25/3/12. Remarkably it would appear that around 12 salmon were caught last wek on the Helmsdale and one of 4lbs pending scale results. A slight lift in the water on Monday was gone by midweek and conditions were back to summer low once again. Visitor Niel Strawson had a day out from the Brora river and caught a sea-liced 7lbs fish from Roaries pool on the Association water on a small Park Shrimp conehead and William Jappy landed a fish of 4lbs with no lice. Due to the small size of this good looking fish, scales have been taken to confirm status. It could well be a 2SW fish or a very early grilse. Suisgill rods took the first fish from above the falls in the Woody pool beat 1 and the week ended on a strong note with 5 fish off on Saturday. The forecast for the week ahead is very settled with a stubborn high pressure in firm charge and no rain in sight. Summer flies will be the order of the day once again with small coneheads, tubes and doubles required on floating lines for the best chance of a fish. We still have a superb set of half price Park Shrimp flies on offer (see below) and all spring flies are still on "Pricecrash" mode to buy right now online.

18/3/12. The total is up to 27 fish after a good start to last week. Suisgill rods had 3 fish from beats 1 & 6, Kildonan took 2 from beat 2, Badanloch (as already mentioned below) had one from Dempsters on beat 4 and Peter Macmillan added what one would call a typical summer sea-liced grilse to the Local tally ( scales to confirm status ) not forgetting Sonny Jappy who had a cracking 10 pounder on Monday. All in all a great start to the week. As the week went on, the water dropped and sport basically came to a halt from Thursday onwards as water levels fell away to around 4ins. With no rain of any consequence on the forecast the prospects look bleak for the week ahead unless compensation water is introduced from Badanloch. Check out our great deal on Park Shrimp flies below for less than half price, snap up a box while stocks last.

In a big new move for the Helmsdale Company portfolio, Ronald Sutherland has now teamed up to consult with the worlds biggest fly manufacturing outfit Fulling Mill. Ronald has agreed to update the Fulling Mill salmon range available to trade dealers/tackle shops worldwide by providing cutting edge new patterns and modernising some old favourites. The new Fulling Mill fly catalogue is due out later in the year and it is set to make a big impact with superb new trout and salmon flies - "this is exciting times for the Helmsdale Company, we have been designing some amazing salmon flies recently with a range of innovative new materials, watch out for the new FM catalogue, the new salmon range will be absolutely stunning" check out the latest Fulling Mill press release here - http://www.fullingmill.com/blog.php?t=Fulling+Mill+team+up+with+Ronald+Sutherland&b=94

A view down Salscraggie pool beat 1 below on Saturday evening, more water required!

We have a superb offer on 12 boxed Park Shrimp doubles for LESS than HALF the advertised price - Normally £43.08 - NOW ONLY £21.50

Sonny Jappy got off the mark early this season with a super sea-liced 10 pounder from the Sewage pool on the Association water. Sonny was fishing on the afternoon ebb of the tide and a 1.5" copper gold bodied Willie gunn did the damage. Tickets for this water are now available for the reduced price of £25 per rod per day following the worst grilse run in memory, let's hope things get back to normal this summer - OAPs and Under 16s are half price. Tickets are available from the Tackle shop and Strathullie crafts.

Badanloch also reported a sea-liced fish from Dempsters pool beat 4 which brings the seasonal total up to 19.

The Killer Gold Bodied Willie Gunn below - now only £1.95