Before we get into the stats for last week I would like to post here an article from the latest June edition of the Scottish Field Magazine. It was written by well known fishery manager and respected angler and comemtator Jon Gibb. Many anglers are now calling on the Helmsdale Board to ditch the highly restricted river rotation of 12 rods over 24 miles to a more modern system of 2 up 2 down from April onwards with a lunchtime changeover from upper beat to lower or vice versa. This would offer so much more enjoyment and variety for parties and give kids more chance of a cast and tuition. The whole river would be utilised, more ghillies would be employed and no beats would go unfished as under the current rotation. To ensure stocks are not harmed by extra rodding the Board could maintain the commendable high catch & release rate in operation at the moment, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, anglers/fishing parties wishing to fish the Helmsdale should have the choice to reside anywhere they want in the area. Chances are that most would chose to return to lodges and estate accom but a few would stay in the village and that's how the local economy will begin to regenerate.

The Freshwater Fisheries Review has a remit to open up salmon fishing, I fear if the Helmsdale Board do not make a plan and decide to let more rods fish this marvelous natural asset then the Government will. From what I am hearing from the Review so far it would seem River Boards will soon have much less control of their fisheries.

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Jon Gibb article

Fishing for trout, salmon and sea trout in Scotland is big business. A study in 2001 by Glasgow Caledonian University concluded that freshwater angling adds over £112 million to the Scottish economy every year and supports up to 2,800 jobs in some of the most fragile rural areas in the country. Over £50 million of wages from angling related businesses are paid into rural households, the vast majority supporting families in remote parts of the Highlands.

But with another economic assessment of angling recently announced by SNH, a sweeping review of freshwater fisheries currently being undertaken by the Scottish Government and a Land Reform Bill just around the corner, just how much and exactly where anglers in Scotland spend these millions has recently been attracting attention.
Although the success of website booking services such as www.fishpal.com and www.rodsonrivers.com clearly demonstrate that there is a wealth of angling opportunities out there of hugely varying degree depending on the depth of your pockets, there are also examples where the economic rewards of what is arguably some of the best fishing in the world is not filtering through to local communities.
Take recent events in the Sutherland village of Helmsdale for example.
You would have thought that with some of the best salmon runs in decades in this part of the country local businesses which thrive on visiting anglers would be booming. Not so the Bridge Hotel in Helmsdale.  Once a mecca for salmon fishermen the hotel was put on the market in 2008 at a price of £1.25 million. There were no takers. The hotel has recently been put back up for sale at less than half the original asking price. And in spite of extensive modernisation over the years (and I am told one of the  original casts of Georgina Ballantine’s British Record 64lb salmon in the bar) the agents CKD Galbraith are hardly being inundated with interest.
The reason that this historic landmark is lying empty appears fairly simple – the fishing on the Helmsdale is controlled by the Helmsdale River Board and, with the exception of a small Association stretch, to take fishing on one of its six exclusive and lengthy 2-rod upstream beats you must also rent one of the owners’ shooting lodges in the strath. Clearly this is well beyond the budget of the average holiday angler. Therefore although the opportunities for angling on the River Helmsdale are immense, the potential economic benefit is being limited by a reduced number of available rods coupled with arguably an over-burdensome exclusivity.
Strangely though I recently came across the very opposite situation on the other side of the country, where one could be excused for thinking that with decimated salmon and sea trout stocks opening a fishing hotel on the West Coast would only be for the foolhardy or the insane.
Once one of the most thriving highland fishing hotels, the Loch Shiel Hotel (www.lochshielhotel.com ) went into rapid decline as the sea trout disappeared from the River Shiel back in the early 1990’s. It has seen a succession of inexperienced and disillusioned proprietors ever since who have had little interest in attracting fishermen.
But just last year local couple Andrew and Katherine Maclean were quick to see an opportunity. Over the last few seasons, while salmon and sea trout have been making a slow comeback to the Loch Shiel, trout of enormous proportions have been recorded throughout the 18 mile length of the loch. Last summer I heard of at least 2 trout of over 15lbs taken by local rods. The loch is now one of the best and relatively unknown trout destinations in the country. Two brand new Orkney Longliners now clink against the hotel pier waiting for word to catch on in angling circles and local ghillies have been engaged once again to take to the oars amongst the loch’s myriad of bays and skerries.  I predict that it won’t be long before parties of dedicated anglers will once again be crowding the famous Loch Shiel Hotel bar.
And the simple reason that the economic benefit from this welcome upturn in angling fortunes is being felt locally is that the riparian owners in the Shiel catchment have had the foresight to make all fishing opportunities available at very reasonable prices to visiting anglers and, importantly, with no rigid requirement to stay in estate cottages or lodges. While the phrase ‘community empowerment’ has become fairly tired and abused in the Highlands in recent years, this is surely an example of the very best of the concept in action.

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The same edition of the Field has another bigger article which explores the future of shooting and fishing in Scotland, it put us all in the picture with the current state of play and how things may change soon. Buy a copy if you see one, this edition is well worth the read, or, you can read it online if you purchase a single copy on their website for around £3.60.

The Helmsdale swung into action last week at long last. The Association water started to fish early in the week with Mick Buttery grassing a well deserved fish in Roaries, his 1" home tied Alistair UV did the trick. Another 4 fish followed for visitors and local anglers and there was a couple of losses and good numbers of fish running. The water was good and the Beats naturally started to benefit, Achentoul rods had 17 by Friday, the biggest was a 23 pounder from Red Brae. Borrobol rods had a super 18 pounder on beat 6 and fresh fish were fairly abundant. Around 50 fish were caught for the week and that would suggest we may have some good sport in the following weeks. Coneheads were deadly in all shapes and forms as usual in the peat stained water and some were taken on the explosive Sunray Shadow tube.

The deadly RS SuperSnaelda and Loop Cross S1 salmon rod/reel combo on the Association water

Sewerage pool, one of our best Association water casts in lower water.

A nice new pattern I tied up this week for grilse in the summer on a lethal Fulling Mill silver Magni double.