Low level Ness poses
challenge to anglers
| THE River Ness was sitting
at a reasonably comfortable summer level but due to a combination of factors,
which included repair works on the Weir at Dochfour by British waterways,
it dropped suddenly by about a foot on Monday last.
The resulting extremely low flow in the river severely restricted angling to the few streamy sections remaining. Adequate compensation water should be restored, hopefully, within the week. Despite this set-back, 19 salmon/grilse were caught on the river. On the Club water only one was successfully landed with three or four being contacted briefly. Uisdean MacDonald landed the 4lb grilse on fly at the top of the Little Isle Pool. Ness-side produced four with Alan Loney taking a fish of 6lbs from the Gauge Pool on a Toby. Ian Robertson had a brace with a cracker of 16lb and one at 6.5lb, both on a Toby, from the Gauge and HoIm Pools. Also fishing a Toby, Ian Wotherspoon grassed a 6lb fish in the Holm Pool. The Dochfour Beat did surprisingly well with 15 in the book despite their gauge sitting at minus fourteen lncnes. The majority of fish were taken up at the Weir with the odd one coming from Burnmouth, the Gullet and Major. Melvin Smith grassed four, John Hamilton three, Graham MacKenzie and Gordon Fleetwood had one apiece. With salmon sitting out at sea, some water is required urgently to bring them into the system. All fish caught last week were in the 4 to 7lb range. AT LONG last there was some encouraging
activity on Loch Ness with seven, that I know of being boated.
|
As I understand it, the only
fish to come off the River Garry last week was a 2lb rainbow which was caught well up river by a Mr Cooper. This was the first rainbow recorded in the upper river and I suspect it came through from Loch Lochy stimulated by the increased volume of summer traffic on the canal. As a non-native species, I trust that catch and release was not an option as they are rather partial to salmon eggs. The Averon produced a 6lb fish last week for Roddie MacLennan worming on Beat 1. A few nice sea trout were caught, particularly one of 2lb which was taken by young Donald Bell. The Beauly Angling Club water saw four on the bank with George MacKenzie, on the Inverness Angling Club Exchange Permit, landing a fish of 6lbs on a Shrimp fly; Frank Durdle one of 6.5lbs on Beat 1; lan Cruden one of 5lb on Beat 1 and “Yorkie” one of 5.5lb down on Beat 3. All were taken on orange Shrimp flies. It’s great to hear the lower Beauly back in action. The Findhorn Association water, which is very low at the moment, has produced its best week in about ten years with 50 in the book. Good numbers have been seen running through the gorge but what they are swimming in goodness only knows as there certainly isn’t any water for them. Grilse being grilse, if it’s wet they’ll run it. The Kyle of Sutherland is fishing fairly well and about 50 came off last week with half of those returned. Visitors to the Kyle are limited to keeping one fish only per day but in this day and age one salmon a day is a bonus. A Daily Permit costs £20. The beats are greatly influenced by the tide so washing out your fishing tackle in clean water at the end of the day is essential as the water is fairly saline. Even the flies used can do with a good soak to prevent tarnishing to say nothing of rusting. The Helmsdale fished well with something in excess of one hundred and twenty salmon/grilse being caught on the upper beats. The Association Water also produced in excess of thirty but the numbers being lost throughout the system is amazing. Hooking grilse is one thing hanging onto them quite another |
 THE
Thurso, still without any rain, produced 37 last week and the cool weather
played a great part in bringing salmon into the river.
All the fish caught were fresh run or sea-liced. Bob Sedgewick took six sea-liced fish from the Upper Sauce Pool on Beat 11 and three from Beat 4 with his best at 14lb. Rod of the week belonged to Nigel Griffiths who, along with his companion Geoff Badlands, accounted for fifteen between them, Nigel taking thirteen of those himself. Thirteen sea-liced salmon were released and only one 14lb salmon and one 10Ib salmon went back home to Wales. The quality of grilse is excellent. “Bonnie fat little beggars”. The story of the week has to come from the Thurso when Robert Clark phoned the river superintendent from the Corner Pool on Beat 3. “There are fish everywhere topping and tailing and won’t look at anything — what on earth can I do to catch one?... Hang on I’ve just got one”... silence. THE Halladale was also very low but 15
were still caught bringing their tally to an impressive 149 to date.
|
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.