The Helmsdale W/c Jan 23-29th

[carbisdale]

A few of you may have seen Helmie's post regarding the availability of a few weeks on the Helmsdale, well I decided to take the plunge and take the week commencing Monday 23rd Jan to Saturday the 29th.
Unfortunately we blanked for the week with the exception of a Kelt on the Saturday from the same pool that had produced the first fish the previous saturday. Nevertheless it is a beautiful river in exceptional surroundings and the weather was fairly kind, with the exception of Wednesday when it was blowing a hoolie upstream from the minute the rods went up until we took them down again at the end of the day, I did get a couple of light pulls below the falls (Beat 6). If i'm honest though I just didn't really care as I was more than happy to just be on the river and enjoy a few casts.

Technical Jiggerypokery:

Wind: Aye, mostly on Wednesday
Water Temperature: Chilly varying to freezing
Air Temperature: See Above

Here's a couple of pics, not that many i'm afraid but I was there to fish not take holiday snaps

Paul



Kilpheddir Pool looking upstream Beat 2



Kilpheddir looking downstream



My brother Martin (Smarties on here)



Junior sending the Jetstream across Kilpheddir



Kilpheddir hut



Salscraggie looking towards the tail



Dalmalhally (I think) Beat 4



And again



Looking towards Baddy Wood Beat 4



Gratuitous vehicle with rod leaning against it with a shadow of the plonker with the camera shot

[salmonshrimp]

Very nice Paul it looks a bit fresh ;D ;D

I take it these are quite good pools to aim for ?

Cheers
L

[carbisdale]

I was speaking to Johnny Hardy the Ghillie during the free opening days and he suggested that Salscraggie and Kilphedir were definately a good bet in the spring. As for the others further upstream it was more of a bit of trial and (Lots of) error as unfortunately when I originally booked the fishing I forgot that I wouldn't be getting paid till after the week so couldn't really afford to hire the services of a Ghillie. I have fished various bits of it in previous January's though so have a bit of an idea where the deep pools are where a fish might be resting up. My excuse is that they weren't there though


Paul

[salmonshrimp]

Do you know anything about the club water, access to pools where to fish where to park etc.

Might give it a try soon

[carbisdale]

Feb 8, 2012 16:04:41 GMT salmonshrimp said:

Do you know anything about the club water, access to pools where to fish where to park etc.

Might give it a try soon

I normally try it in April/May when it's a bit warmer. It's a nice wee stretch and access is quite easy. You can park at the top of the Beat which is about half a mile out the Village on the road to Kinbrace/Melvich. There is also a wee parking spot down a lane opposite the Golf Club which is more or less in the middle of the beat and there is also a big car park opposite the Bridge Hotel at the bottom of the beat. As for where to fish, going by my lack of success it might be a better idea to pick Ron's brains
How's the Ness looking, and is it worth a cast at the moment?

Paul

[salmonshrimp]

Feb 8, 2012 19:01:38 GMT carbisdale said:

Feb 8, 2012 16:04:41 GMT salmonshrimp said:

Do you know anything about the club water, access to pools where to fish where to park etc.

Might give it a try soon

I normally try it in April/May when it's a bit warmer. It's a nice wee stretch and access is quite easy. You can park at the top of the Beat which is about half a mile out the Village on the road to Kinbrace/Melvich. There is also a wee parking spot down a lane opposite the Golf Club which is more or less in the middle of the beat and there is also a big car park opposite the Bridge Hotel at the bottom of the beat. As for where to fish, going by my lack of success it might be a better idea to pick Ron's brains
How's the Ness looking, and is it worth a cast at the moment?

Paul

Thanks Paul that helps a lot.

Waters a good height on the Ness for the fly you never know when the springers are going through there's always a chance. If you hear the Morrison, Oich or Loch Ness are getting fish then you know they are on the move. Stopping them's another thing nothing but kelts caught so far on our bit.

[carbisdale]

Cheers, I'm off on Saturday and just weighing up my options

[salmonshrimp]

Feb 8, 2012 22:02:35 GMT carbisdale said:

Cheers, I'm off on Saturday and just weighing up my options

I'll be out on Sat myself probably if the weathers not too bad, give me a shout Fri night on here if your going to be around.

[carbisdale]

Hi Lawrence, didn't see this earlier but I reckon i'll pop down for a cast tomorrow. Might see you somewhere on the river.

Paul

[salmonshrimp]

Good water the day hope you got something after I left.

[carbisdale]

Almost. I had a bit of trouble with my casting at first as the right bank's my nemesis at times. I moved down and got in the water just under the overhead cables above the car park and worked my way downstream and as I got level with the car I was stripping the fly back fairly fast to cast out and a fish came straight out the water after the fly (1.5" Copper tube dressed in the style of a Wullie Gunn but with blue instead of black). I dam near fell in I got such a shock, looked like it could have been this years model too . I waited a wee minute or two then cast to where I reckoned it might be a few times after that but it had either move on or it sussed me out.
I had a smashing day though and can't believe i've never got round to fishing the Ness before now, I will be re-applying for an associate membership for sure as it's a smashing stretch of water and everyone I spoke to was very welcoming.

Cheers
Paul

[salmonshrimp]

Unlucky Paul there's a fair chance a few fish came up stream at the back of the tide, you never know. All of the pools are fishable and when the fish are running you have every chance to pick one up just about anywhere. It's an easy river to fish there's always plenty water and good advice is plentiful.