The Helmsdale had a better week and a sprinkling of grilse arrived to get the summer run under way. Once again unsettled water levels made fishing unpredictable and difficult as heavy rain lashed down sporadically over the catchment but incredibly around 80 fish were recorded. Many were coloured but a good percentage were sizeable fresh summer salmon and grilse. Pods of quality grilse showed up from time to time everywhere and were in great shape going against the recent trend of red vent and skinny fish. 10 year old Harry Hemsley made sure he got in on the action this week fishing Torrish rods when he grassed a gleaming fresh 6 pounder. Clay bank beat 5 was the pool and the fly used was an Alistair conehead.

The Association water struggled all week with the high coloured water but a settled window appeared on Friday and Loop Tackle CEO Gordon Sim took full advantage landing 3 sparkling well conditioned grilse. He lost 3 others and Peter Macmillan also landed one. An intermediate tip and RS tungsten conehead Cascade Pig was the tactical choice that paid off for Gordon on the day.

One of Gordons fish (below) prior to release.

The deadly RS Cascade Pig tungsten conehead, click here to buy now - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-cascade-pig-tungsten-conehead.html

We are now also back in full swing this week after a midweek break in Glasgow when I attended my daughters graduation from Strathclyde University. A fabulous few days were had by all the family and we are very proud of her great achievement. She leaves the academic front and starts with a superb new opportunity in London at GSK as a global systems analyst very soon.

More news on the job scene as one of our young local anglers and fly tiers Jordan Marshall joins Helmsdale Co for the summer tomorrow. Jordan is an excellent prospect and keen angler and has learned to tie flies to shop quality extremely quickly, his enthusiasm for fishing will serve him well in the tackle shop I'm sure and we will have some of his own fly patterns available to buy very soon online so look out for them.

Jordan below with a nice fish this season.