| Catches on the
River Ness show a slight improvement as the season draws to an end
CATCHES on the River Ness did not improve
much and only 17 were caught compared to 15 the previous week.
Owen Benwell, on his annual excursion
to the river, caught the only fish of the week on the club water, spinning
at the Red Braes.
At 9lb it had only been in the river for
about a week.
Incidentally Owen became Inverness Angling
Club’s first associate member when the club extended its membership to
include associates for the first time last year. Nice one Owen.
Ness-side saw four on the bank with Gordon
Fleetwood taking two of them.
The first on Thursday at 13lb came to
a size 8 Silver Stoat in the Holm Pool and on Saturday he returned a salmon
of 7lb which was tempted by a Pot Bellied Pig half inch tube fly in the
same pool.
Still on Saturday, ghillie Scot MacKenzie
returned a 7lb cock fish which he took on a Rapala and Alan Reid caught
one of 6.5lb spinning a 2.5 inch brown/gold Devon in Above Bay.
Unfortunately the Ness Castle beat produced
only one 6lb fish to a spun lure in the Laggan Pool.
However, there are salmon on the beat
but they require some more water to relocate and stimulate them into taking
a fly.
The Laggan Beat was the best on the river
with six, four of which were returned.
Roy Freeman accounted for three of them
at 5lb, 8lb and 12lb, all on fly.
Husband and wife Alan and Robin Jarvis,
on holiday from Sydney, Australia, caught their first ever Scottish Atlantic
salmon.
Alan, preferring a Silver Stoat, took
fish of 5.5lb and 3lb, while Robin’s Munro Killer tempted a lovely silver
fish of 6.5lb.
On Dochfour, Dr John Young landed a brace
over Monday and Tuesday, both on fly and both at Two Stones.
They weighed in at 10lb and 6lb.
Also on Tuesday J Howell grassed a 9lb
salmon on fly at the Tail of the Island.
Two were taken on Saturday and both fell
to Paul Kelly’s rod at the Tail of the Island.
They were salmon of 8.5lb and 14lb, with
the latter being returned.
Surprisingly no salmon have been caught
on Dochfour’s upper beat since September 17. |
THE River Nairn is still enjoying
good sport and the club water produced about 20 last week, 90 per cent
of which were returned by the conservation-minded anglers on the river.
The upper beats are seeing salmon in most
of the pools and the odd fresh fish is still around.
Four of us fished at Clava the Saturday
before last.
Gordon Hines had a grilse of 4.5lb, Tom
Spiers one of 3.5lb and I landed a lovely clean 7.5lb salmon in Scot’s
Pool.
The River Nairn closes for the season
on Thursday October 7.
THE Helmsdale closed its 1999 season on
Thursday September 30 and produced about 60 in the final four days.
Two salmon in the 25-28lb class were released,
as in fact were the large majority of those caught.
Encouragingly some very well conditioned
hen salmon in the 14-19lb bracket were also encountered.
Helmsdale ghillie George Sutherland took
the opportunity to introduce his nine year old son Lewis to the river and
it was some introduction.
Fishing Suisgill Pool on Beat 2 above
with a Temple Dog, Lewis connected with, played and landed an absolute
cracker of 18lb.
The fish was duly returned but unfortunately
dad had left the
camera at home, although I have no doubt
that either of them will need a photograph to remind them of that first
fish.
Well done Lewis.
|
 THE
Halladale also closed on September 30 and saw another 11 fish in the book
on the final four days of the season.
Susan and Martin Fraser had 5lb three
apiece; Tracy Dawkins, Francis Mitchell, Cath Pennington, Charlie Sutherland
and Jose Lopez had one apiece. Charlie Sutherland’s was the best at 8lbs.
The month of September produced 73, bringing
their season’s total to 281, which is above average and very encouraging
for the river.
THE Thurso closed on Tuesday October 5,
so the last couple of
days will be covered in this column
next week.
Last week 92 were caught as the river
came up to about 11 inches and stayed clear and steady. Some of the more
notable catches include John Goodman, who was out for four days on Beats
8, 6, 4 and 2, grassing 13 with his best at 15lbs.
John Bojda took four on Beat 3 and one
on Beat 12; Gordon Tullis and Ben Gunson shared six, with two each on Beat
2 and one apiece on Beat 12.
On Saturday Peter. Cardosi,
out with Gordon Morrison, shared seven
with Gordon landing four of them, his first ever Thurso salmon). Tom Plumley
accounted for five over the week.
I fished there on Saturday with my son
Ross and we shared six for the day.
Ross landed and released salmon of 9lb
and 6lb, losing one in the process.
I accounted for fish of 4lb, 6.5lb, 10lb
and 15lb, releasing the latter which was a very red cock fish.
It’s amazing what a little water can do.
INVERNESS and District Angling League:
There were no fixtures in League A but in League B British Legion won over
Merkinchers on Loch Glascarnoch with 1lb 8oz to Merkinchers’ blank day.
M MacDonald had the best trout at 1lb
At the same venue Thistle Towers beat
P0 Letters with 2lb 8oz to P0 Letters’ blank.
J MacLennan had the day’s best at 1lb
4oz.
The League will be holding a three-man
pike competition on October 16 on Loch Garry (£18 per team).
Contact A Fraser on (01463) 226259 or
T Kay on (01463)
233656.
This competition is open to everyone interested. |
