!

Dont forget we are still in "pricecrash" mode on-line with all spring flies. We also heve the new range of Scott Mackenzie shootine lines available, these lines are outselling all lines right now with the exception of the Carron Jetstream. New technology has made casting so easy now with very slick and well balanced lines on shorter heads. Couple these new lines with very lightweight rods and fishing is an absolute pleasure - it's not all about catching fish...but it is nice when you do with little effort and no aching muscles at the end of the day.

Prospects for the week ahead are slightly better than of late with some rain and cooler temperatures forecast.