It looks like rain is coming and coneheads are the deadliest flies you can use when the water is up.

Most rivers in the North are still struggling with record low water so hopefully there are lots of salmon mulling around the cooler costal waters waiting to get upstream as soon as fresh water arrives. Some seatrout are showing up also especially on tidal areas of rivers where they are now being caught at night.

We have a superb deal on 3 of our most popular conehead tubes below for you to get started on a 2 + 1 deal which means for every 2 you buy you get another for free!

Here they are but don't forget we have loads of other great flies for summer in stock.

RS Cascade SuperSquid conehead - 2 + 1 deal - Cascade SuperSquid deal

RS Cascade Pig conehead 2 + 1 deal - buy here - Cascade Pig deal

RS Cascade Gold conehead 2 + 1 deal - buy here - Cascade conehead deal

Tight lines for the summer.

The Helmsdale like all other rivers is struggling right now with low warm water so rain is required very soon. There is not much more to say on the subject apart from some tactical advice which is to maximise your chances you need to fish very early and late when the sun is down. Fish with tiny coneheads, hitches, plastic tubes and Sunray shadow tubes on light tackle. Hopefully the rain will come soon as there are certainly fish around waiting for it.

We are very excited to show off a stunning new Baby Blue TD from Ron which is sure to set the salmon fishing world on fire! Since adding our new Stealth Willie Gunn Blue coneheads to our collection business has gone balistic so Ron thought it was time to add even more fuel to the mix by creating a deadly Baby Temple Dog version for summer.

But, due to peak season and high volumes of orders these will be offered on a "Limited edition" basis. Once the number is up they will go off-line until we get the chance to tie some more. GRAB SOME RIGHT NOW!!

We also have a special 3 + 1 deal on 3 of our summer beauties which are back in stock with links to them below.

Cascade Tungsten gold conehead - buy here - Cascade Gold cone 3 + 1 deal

Cascade Pig conehead - buy here - Cascade Pig cone 3 + 1 deal

And our best seller last summer, Cascade SuperSquid conehead - Cascade SuperSquid conehead 3 + 1 deal

RS Baby Blue TD Willie Gunn, pic below ( limited edition ) buy here - RS Baby TD Blue Willie Gunn

Well there is not that much to report on the fishing front apart from snippets of good fortune here and there. Pound for pound the Helmsdale is probably fishing as well as anywhere and the Association water is providing some good sport.

Glencoast held a well organised ladies day on Saturday on the Association water and my daughter April send me a photo which pretty much sums up the success of the event. As you can see below, a delighted Mia Macdonald obviously put her latest casting tips to very good use and grassed a ovely 10 pounder from Roaries pool netted by that man Andy Sutherland who is never far from the fish...

And ofcourse, no Helmsdale Co fishing report can go without news of another stunning RS salmon fly design. This one is the perfect Willie Gunn for fresh running salmon who love a touch of blue. Tied with the best materials, real Jungle cock and on the best new salmon double on the market from Loop Tackle, this one is a "must have" fly. Check out the pics below and grab some as soon as you see them as they are tied to order and the list will be long!

Buy The new RS Willie Gunn Blue Loop double right here now - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-willie-gunn-blue-pro-choice

The fishing is improving at last with rivers reporting some decent catches. The Helmsdale is picking away nicely all be it patchy but I have early reports of a huge fish caught on beat 1 yesterday ( Saturday ) We are waiting for conformation of the full details but it was estimated at 37lbs and the cracking photo tells only part of what must have been a great story for the lucky angler ghillied by George ( Hardy ) Sutherland below.

On the fly front we are very busy with international and UK orders as more anglers hit the water chasing the big fish that are arriving daily and as you know, we have all the deadly flies you need.

The Willie Gunn tube is legend and continues to catch and impress everywhere so as well as our superb current selection we have added yet another design due to demand. The RS Stealth Willie Gunn Blue. We love our Gunns and in May, June & July flies with a touch of blue in them are hugely successful in my experience.

RS Stealth Willie Gunn Blue which you can order right here from later today

It’s been a tough season so far on the Helmsdale and by the sound of it it’s been the same everywhere apart from one or two exceptions. But, fish are arriving in better numbers now with around 20 off the whole river this week. Some nice sea licers are being caught and seen on the Association water now too which suits low water conditions and Andy Sutherland is taking full advantage with his season tally up to 12. Sunray Shadow season has begun in ernest too with fish chasing and hammering them on the surface. The next spate should really get things going so have your rod at the ready wherever you are, the fishing season is about to crank up.

