Scottish Highlands fishing reports May 15th 1999

"Week ending Saturday May 15th 1999"

WITH the wind predominately sitting in the easterly quarter last week, it did little to help those of us trying to catch fish, either salmon or trout.
What little rain there was had no real influence on water levels other than to maintain the status quo.
Locally, salmon were still entering the Ness system and with the River Ness at almost summer level, odd salmon were spotted making their way upstream.
At this height they should be more catchable as in heavy water they motor straight through into Loch Ness and beyond at this time of year.
At the top of the Ness system, the River Oich produced a salmon for Major Barrington-Brown, fishing at ‘Canada.’ The river was very low indeed but on Friday it rose two or three inches and a small shrimp fly tempted this 1Olb fish which had been in fresh water for a couple of weeks.
The only other activity I know about was a sizable salmon being lost on the Estuary Beat of the River Garry.

ON LOCH Ness, Alisdair Fraser was back in action again with a fine salmon of 11lb, trolling a mounted gold sprat. It was caught at the Tattie Man’s which is at Inverfaragaig on the south side of the loch. It would appear to have got its name from the fact that stores and provisions, and presumably tatties from the Glenurquhart side were landed at the jetty there in the old days.
You learn something every day!

THE Nairn has enjoyed a good start to their season with over 20 salmon and sea trout up to the week ending April 27. Some good catches of salmon and sea trout were had that week with Sandy Wallace taking a 41b sea trout spinning on the town water; Paul Gardiner with two at IO.51b and 61b worming at Cawdor; a Mr Wallace one of 1O.251b on fly at Cawdor; Ronnie MacKay one of 11lb worming at Kilravock; Sandy Ord a 31b seatrout worming the town water and finally John Bowie with a lO.5lb salmon, fly fishing in the Cawdor area.

Moriston gets another dozen despite the difficult conditions
THE River Moriston continued its remarkable spring with 12 salmon in the book last week. Denny MacKay had a brace at 10.5 and 9.5lb on Monday, one to a Rapala and the other a 2.5 inch Devon. David Graham from Lowestoft, up for the week, got off the mark on Tuesday with another brace. This time they came in at 7.5 and 171b and both fell to small half-inch Tosh tube fly.
Twelve year old Andrew Teven landed the first of five caught on Wednesday, his salmon at 61b came to a black/gold Devon.
Denny MacKay took his third of the week at 10.5lb on an Ally’s Shrimp and David Graham, still fishing the Tosh, grassed three at 9, 10 and 12lb. The l0lb salmon was returned.
Thursday’s fish at 9lb fell to a silver Toby fished by Tommy MacDonald.
On Friday, David Graham caught and released his sixth of the week and the same Tosh attracted this 8lb salmon.
Les Graham (Grantown) fishing a floating blue/silver Rapala landed the 12th and final salmon of the week at 131b.
There was a good turnout of anglers at the casting class on the Little Isle Pool last Wednesday. Both young and old enjoyed the session and it is rewarding for those involved to see interest being shown and their time well spent.

THE Thurso did not really get going last week and it was mainly due to the cold east wind.
On average the air temperature was 47 degrees, while the water was 50 degrees with those three degrees making all the difference. If air and water are the same temperature or the air that bit higher than the water, then conditions temperature wise are favourable and conducive to salmon taking.
However the air being colder than the water is an entirely opposite scenario and catching salmon under those conditions is more than a little difficult.
In spite of that knowledge, we still venture forth and try to make something of it.
Eleven did make the net including one of l0lb taken on Loch Beg by Nick Hamblin. Gordon Tullis had one of 91b on Beat 9; David Ross Stewart one of 91b on Beat 8; Ted Hotblack with a brace at 9 and 11lb from Beats 6 and 13. Local angler Jock Campbell grassed a l6lb sea-liced cracker down on Beat 2.
Water supplements from Loch More kept the river at a very fishable height and there is still water behind the dam wall.

AS LOCH More is to the Thurso River, Badenloch can be the saviour of the Helmsdale in times of water scarcity.
Judicial and economic release of water into the river sustains its flow while others around suffer from the lack of water.
In spite of a couple of lean days due to the east wind, a very good week was had with 35 grassed, all in the 91b to l0lb class. A couple were also taken on the Association Water.

THE Kyle of Sutherland rivers are sadly lacking water and successful angling was a non starter with only three taken on the Cassley and the odd one form the Carron. Rain and plenty of it is now needed to bring these rivers back to their best.
Salmon can and will be caught under very low water conditions but it’s hard work and a long walk finding streams and runs to fish, but who said salmon fishing was easy anyway?
Even when conditions are perfect we will still find an excuse for not being able to catch one.

THE Halladale was no better water wise and the wind certainly didn’t help, but Achintoul keeper Angus Ross landed a 71b salmon on Beat 3, fishing the streamy run between Victoria and Forsit. So it can be done!

STONEYFIELD Lochs suffered a bit of a setback recently when they flooded their new third loch. The sediment and silt disturbed was flushed through Firish then Rhicullen Lochs. The new loch, although unstocked at the moment, has run clear and the other two should be back to normal within the next week or so. In spite of the murky water, James Constable from Alness had 15 rainbows, keeping three and returning 12. On Saturday his brother David kept four, the best of those at 5Ib, and returned 24. On Sunday Jack Lawton from Nairn returned 16 rainbows, keeping one at a cracking 11lb of 11oz.
So it is fishing well despite in initial misgivings over the water a quality.

INVERNESS and District so Angling League latest results League A: Blacksmith v Portland was unfortunately a blank day on Loch Droma. Smiddy Bar, who drew a blank, lost to Clach Club on Loch Mhor with 21b 5oz. J Fraser had Clach’s best trout at l lb 0.75oz. In League B Glenalbyn had a good day with 71b 5oz to Merkinchers’ nil on Loch Duntelchaig with J Docherty taking their best trout at 1lb 2oz. Thistle Tower drew a blank to to Legion A’s 1lb 1.5oz on Loch Luichart and M Macdonald had the day’s best at l0oz. Currently Portland B are top of League A and Glenalbyn first in League B but it’s early days yet!

These reports are written and compiled byKenny Macdonald and published every Thursday by,
the Highland News Group, Henderson Road, Inverness IV1 1SP,
in the Highland News, the North Star and the Lochaber News.

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