The Helmsdale provided some super sport last week on the upper beats with many fish being caught over 20lbs, 24lbs was the biggest I believe. Good numbers were had by all the estates, some were in the mid 20s, I guess there were around 100 off for the week. The Association water only provided 2 at 10 and 5lbs and a healthy sea-trout of 4lbs. 

I was lucky enough to manage a day on the Spey on Wednesday with friend Vanya Hackel on the fabulous Castle Gordon water. I always fancied a cast below the main road bridge on the A96 at Fochabers and to my delight that was the exact pool I drew for the morning. The first two hours passed quietly, then all hell broke loose! I managed to get 3 in the net and lose one at the net, before that I broke one and bent the rod in another in a mad spell before lunch, many thanks to John Fox and ghillie Bob Harrold for all their help - I also smashed a 17ft loop rod in the middle of all the action, what a morning!!

A 0.5" tungsten Cascade Pig fished on a 3.9ips 6ft Rio versi-tip on a floating line provided all the interest. I stated that the Cascade Pig was having a purple patch all over the UK in my last report, well it still is!! 

3 of the 6 fish I hooked were bars of silver, my last of the 3 landed and returned was a 19lbs old crock pictured below! The Lower Spey is renowned for holding fresh fish late in the season and the Castle water is approx 4 miles from the sea, it was nice to see some silver of 7 & 11lbs.

My first fresh fish (below) with a view back up the pool towards the road bridge on the A96. What a fabulous pool to fish off the right bank and it was full of fish. 

The new improved Loop Classic salmon reels are finally back in stock.

These reels are more rare than 40 pounders, Classic indeed in every way and with a precision deep click and "fishon" scream to die for, and if you don't buy them I'm adding them to my own Loop reel collection! Loop set the bar very high with reel design. Innovation, desirability and reliability are the mark of Loop reels, the coolest reels on the market. We are giving away a superb new twin Mackenzie salmon Spey line or New Carron Jetstream Spey line with every Loop reel sold, an awesome innovative combo that's unbeatable and an absolute pleasure to fish with. Buy here online now or call us to secure your combo, if you love fly fishing like we do then treat yourself to this dream combo and have your fishing friends very jealous!

This deal will be on for the week, or probably only today! and they will be gone...this is on a first come first serve basis.

The river fished well last week considering the unsettled water levels. Some excellent catches were recorded when conditions were favourable, notably 10 on beat 3 above to the rod of Johnny Hardy on the Wednesday, amusingly John hardy junior had 8 from the Oykel on the same day, quite a day for the father and son combination! 80 - 90 fish were caught for the week and most coming from the upper beats as per usual for the time of year.

The Association water suffered due to high water and I have heard of only one fish taken last week.

The Tweed, Tyne and Dee continue to turn heads with some excellent scoring, we are receiving some super feedback of catches on our flies on these rivers, Cascade Pigs in 0.5" tungsten and aluminium are fishing very well, as are RS PBPs and Feeler flies. You can fish these tubes on sinking or floating lines depending on what depth you want your flies. Most fish are now being hooked sub surface on sinking tips of varying densities, make sure you always have a few of these to hand in 6ft or 10ft. Another tactic which can also be very productive in cooler water is to fish aluminium or plastic tubes from a full sinking or intermediate line, this lends for a more mobile and alive looking fly presentation which induces many solid takes.

The deadly RS Cascade Pig.

RS Pot Bellied Pig

Tight lines

As I stated midweek last week the fishing has been excellent and big numbers were posted on most estates. Borrobol rods had the lions share with a superb 38 fish for the week. The upper beats were providing most of the action as expected and coneheads and copper tubes scored well. I would guess around 200 fish came off the river last week.

The Association water offered good sport also and fresh fish were taken on most days, 16 was the total for the week. I even managed a few myself! A 1" tungsten Red Frances took my first and last fish of the week fished on a floating line and 10ft leader. I also managed to land another bonus fish in the tail of the Park pool on lower beat 2 fishing for Achentoul rods Saturday evening. The water was around 1ft 6 and the bigger pools on the beat were in absolutely incredible shape for the fly. Around 2 miles of beautiful water, I could not even scratch the surface on foot, and that was just on the lower beat left bank!

We are now in September and the back end feeling is here - although the weather is still pretty mild most salmon anglers are looking to present a bigger fly a little deeper in the water.

The flies below are ideal for salmon fishing late in the season and red/orange is the favoured colour generally. There are too many to list and some can come in deadly conehead form. Give me a call if you fancy some. Don't forget that all the new Carron & Mackenzie twin lines have been designed to handle all the sinking tips you require for late season fishing. We have a great range of quality Rio Versi-SinkTips to get your flies down. 5 densities from Intermediate 1.5ips to fast sink 7ips in 6ft or 10ft lengths pre-looped for easy adaptation to conditions.

Junction Shrimp copper tube. ( Major killer everywhere in the Autumn invented on the river Tweed )

Autumn Glory Temple Dog ( This modern TD has all the colours required to trigger action on a sink tip )

RS Pot bellied Pig ( This tube is a proven killer late in the season )

Autumn Glory Salar Double

Red Frances tungsten tube stuck in a popular place!! - get some in your box NOW!!

Have a good look through the web-site, we have lots of Autumn killers on tungsten, copper & aluminium tubes for sale, if you are not sure on sizes etc please call us.

13 fish off the Association water this week up to Thursday, all off the Flat Pool apart from 2 from William Jappy last night in Upper Allan. Most fish are fresh amazingly and most of the locals are scoring, 7 off on Tuesday evening.

The upper beats are fishing very well too, 3 & 4 above providing most sport. The season is far from over it would seem so get out on the water if you have a chance.