AS AUGUST drew to a close the tell-tale signs of autumn were starting to show with the odd coloured leaf, a noticeable chill in the early morning breeze and daylight tailing that bit earlier.
Now thoughts must turn to late running or back-end fish in the faint hope of turning the season’s dreadful summer period into some sort of success story.
The failure of the grilse runs depressed most of us but hope springs eternal, so put on a bold face and keep casting.

THIRTEEN salmon/grilse were caught on the River Ness last week and fish were seen entering the river, albeit in small pockets.
Archie Campbell once again proved that perseverance is the name of the game by taking two from the club water on Friday.
His first at 5lb came to his fly at the tail of the Mill Stream in fairly thin water.
Heartened by that, he went up to the Weir Pool where he connected with the second, a lovely silver fish of 7lb.
The Ness-side beat produced only one to Kirk Lyon’s rod in the Holm Pool. This 3lb grilse came to an Ally’s Shrimp.
On the Ness Castle beat the water was at a good height for that particular part of the river, but still only three made the net.
Mr Braun took one of 7.5lb on fly in the Black Stream as did Professor Harper with one of 6.5lb. Both were sea-liced.
Mr Hulme tempted a small grilse of 2.5lb in the Laggan Pool, which had been in the river a week or so.
Next up river is the Laggan beat and it produced a fish of 6.5lb for Graham MacKenzie fishing his favoured own style Silver Stoat.

FURTHER north, the Kyle of Sutherland is still holding a number of salmon as they wait for the water to take them into the rivers.
The Shin, Carron, Cassley and Oykel should benefit if and when the rain comes.
It’s a big catchment so it won’t take too much to lift it that foot or so to make them run.

THE Helmsdale was down to 10 fish last week, which is as poor as it gets and there is real concern about salmon numbers entering the river. With compensation water from Bedenloch there is no reason for fish not to enter the river, but they are just not there.
A recent survey on fry and parr populations ascertained  that the river holds a very healthy juvenile stock level, indicating that the problem lies else-where There can only be one answer, which is the open sea. Good smolt runs left our east coast rivers and very few grilse returned 18 months later — why?
 

THE Kenny Macdonald Cup was fished for at Stoneyfield Lochs on Sunday and 16 anglers competed on the day.
Catches were brisk up until lunchtime and about 15 were returned in the hope of bigger and better specimens.
A sudden weather change to wind and lashing rain put the rainbows down to the bottom of the loch, making them difficult to tempt. But 25 were finally weighed in and Alness’s Sam Ferguson ran out worthy winner with a super basket of four rainbows, weighing in at 15lb 3.5oz. They came to a silver lure of Sam’s own design.
In his basket was the day’s at heaviest fish at an impressive 8lb.
In second place was Gerry Rattray from Inverness with four for 8lb 4.5oz, a mixture of drys and nymphs working for him.
Third was Gordon Sparling from Ardgay with three for 5Ib12.75oz, a gold/orange Cat’s Whisker his favoured pattern on the day.