Many thanks to all who have signed up for the new report, we now have the Club Helmsdale Angling Forum up and running so please feel free to sign in with a username and enjoy the chat and make some posts/comments.

The river fished ok last week but it is getting harder and harder to persuade fish to take in the low warm water. Over 50 fish were caught including 12 from the Association water. Achentoul rods had the best of it with 10 but they were all well earned. There are loads of fish around right through the system and if the rain forecast materialises then we are in for a killing soon. 

The Association water provided 10. Adam Macdonald got proceedings off to an early start on Monday morning with a grilse from Roaries followed by 2 from Mr Marsano. Father and son team Orr then took 4 between them, with the highlight being the performance of young Evan Orr (11) who lost far more than he landed but he was delighted to grass 2 nice grilse for his efforts and stay in pace with his dad Robert. Alistair Jappy had one of the other 7 fish landed on one of his flying visits home from the North sea. Vince Kaney had a fish on Saturday and Sandy Malone persuaded 2 from the streams also on Saturday. All in all a decent week but hopefully there is even better yet to come.

A delighted Evan with one of his Helmsdale grilse

There were still good numbers of fish arriving on the Helmsdale last week and we have some footage of them below. I also got out and about for a spot of saltwater salmon and sea-trout fishing last week and as you can see, there were plenty finnock around. I hope to get back out this week to catch a few bigger ones and a salmon or two.

We are still running with the same salmon fly Bogof as last week so snap some up when you have the Chance. Below we have one of the Bogof Kylie shrimps catching a lovely wee golden coloured pollock, this fly seems to catch anything and it was hauling in the saltwater Finnock also!

Finally we have "Buy one get one free" special offer on the following flies for new Club Helmsdale members only. Please add "BOGOF" to the comments area when ordering so you get your free flies

RS Kylie shrimp doubles size 14

Rs Logie silver salar doubles size 11, 13, 15s

FL Frances gold trebles size 10 -18s

FL Frances silver trebles size 10 & 12s

Frances magenta trebles 14 - 18s

Frances magenta copper tubes 1", 0.5" & 0.25"

Collie Dog silver double 14s

Collie dog black double 14s

Collie Dog silver treble 10s 

Collie Dog black treble 8s

We also still have the Simms waders on offer  - please view last weeks report.

Tight lines

Welcome to the new Club Helmsdale fishing report and blog. As a registered Club Helmsdale member you have now joined an exclusive club of anglers with the best interests of the river Helmsdale at heart. You will now access the best tackle offers we have, you can participate in exclusive members only "buy one get one free" offers on flies and watch some up to date videos and enter chat about the river in the comments section ( new forum coming very soon ). We will be launching hot new fly patterns and if anyone wants to ask questions regarding these please feel free to contact me via the comments section and I will try to get back to you asap. We also hope to have some exclusive "Club Helmsdale" merchandise lined up in the near future with a selection of caps and sweaters available.

You are also now a member of our Club Helmsdale Anglers Club. This is a new concept online Angling Club where anglers will have a say in all matters relating to the river as we will be communicating as a body with the Helmsdale River Board. No matter where you live or where you fish, if you have anything to say about the river Helmsdale, here is the place to say it. This club will also communicate with Angling Clubs in the area and keep up to pace with all that is important and going on in highland fly fishing.

The fishing on the Helmsdale last week was reasonable again considering the persistent low clear and warm water conditions. Around 60 salmon were accounted for including 7 from the Association water. The warm water is definitely having a detremental effect on the fishing but the forecast for the week ahead shows signs of heavy rain moving up from the humid South - a bonanza could be just around the corner!

Small and tiny flies are all the rage with micro hitch and Td's still fishing great, wee doubles and trebles in 14s and 16s too.

Alistair Graham popped down to the Association water with son Fraser for a quick cast and Fraser promptly grassed his first salmon at 4lbs (below ). the deadly fly was a Kylie Shrimp and for someone who has never cast a fly from a double handed fly rod it was quite an achievement.

The deadly fishy RS Kylie Shrimp which you can buy right here - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=929

As promised, we also have some hot new exclusive flies for you to try which we will introduce shortly. Here we have a new take on the legendary Alistair tube. We have added some dyed wild boar to the hairwing and it works an absolute treat! please contact us if you want some tied up. We have named it the Alistair Shrimp.

We also have a short action video for you to enjoy, it was on an Association water sea-trout fishing trip recently when one of our first shoals of grilse appeared at dusk. A large Sunray Shadow was quickly deployed to offer a meaningful silhouette to counteract the bad light and a grilse was hooked after the normal explosive take! unfortunately a nuisance trout grabbed the dropper and made things very interesting on the wee rod!

