ANGLERS on the north rivers are waiting patiently, perhaps apprehensively, for the arrival of the grilse runs which are certainly late.
One school of thought is that the smolt migration was late in going out to sea last year, so the grilse may be that bit later in coming back to the rivers.
Let’s hope they are on their way!
The grilse have started to show on the north west coast so they should be working their way across the north and down the east coast.
In the far north west the Halladale had a good week with 10 of their 11 fish fresh-run grilse.
Beat 1, at the top of the river, produced eight of them.
Audrey Wells had one of 4lb in the Bridge Pool on a size 12 Gold Shrimp; Dave Adams one of 5lb in Nharre on a size 10 Curry's Shrimp; one of 3lb in Hugh’s Pool on a size 14 Stoat’s Tail and a salmon of 8lb in Jetties, again on a Stoat.
That one was carrying seal marks and was the fourth of the season with such scars.
Ian Kelly had a small grilse of 2.5lb on a Stoat’s Tail in the Bridge Pool and one of 5lb in Fearlig on Beat 4, with the Stoat’s Tail again the fancied pattern.
James Forsyth had a brace at 4.5lb and 6lb from Victoria (Beat 3) on a half inch Alasdair Tube and the Bridge Pool on a half inch Ally's Dolly. His second fish was covered in sea lice and taken in the late evening despite the midgies which had sent everyone else home for an early bath. 
Jack Patterson had one of 6lb on a Red Shrimp in the Bridge Pool and Stanley Sparks one of 3lbs in Hugh's Pool on a size 10
Curry’s Shrimp.
Don Thompson caught his first ever salmon at 5lb in Smigel on Beat 2 on a size 12 Shrimp Fly
The successful Stoat ‘s Tail which tempted  the grilse was the original pattern with a Golden Pheasant crest at the tail and a black floss body with a siIver butt and rib as opposed to the more popular variety these days of an entirely silver body.
Sometimes the two are confused but perhaps that difference is just what makes it work and some of the ,more modern flies can be made too fancy and garish at times. Back to basics:?

AS I hear it, some 15-20,000 farmed salmon have escaped into Loch Ewe and some of up to 10lb have been caught in the River Ewe.
Seemingly the seals in Loch Ewe have been having a field day.

THERE has been a run of heavy salmon in the River Ness and four of them were taken from the river last week.
Archie Campbell started the week off with an excellent salmon of 18lb in the
Maclntyre Pool in Inverness Angling Club’s water on
Tuesday.
Frank Jaffrey followed it on with an absolute better of 20.5lb fishing the Little Isle on Thursday evening.
After only about half a dozen casts in the fast water at the top of the pool, it took a size 8 silver bodied Ally’s Shrimp and ran out most of Frank’s backing line before he got it under control. Nice one Frank!
While on the subject, when was your backing line and splice last checked? Be warned!

ON NESS Castle a similar salmon was hooked right at the spout at the tail of the Black Stream and was being ‘walked’ back out of the danger area when it made its escape.
That’s four that have been Iost there to date.
On the Laggan Beat, another first class salmon made the net and this time it was Michael Hasson Junior, fishing a size 9 silver bodied yellow Ally’s Shrimp in the Island Pool who accounted for this cracker of 15.5lb. which was straight off the tide.
On the Dochfour beat, ghillie Tom Rattray connected with three, losing a fish of about 7lb at the net.
The salmon he did land was a magnificent 18.5lb and it took a 2.5 inch red/gold Devon up at the Weir.
His other was a lovely 4th griise which came to a size 6 Kenny’s Killer at Burmnouth. as did the one that came off.
With salmon that size in the river, I would recommend using a cast of no less than 12lb breaking strain.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

THURSO anglers accounted for 16 and saw their first real signs of grilse activity in the river.
But there are those very solid June salmon still to contend with.
Mike Russell’s salmon on Beat 8 weighed in at 18lbs. Peter Cardossi caught three on Beat 3 at 9, 9 and 4lbs and Sandip Datta had his first of the season at 10lb on Beat 10.
Major MacKay Forbes and his wife shared five for their week with their best at 14lb from Beat 5.
Mrs Wace had two on Beat 9. One was a small grilse of 3.5lb which took the fly on her very first cast in Jamie Sutherland’s, which is the first pool on the Beat.
On her last cast of the day and in the last pool of the Beat, the Rock Pool, she got her second at a thumping 18lb.
I wonder why she bothered fishing the three miles in between.

ON GEDDES Fishery, Russell Winton broke the loch record with a massive rainbow of 11lb 9oz. But his triumph was short lived as on the same day Tommy Murphy from Nairn landed a super specimen of 13lb 2oz.
Scales were rushed to the scene where it was weighed and released, so it’s still out there.
Tommy Murphy, Ron Maslin (Culloden) and Neil MacDonald (Croy) are the representatives from Geddes Fishery who will fish on Loch of LogiE in the £3,000 prize valued North of Scotland Stillwaters Fishery Association Finals.
Gordon Hines was out with the Charleston Academy regulars and they had great sport
in the Bait Loch, accounting for over 40 rainbows between 12 of them.
The next competition at Geddes is on July 4. Contact Robbie MacLennan on 0403 128631 for details.

LOCH Achiiity had 11 members in the Badenoch Angling Club fishing a Club competition. Twenty-nine rainbows were boated in total, with the best at 6.75lb.
Sam Davies and Rab Maxwell had a fabulous two days there taking over 30 between them with two silver Orrin Blues of at 5.5 and 6.5lb and two rainbows of 10.3lb and 9.4lb.
The rainbows came to a Peach in Cat and Green Damsel on intermediate lines.
An intermediate line is always a safe option on a cold damp day.