The Helmsdale company have all the flies you need and more to make sure you have success when you step on the water. Check out our cracking fly selections which are all discounted and have a good look through our many fly categories to find your favourites. If we don’t have certain flies in stock just drop us an email and maybe we can tie some up for you. 

Check out what we have been tying up below for the mighty Alta and Gaula in Norway, some serious flies!

RS Tigertail

RS Tigertail coppertubes 3 - 5" on the varnishing bench

RS SuperSquid Phatagorva Blue

Tiger Monkey, Solar Monkey & Stealth green solar monkey

The fishing is still not great anywhere right now, sunny and dry weather partly to blame I guess and the Helmsdale only managed around a dozen fish off including the Association water. It looks like a better fishing week ahead so hopefully a few more fish turn up.

On a more exciting note we have launched a stunning new Monkey tube tied stealth style which has proved to be hugely popular on our Cascade and Willie Gunn tubes, These little beauties are tied on 1/2" tubes with 2 options of black or orange extension tubing and with or without tube doubles. Serious tubes for the large atlantic salmon which will be entering our rivers through May/June. You definately need some in your flybox!

RS Stealth Monkey in both options

Water levels were all over the place last week but the Association water has been giving a few nice fish. Adam Macdonald had a lovely well worked fish in the Sewerage pool wich was finally grassed after rising to 3 different flies. Alistair Jappy also got in on the act with another cracking springer from the tail of the Flat pool on Helmsdale's best kept secret fly, the Alistair Squirrel tail conehead. There have been a few more off and the upper beats have also been working away.

Perfect timing for one of out deadliest and most handy discounted fly sets perfect for May/June full of RS Specials which will cover different water heights to maximise your chances of catching salmon on any river.

Read all about it and buy now here by clicking the link before we sell out of them - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-may/june-deadly-dozen

RS May/June Deadly Dozen

The Helmsdale had around a dozen fish off last week so nothing really to get too excited about. Nothing has been caught on the upper beats yet either which is surprising, there is just no great bulk of fish around anywhere really.

We still have our spring 3 + 1 deal running so its still a good time to stock up on your killer flies.

As you may have seen on our home page we have added a few more new flies and one has been a bit of a secret killer for years, the Alistair squirrel tail pictured below. We now have them for sale in many options for you to try too in coneheads or tubes. You can buy them from our homepage.

It has been very dour on the Helmsdale lately and last week there were no fish off in great conditions for Monday & Tuesday. Action finally started on Wednesday in the face of adversity when Andrew Thomas landed the first of the week from the Pipe pool beat 2 on a rising river. Thursday served a high river but when things settled a little on Friday there were fish there.

Six fish were caught on Friday & Saturday on beats 3, 2 & 6 with the highlight being a super 14 pounder out of the little Rock pool beat 6 for Gavin Perry.  Andy Sutherland just had to make the report again with fish off the tail of the bay and Kilphedir to end a much better week with 7 landed.

Don't forget we are still running our "buy 3 get 1 free" on all flies apart from our selections which are already discounted so get a few of our killers in your box to help you bend into that fabulous spring salmon!

Click on this link to our homepage to see all our fly categories and start shopping for your freebee flies - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

Some of Ron's most recent workon the vice.

Andy's superbly conditioned 10 pounder from Kilphedir

The touch paper has not yet been lit on the Helmsdale as another disappointing week passes. A high unsettled river was the problem in the second half of the week but the river was in good order for the first 3 days. The blank was saved yet again by that man Andy Sutherland. A late call for an afternoon cast on beat 6 on Thursday, with the river rising, had Andy homing in on the Little Rock pool off the South bank. Another strategic decision which rewarded with a lovely 10 pounder. Apart from that there were a few more kelts caught but the springers are not there in any numbers yet.

Don't forget about our popular spring 3 + 1 deal which is running right now. it may be quiet on the Helmsdale but some superb salmon are being caught on our flies all over the Uk.

Hit this link to start shopping for your free flies, every 3 you buy, we give you one free, its that simple - shop now here for the best salmon flies you can buy - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

Some of our latest awesome RS salmon tubes