Finally we have "Buy one get one free" special offer on the following flies for new Club Helmsdale members only. Please add "BOGOF" to the comments area when ordering so you get your free flies

RS Kylie shrimp doubles size 14

Rs Logie silver salar doubles size 11, 13, 15s

FL Frances gold trebles size 10 -18s

FL Frances silver trebles size 10 & 12s

Frances magenta trebles 14 - 18s

Frances magenta copper tubes 1", 0.5" & 0.25"

Collie Dog silver double 14s

Collie dog black double 14s

Collie Dog silver treble 10s 

Collie Dog black treble 8s

Finally we have an amazing offer on a pair of new Simms G4Z waders size (L) which were purchased in error. The retail price is £799 - we will take £600 - its a great deal for someone! Waders shown below, post at cost. These are the absolute top of the range on the market!

Tight lines and we hope you enjoy our improved fishing report and exclusive members offers.

We also invite you to join our discussion on river matters. Our first topic is gentle and we are asking if there is anything you would like to see improved in general on the river? Please click on the comments option below to open discussion on the river.

last week was a very tough fishing week due to high temperatures and low clear water. Around 35 fish were caught including 7 from the Association water. When these conditions take hold the most successful anglers fish early and late and this was proven to great effect on Monday morning when William Jappy lured and landed 4 salmon on 4 different flies from the Association water. 

Midweek was tough as temps kept rising, fish were caught all over the river on a huge range of different patterns from large Sunray Shadow to micro tubes. Sea-trout are still scarce but maybe the best is yet to come. The grilse seemed to hit base properly at the weekend and Alistair Jappy quickly landed 2 more from the Local water but many fish were seemingly uninterested. Roaries pool held many fish but tempting them was almost impossible, reasoning was that the welcome loch compensation water was too warm and dead. The bay now holds good numbers of fish as they await rain, I think they will be lurking for a while if the long range forecast is anything to go by, there is to be no break in the settled dry weather anytime soon so anglers brace yourselves for a few more early morning starts!

With only 4 day tickets available for anglers turning up on a daily basis and 8 available for anglers deciding to reside in the village I would get on the phone to book your days fishing on the Association water, The low water will suit this stretch and the fish are there primed to run the river! I would estimate that the next two weeks will see the peak of a heathy grilse run. With OAP and under 16 tickets set at only £12.50, Adults £25 you are sure to have great value for money on a day out. Call the shop on 01431821372

Soon the format of the fishing report will change for the better when we expand into more of a blog mode and invite discussion on a range if interesting topics, it will be a hotbed of controversial news information & videos for new "Club Helmsdale" members only with special members offers and much more, don't miss it as this platform becomes very interesting indeed!

Check out the website right here - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php to get your supply of deadly flies and all the tackle you need to catch salmon and trout.

This week we are reccomending you to watch the fabulous new DVD from former world Spey csting champion Ian Gordon from Speyside. A truly amazing talent and a superb film which will add much to your salmon fishing repertoire. Buy here now - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=1456

Last week it was the Scottish Gamefair, this week it was the fabulous Castle Stuart links for the Scottish Open Golf Championship. Phil Mickleson was a very popular winner and an absolute wizard with a wedge! here we snapped the 4 time major winner in an almost impossible position on the par 3 8th hole, needless to say he got up and down with nonchalant ease! a very deserving winner in the end.

Just back from a fabulous day at the Scottish Gamefair Scone Palace Perthshire where I tried out the latest new rod from Scott Mackenzie, the Perflex. I have to say, this rod performed like a rod double the price, I was castiing into a breeze with absolute ease, overhead and Spey. Scott has a real gem of a rod here and at a fabulous price of around £300 - 400. Watch out for it on here when it becomes available very soon.

The Helmsdale rallied with around 50 fish last week which was an excellent effort on low warm water. A few more grilse are arriving and the Badanloch compensation water is keeping things fishable when most other rivers in the North are on bare bones. Small flies and Sunrays seem to keep working well and fishing early and late like the summers of old is proving most productive.

The Association water struggled with only 5 fish, surprising, as low water usually suits this stretch throughout the summer months. Gordon Davidson had a purple patch on Monday after a stroll along the riverbank. He helped out a visiting angler who was having a rather unsuccessful time, Gordon who was rodless at the time noticed a few fish were around and was quick to take up the offer of a cast from the visitor, he promptly caught 2 and lost 1 on a small Cascade double. I also had a nice grilse on Tuesday night before a session at the sea-trout, once again a few fish were spotted and a Sunray Shadow was quickly deployed from the 10ft trout rod, a few minutes later I was playing a grilse on the Sunray and a trout on the dropper simultaneously! both were landed with a struggle! 

The dry spell is set to continue so it is well worth a cast on the Association water. Pop into the shop and grab a day ticket, we are fast approaching the peak of the summer run!

Ron, wife Karen and wee April showing off her new tweed hat! at the Gamefair with Scone Palace and fabulous blue sky in the background.

Nothing more to be said - Magic Murray!

I snapped a visitor landing a fish in Roaries pool on the Association water midweek.