| Grilse run delays
are forgotten as Ness sees four thumpers caught
SALMON were seen in the River Ness last
week, hopefully some of them grilse, but it was a bit on the high side
for productive fishing.
But the larger class of fish caught of
late still seem to be slipping in and a further four of these thumpers
were caught last week.
On Thursday Russell MacKay took a sea-liced
salmon of 15lb from Ness-side’s Guage Pool on a three inch red/gold Devon
losing a similar fish at the net later in the day.
Dr Gamblin had brief contact with a salmon
when fly fishing the Birch Tree.
On Ness Castle, John Pestana fishing his
own Findhorn Flame, landed one of 14lb in the Lady Pool and Archie Campbell
had a brief encouter with a second fish.
On Dochfour, ghihlie Tom Rattray added
a 19lb salmon to his tally fishing a 2.5 inch red/gold Devon in Andrew.
Mr D Cameron grassed the river’s fourth
and final fish at an impressive 17lb, fishing a Toby at Black Trees.
ON LOCH Ness another of those splendid
salmon fell to Dennis Barton out with sons Dennis junior and Scott.
At 18lb and still carrying sea lice, it
came to an 18 gram orange/silver toby off the Green Buoy at Arturlie.
Hopefully we will hear more from the loch
from now on as it’s been very quiet there of late, but in fairness there
haven’t been many boats out.
River Oich last week although no salmon
were caught that I know of.
But the interesting thing is that the
levels are likely to remain that way for some time.
I believe that over the next five weeks
the Quich Dam is to be drained and that can only be good for the river
in the short term, provided the water is not lost to the canal with its
increased summer traffic. Contact George Watson on
(01320) 366234.
ON THE -Averon, Roddie MacLennan took
a fine fresh run salmon of 9lb from the Fall Pool on Beat 2.
There was no other activity that I
know of from Alness. |
DESPITE the hot bright conditions,
the Helmsdale anglers grassed 25 fish last week, most of them grilse which
have arrived but not in the expected numbers as yet.
For the same week last year one beat alone
had 22 so the next couple of weeks should prove critical.
There are quite good numbers of sea trout
in the river, which is encouraging.
THE Thurso produced 14 fish last week with
only four grilse among them which is in keeping with other rivers still
waiting on their prolific summer runs.
Good heads of salmon have been seen in
the estuary over Friday and Saturday, which is good news.
Salmon activity has also been observed
off Strathy Point indicating that they are round the
coastline but in what numbers only time
will tell.
On the river, Mr I M Andrews had four
for his week with two nine pounders on Beat 13, a ten pounder on Beat 2
and a grilse of three pounds on Beat II.
Jock Campbell also grassed four with two
very good salmon of 13 pounds and 15 pounds on Beat 2 and a brace of 10
pounders on Beat 9.
Jake Waters had just landed a grilse on
Loch Beg, wading at the time, when an adder which had somehow been washed
downstream swam directly towards him with its head up and in the ‘strike’
position.
A very hasty flick with his rod butt sent
it up into the heather, thus avoiding a potentially awkward situation.
Adders are cold blooded creatures and
love the heat, so warm weather brings them out into the open to sunbathe.
This one was quite easily identified with
the black zig-zag along its back and the usual X mark behind its head.
Being our only venomous snake — its bite
can be fatal —don’t recommend getting close enough to find out should you
come across one.
On the Association Water (Beat I) they
got into double figures with Jim Cameron grassing five of them all in the
14 -15lb bracket. |
 THE
River Nairn fished quite well with good water over the period June 8-18.
Paul Gardner caught a fine salmon of l3.5lb
at Cawdor, as did S P Fraser with one of 12.75lb and a sea trout of 1.5Ib.
Sandy Wallace had a good basket of sea
trout weighing 9.75lb.
Sandy Ord had four weighing a total of
8lb and his brother David took one of 3.5lb on fly from the Town Water.
D Wilson had two fish of 2.5lb each worming
the Cawdor area.
Cohn Fraser landed a salmon of 10.25lb
worming the Castle Pool and Ronnie MacKay one of 10lb worming the Bridge
Pool.
Grilse have yet to make their appearance.
GRILSE have been in the Halladale for a
couple of weeks now and they added four to their total last week.
Christinie Tester, on her first crack
at salmon fishing, lost the first one but got the second at 4lb swimming
a size 10 Ally's Shrimp, in the bridge Pool
on Monday.
The nest day Keith Cropper, dibbling a
similar fly, had one of 3.5lb from Munro ‘s and on Wednesday Steve Jolly
took one of 5lb from Weedies on a size 12 Blue Charm.
Graham Smith, trying a 1.5 inch Wacldington,
had a 4lb grilse from the Bridge Pool at just five minutes to midnight
on Saturday.
That’s perseverance, even if cutting it
a bit fine for the midnight close down.
TARVIE Lochs, with 12 boats, is fishing
well but the rainbows are tending to take sub-surface and only sipping
and turning as they come to dries fished on the surface.
Roy Louis from Raasay stayed locally for
a two week period and enjoyed continued success on his daily visits.
Fishing an olive gold head time Damsel
Nymph on an intermediate line was his preferred choice of tactic and it
worked every time, with his best at 4.5lb.
Bill Hives, Gerald Brown and Robin Watts
each had seven on their outings with fish up to 4lb.
Roy Mutter also had seven on a visit and
his best rainbow came to the boat at 5lb 2oz.
The bait loch is also producing fish and
is always an option for the beginner or someone who one prefers not to
use boats.
The brown trout loch is fishing as a typical
hill loch does, with the trout coming on the take as conditions vary.
Sport can he very exhilarating with trout
of up to 3lb taking both wet and dry flies as the mood moves them.
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