Scottish Highlands fishing reports April 29th 2000

"Week ending Saturday April 29th 2000"

I reported last week that a couple of salmon were seen going over the sluice on Beat 1 of the Averon, and suggested that now might just be the time to contemplate a visit to Alness.
This week, right on cue, a Springer of 9.5lbs was taken just there above the sluice in Polnaharachie, or the Distillery Pool as it has become better known in recent years.
Donnie MacLeod took the fish on a small Ally’s Shrimp fly, probably about a size eight.

THE River Nairn was in fine trim for most of the week, but I think that perhaps salmon entering the river ran straight for the upper reaches.
Fish were contacted on Nairn-side, for example, with Sandy Wallace taking a splendid brace of 10 pounders and Tom Spiers ‘s line, unfortunately, was cut on a stone while playing a similar fish.

THE Ness system’s top end rivers again produced good sport with the River Garry coming into its own with 14 rods out over the week and certainly giving a better prospective on its "fishability".
Seven springers came off with all but one being returned. On Tuesday Kevin Reed caught his first of four, taking a cracker of 16lbs on a Crown Rapala.
Friday was Kevin’s red letter day with salmon of 7.9lbs and 13lbs which all came to an orange/gold Rapala as he fished from the boat at the river’s mouth.
Saturday saw Denny MacKay back in action with a fine 11.5lbs salmon, and his fishing companion Donnie Urquhart claiming one of 14lbs — both were taken on Toby lures.
On the River Oich’s Glendoe beat, two made the net with Dr George MacKay grassing a cracker of 16lbs fishing a three-inch red/gold Devon in Canada on Tuesday.
Major Barrington Brown from Gloucestershire took their second, at 9lbs, on a similar red! brown minnow.
The River Moriston had a reasonable week with four salmon landed.
Donnie Urquhart from Inverness had two fish over Monday! Tuesday — one at 10.5lbs and one at 12lbs, both on the same two-and-a-half inch minnow.
On Wednesday Donnie Mac-
Kay had a salmon of 12lbs on a Tosh fly, and Andy Massari a very solid salmon of 14lbs on an Ally’s Shrimp.

THE north rivers continued to see good sport, the Helmsdale getting well into its stride with about 30 on the bank.
Conservation measures are fairly strict on the Helmsdale river, with only three springers per beat (two rods) being allowed each week up until
opened up a bit to allow six to be shared between the two rods.
First impression would seem that a bit drastic for a river with prolific catches over the years.
But, with a noticeable decline in stocks on all Scottish rivers, perhaps now is the time to examine this issue critically before it is too late.
Experienced and very competent river managers see millions of healthy smolts out to sea every spring, only to witness decimated numbers retunring from the North Atlantic as adults.
I really don’t think our rivers are particularly to blame for the current situation, but the sea itself is where the major problems lie and that would appear to be beyond our control — for the moment!

THE Thurso produced 13 for its week with Malcolm Walker taking a lovely brace of 10lbs and 13lbs from Beats 4 and 11.
Peter Hatherall also grassed a brace at 9lbs and 11lbs on Beat 5, and Sir Robin Ross took a salmon of 10lbs on Beat 13.
Richard Elias had the most
successful rod with a brace at 10
and 12lbs on Beat 8 and one of
10lbs on Beat 12.

THE Halladale continued to produce fish, with three more in the book and frustratingly eight others being lost.
Garry Miller started the week off on Tuesday with a 10lbs salmon from Hugh’s Pool on Beat 1 on a big single shrimp fly of his own tying.
The next fell to a one-and-a-quarter inch Garry Dog fished by Peter MacGregor in Munro ‘s on Beat 3 with nine inches on the gauge — that one at 9lbs was seal attack scarred.
The week’s and season ‘s best to date weighed in at 13lbs, was sea-liced and took a size six shrimp fly in Barriers on Beat 4. Mr Goodchild was the angler.
With the river showing nine
inches on the guage, why two thirds of the Salmon hooked came off goodness only knows.

THE Lower Brora normally tapers off at the end of April and no real activity takes place until the arrival of the grilse. In saying that, four came off on Monday with one angler taking three of them in the same pool in the morning.
There are now quite a few sea trout kelts making their way down river.

ON THE Kyle of Sutherland rivers, good runs of springers are still being enjoyed with the Oykel recording 11 last week.
This river fishes to its best with about plus two feet of water and last week it only had plus one foot, so greater things could have happened — who knows?

The Carron’s lower and middle beats produced more than 30 last week and is fishing particularly well at the moment.
They had targeted 50 salmon to be relocated above Glencalvie Falls and, to date, 52 have actually made trip to the nursery areas.
The survival ratio of rod-caught salmon kept in holding tanks for autumn stripping is set firmly in favour of early caught fish, that is salmon captured in March/April have a better chance of survival than those caught in May/June.
Perhaps water temperature is the key as their metabolism is slower and they read just more readily in the colder water.
The Cassley is well on target to beat its existing 10-year record of 47 springers up to the end of April.
Standing last Thursday at 45, I suspect that not only will it be equalled but also well and truly surpassed. That’s good news indeed for the Kyle.

LEACHKIN Angling Club is to hold an open single pike competition on Loch Oich on Sunday May 14. Entry fee is £10, juniors £3. First prize is £100, second £75 and third £50. Juniors’ prizes are £15, £10 and £5.
For details send a stamped addressed envelope to Leachkin Angling Club, c/o 13 Abban Street, Inverness 1V3 8W.

INVERNESS Angling Club member Roddy McRae left a rod near a wooden bridge on the River Nairn on Saturday last. Its return would be greatly appreciated —contact 01463 226140 (37 Madras Street, Inverness).

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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