Going with the flow
| MOST rivers without hydro restrictions
to flows had perhaps a bit too much water last week, with those in the
far north as much as "plus four feet" on their gauges which rendered them
unfishable for two or three days.
Over the week salmon were caught on most of them, giving hope for future spring stocks. Making sure they have pristine spawning and nursery areas is now of critical importance to river programs, to ensure the "in river" future of springers. THE only confirmed catches on the Ness
system were on the River Moriston, where nine fish were landed.
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THE Helmsdale fished well last
week, despite losing two days to spate water of about four feet at times.
Some 38 fish were caught, with about a dozen in the 16 lbs class and only
two under 10 lbs.
Notably the first salmon came off the Bannock Burn, a tributary to the main river. The quality of the salmon is excellent, and heavy fish of that calibre have not been in evidence for three or four years. They do tend to come in cycles and it is good to hear of those multi-sea winter fish, as reports about feeding in the north Atlantic have been a cause for concern. THE Halladale, having the same problems with spates making it unfishable at times, brought its season’s total to 10. During the week before last four made the net, and last week two very good salmon of 13. 5 Ibs and 11 lbs were taken. On April 20 Tom Stitt landed the larger fish on a size six Willie Gunn in the Run Out from Forsil on Beat Four. Still in the Run Out, Ian Stoppani grassed the week’s second fishing a two and a half inch Brass Tube Fly in fairly big water. IN SIMILARLY high water, the Thurso produced
18 fish towards the end of the week. June Walker, a regular on the river,
landed her season’s first at 9 lbs fishing on Beat 13. Tom Plumley accounted
for a brace at 10 lbs and 11 lbs from Beats 13 and Seven; and Richard Elias
a brace at 10 lbs and l2 lbs fishing Loch Beg on Beat 12.
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 CHARLESTON
Academy, Inverness, pupils under the supervision of teacher Gordon Hines
visited Rothiemurchus Rainbow Fishery on Saturday. The pupils, ranging
from first to sixth year, again enjoyed a successful outing. Twenty five
fish were caught, mostly on the bait loch, with Shaun Scullion taking six,
as did Andrew Fraser. With two apiece were Kenneth MacKenzie and Donald
Forbes. Mark Clifford had a fine pair of about 2 lbs each on the fly loch.
Two young ladies from first year, Eileen Morrison and Kerrie Darlington,
also put their names on the scoresheet with one apiece.
INVERNESS Angling Club’s casting classes start at 7 p.m next Wednesday (May 7th) at the Little Isle Pool, which is on the Bught Park side of the river and a couple of hundred yards above the Infirmary bridge. THE River Nairn is enjoying some runs of early salmon and has recorded 16 taken to date. THE Averon, Alness, produced its first salmon of the season last week but as yet I’ve no details on it. THE Carron on the Kyle of Sutherland pro-duced
an amazing 50 salmon last week, which is very much in keeping with the
excellent spring runs experienced there.
TARVIE Troutmasters’
GEDDES Fisheries’ May Singles competition sponsored by Ormiston’s Tackle Shop will be fished on Sunday (May 2) with places still available. INVERNESS District Angling League is sponsored
this year by the Portland Club and, with three additional teams,
a second division has been formed. Portland B beat Smiddy Bar at
Loch Luichart with 4 lb 5.75 ozs to 4 lbs 11.4 ozs. C Stewart had Portland’s
best at 1 Ib 7.75 ozs, and E F Gibson Smiddy’s best at 1 lb 6.75 ozs.
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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.