We have just learned that the river opening in Jan 2014 will be open for a full week for the first time. The opening ceremony will take place on Saturday 11th at 9.30am and afterwards anglers will be able to fish (excluding Sunday) until the follolwing Saturday. This gives anglers greater flexibility to fit in a cast and should bring in lots of anglers who have never fished the river before. Everything will be weather dependent but lets hope it is kind and a few sparkling spring salmon enter the river.

The final week of the season did not produce great things as the water dropped away again. The season will be remembered for being the driest overall in Scotland for 30 years. A winter practically without any snow to cover the hills to feed the river and a summer without rain of any consequence provided challenging conditions for the angler to say the least. The luxury Badanloch compensation water kicked in early to aid migration but this alien water did not help catches, it raises the water temps and fish generally hate it, infact a retired water bailiff amusingly told me "Dam water is it the best salmon conservation tool that the Helmsdale can weild"! well at least many fish were saved and should spawn safely!

We still continue to offer free lines with the purchase of a salmon rod to our members only on here and we will have a massive pre season fly bogof so watch out for that one. The Club Helmsdale membership continues to grow weekly although I am puzzled as to why members are not using the new Forum to share some interesting Helmsdale river info or make points about the river, NOBODY is going to BITE!! we are all grown ups and want the best for the river.

Why don't members all introduce themselves and state their favourite fly for starters, we may find out that there are a few killers out there we need to have in our own flybox!

I will also open a section on other rivers where we can chat about experiences/catches on rivers other than the Helmsdale. Give it a go...you'll be surprised how easy it is.

Watch out in the next week or so as I will be uploading a very interesting report about the river where some historical findings provide incredible statistics!