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25 June In a week when the river was twice boosted with spate water catches did not really spike. I had the luxury of guiding all week on Achentoul rods last week so I had a front line view of proceedings. As it happens the Dugdale party on Achentoul had the best of the sport ending on 19. David, Alan & Mike had the bulk of the fish with Mike's wife getting in on the act between rounds of Golf for her first Helmsdale fish from the Whinnie pool beat 1 below. Mike Timmis ended his week with a super sea-liced 14 pounder from the woody pool 1 above to take his personal total to 13 salmon and 6 sea-trout. The killing combination was a size 10 Kazcade double on the dropper and an Alistair hitch tube (fished conventional) as the tail fly, an unbeatable combo last week. Torrish and Borrobol both had 12 for the week and the total was around 70 including 5 from the Association water, the ever present William Jappy scored with 3 and brother Alistair 1. The breakdown total of salmon seemed to be 50% stale 40% fresh and a sprinkling of grilse. A few pics from the week - Michael Timmis with a 9lbs fish from Dempsters pool beat 4 on a very bright sunny day with Easterly wind. Playing another fresh one in lower Caen pool beat 1 below The deadly Kazcade double on the dropper Mike fishing beat 1 above in good water. Alison Timmis with a sparkling tide fresh grilse from Whinnie pool beat 1 below The Alistair hitch tube which just kept on catching fish To order these flies simply click on the links below and enjoy the action you are going to have! they will catch atlantic salmon anywhere. Alistair Hitch tube - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=877 Kazcade double - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1124 Tight lines. 17 June The beats reported a healthy 90 fish approx last week in a week when cold Northerly winds once again kept the temps down. Flaming June has not showed it's face yet and anglers are scoring as a result. Cool water temperatures are always preferrable in the summer. Although the river is at summer low, salmon are still running in good numbers. Coneheads, wee doubles, small plastic tubes and Sunrays are all fishing well. The Association water is also starting to produce a few. William Jappy made his first impact of the season in style with 3 fish on Monday morning and Geordie Sutherland also got off the mark. Another one came later in the week for William followed by one from visiting angler Norrie Wilson. But it was the sea-trout fishing which grabbed most of the headlines. With the low river, favourable tide and sea-trout pouring in, there was always the potential for good sport. That was proven correct when yours truly landed 11 up to 3.5lbs on the Tuesday night. Another 7 solid fish followed on Thursday with some of the best nightime sport witnessed in years. Many more were caught during the week by all who stayed out late, I would estimate that around 60 - 70 trout were caught over the 1lbs minimum size. The top flies were CDC doubles pictured below and you can purchase them here right now http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewCat&catId=11 Ron's deadly CDC sea-trout doubles The Brora is also fishing remarkably well in the low water conditions, There were 6 off the lower Brora on Monday, one of them (pictured below) which was fooled by one of our Kazcade doubles pictured in scissors. Surprise surprise, you can also buy them here now - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1124 a superb summer fly which ticks all the boxes. The upper Brora had a good week in the low water also. I was talking with one of the party on Saturday who told me that they caught 18 all on a Hitch fly, a super result and obviously the correct tactics deployed for the conditions. food for thought! below is a classic Icelandic Collie dog hitch pattern which works a treat in the UK. Fish these tiny tubes on a short leader off a floating line and watch fish hit them on the surface as they wake across the pool. If you have not fished this method before I recommend you try it this summer - believe me, it works brilliantly! buy some here now - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=49 these team up with size 12 doubles or silver vmc trebles. Tight lines 9 June This week was spoiled slightly with adverse weather conditions and unsettled water levels but the river still provided some super sport if you were in the right place at the right time. From what I can gather (with no mobile phone signal in the area for the last 3 days) Kildonan rods have had another solid week with over 20 fish and the total tally will probably make upwards of 60 fish. The Association water started brightly with 3 off on Monday but cold North easterly winds dogged the river for the rest of the week making for poor fishing conditions. We did have a welcome rise in water levels midweek to around 1ft 6 and another rise on Friday up to 2ft. This unsettled things but John Hardy Sutherland (junior) made the best of the slightly inproved conditions on Saturday by landing a cracking 16.5 pouder from the Upper Allan pool on a conehead tubefly, he went on to do the double from the same pool later with a 7 pounder. John travels the world working for oil company Macdermots but his base is in Helmsdale where he enjoys nothing better than fishing the river on his holidays. His father is well known Ghillie, Johnny (Hardy) Sutherland) who has ghillied for Borrobol rods on the Helmsdale for over 40 years. Charlie Tams on a visit from Wick also got in on the act with a 7 pounder from the Flat pool and Peter Macmillan added one to his tally, Saturday was a very good day with 4 off the Association water. John below with his tide fresh 16.5 pounder. Prospects are good for next week once again so sharpen those hooks! Association water day tickets only cost £25 per rod per day and we have plenty tickets and deadly flies available. Oap's are half price and under 16s get on for free. 1 June Latest -The week finished with around 80 fish, Borrobol rods had a super 7 on Saturday taking their total to approx 22 to head the scoring. I am reporting early this week (Friday) due to the extended bank holidays. It would appear that Achentoul rods dominated the sport last week with a fine show of 15 fish in the book expertly guided by George Sutherland. Regular visitors and angling partners Ted & Sam shared around 6 (pics below) caught on our mini Temple Dogs and coneheads and word has it that most of the other fish caught by estates also succumed to small coneheads. In a week of low water the scoring has been surprisingly good as anglers welcomed the cooler air & water temps. Around 65 fish have been reported, strangely, no fish have been taken from the Association water. There are signs that a few sea-trout are in the system as a nice fish of 3lbs was taken by David Mackay fishing Roaries pool. Check out our deadly range of sea-trout flies here - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/admin/docs/home.php?homeLang=en and have a look at my first design below, the CDC Blue. These flies have proven irrisistable for sea-trout on midgy balmy nights, it's the ultra mobile CDC which turns them on we think! there are 3 in the series. The Blue CDC, Black CDC and Black Brahan CDC which fishes incredibly well on the Aberdeenshire Dee especially. Ted Bowers with a tide fresh fish from Clay Bank on beat 5 Sam shows of a cracker also from beat 5. Meet the RS Super Snaelda which bagged over 70 fish to the rod of Greig Thompson (salmonfishings) on the Russian Varzuga and Kitza rivers last week - an awesome new design which you can order now - call for details of this deadly new tubefly from Wednesday June 6th on our return to work. One of our new picture postcard shots of the Lower Woody pool beat 1 above from last week. CDC Blue sea-trout fly |