Drought conditions are still plaguing the country and fly fishing continues to be challenging at best with low warm and slimy water facing anglers. However, as per usual the Helmsdale river has a rather unique knack of providing sport for the multitude of angling abilities who fish her. Around 65 salmon were reported for the week of the beats. The Association water is fishing well also as the low water suits it, get small flies and light tackle on and put in the time, you will definitely catch, and all for just £25 per rod per day. Grilse will run so long as their eyes remain sub surface so they will certainly enter rivers in the hours of darkness and under cloud cover during the day. They can then be caught once settled on micro flies of varying styles and colours.

The Helmsdale Company has everything you need to hook wary summer salmon and don't forget the seatrout! I have been fly fishing for over 40 years and I've yet to witness a better low water fly than the Baby TD ( designed by myself ). Temple Dog salmon tubes have an amazing presence in the water but although they have Scandinavian origins they travel very well indeed and are generally big tubes. in recent years I decided they required a huge downsize modification to initially suit the Helmsdale and then the whole Northern Hemisphere where they have been deadly over the last 15 years. This year they are performing like never before as the salmon season suffers the bleak extended spell of low water. Many anglers are using them to great effect on very light tackle all over Europe. Other flies of note right now are our Alistair hitch tubes and micro trebles and tubes. Keep your leaders light and long, try a dropper, sink a tiny conehead or tungsten micro frances fly if depth is sufficient...... There are fish to be caught if you are creative and stealthy in your approach, below are some of our deadliest patterns. pics uploading

Rons unique and deadly Baby TD tube

Alistair Hitch tube which can be fished as a micro tube conventionally or in deadly hitch mode

Micro Frances tubes 0.25" body