River Shin and Salmon Art

Apologies for the lack of news over the past two weeks, I was away enjoying the heatwave in England.

UPPER RIVER SHIN

There is news about a couple of weeks fishing on the upper River Shin, with accommodation for up to 12 people at Lairg Lodge. According to the agent the Shin has been producing more MSW salmon lately. There are two weeks:

19 to 26 July, 5 rods

26 July to 2 August, 4 rods. This week usually sees the start of the grilse run.

For details contact: mark.merison(at)struttandparker.com

SALMON ART

With all the digital cameras available to us these days, there is no excuse for not retaining a memory of that trophy fish you land then carefully release. Have you considered a painting of a momentous catch though? Our friend Sebastian Letalier, based in Chile, is a most talented artist and an Atlantic salmon angling fanatic of the highest order (which is amazing when one considers the distance between Seb’s home and the location of the fish.)

 

Atlantic salmon portrait by Sebastian Letalier

 

 

As the example above depicts, he captures the majesty of Salar quite beautifully and for all of you who cast in waters that hold large salmon, his services should be kept in mind. Sebastian can be contacted via his website at:

www.sebastianletelier.com

River Ness availability

AUGUST ON THE Ness normally sees a run of lovely fat summer salmon in the mid-teens. The old magazine reports, when done well by the late Bill Brown, always made the mouth water. This opportunity could be very interesting:
RIVER NESS
Ness-side Beat – 5 rods available 3-8 August 2009 £200/day/rod
For further details contact
Peter Graham: 07836 611618

Spey fishing reports

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FOR ANY OF you like me, who love the Spey but live far, far away there is hope! Thanks to Jock Royan, the gillie at Kinermony, we can keep up to date with news from the river through his excellent website and blog.
Despite being tied to the beat and guests six days a week, Jock stills finds the time to compile a weekly report of what’s been happening on his beat and those roundabout in his own relaxed and entertaining style.
http://www.speyghillie.co.uk/
Don’t forget to click on “Jock’s Blog” for news and photos and check out his forum – there you’ll find a very interesting piece about hooking salmon.

First Gaula fish

The Gaula produced 71 fish during 1 and 2 June, most coming on the opening day. The majority of the fish reported weighed between 5 and 10kg, with 17 fish of 10kg+. The best fish, so far, was a 22.5kg fish caught on fly on a beat in the Melhus area.

Norway season begins

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AT MIDNIGHT LAST night the salmon season in Norway began, although some rivers began their season in May. Anglers would be waiting patiently at their allotted pools well before midnight in preparation for the first cast of the season. The anticipation must have been delicious!

I was glad to learn that my friend Manfred Raguse at the NFC had fish to report from the opening night, 3 salmon from 16.5lb to 23lb. He’s heard that fish have been seen moving up through the Gaulfossen, so his guests are looking forward to the next few days!

 

An opening day fish of 23.2lb from the Gaula. Courtesy of NFC.

 

 

There were 15 fish reported on the Namsen last night, with two fish of 16kg. Bjora had produced 54 salmon between 15 and 31 May, including one fish of 15.6kg. Of the 69 fish landed so far 18 weighed 10kg+.

 

Gunnar Bergstrand with his 15.6kg fish from the Bjora

 

 

The folk of Alta are hoping for a repeat of last year’s wonderful fishing during the first three weeks of the season. I’ve been doing some work with the statistics from last year and on one day the average weight of fish was 30lb! Fantastic. The local newspaper always gives good coverage to the happenings on the river and have produced a pre-season piece which you might like to see. Follow the link:

http://www.altaposten.no/lokalt/nyheter/article262769.ece

Spey Fishing at Ballindalloch Castle

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THE BALLINDALLOCH CASTLE water on the Spey holds some very fine pools indeed, including The Junction Pool where the Avon joins the Spey. It’s a beat I’ve always wished to fish, and one that friends from South Africa and Italy return to each year and love.

So, you’ll be pleased to learn that there are two weeks that have recently become available due to cancellations – no doubt the credit crunch has affected some unfortunate fisher. Contact the estate office without delay if you are interested in this first-rate water.

Pitchroy Beat, 4 rods: week commencing 21 June.

Ballindalloch Beat, 6 rods and self catering accommodation at Marionburgh House on the estate: week commencing 6 September.

For details contact the Factor at the estate office

Ballindalloch Castle
Banffshire
Scotland
AB37 9AX

Tel : 01807 500 205/Fax : 01807 500 21

enquiries(at)ballindallochcastle.co.uk

The Brae Shrimp

 

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THE BRAE SHRIMP came about a few years ago after I was given a present of some heron hackles. I’m sure the ghillie said it was road kill, so that was fine. I’ve always liked the old style Spey flies and came up with a pattern in honour of the beat where I received the gift. The fly was christened on the Lochy a few years ago by the then factor of Gordon Castle, Mr Frank Clark.

I sent the pattern off to Donald MacIsaac in Scotland and he came up with the beauties shown in the photos. His exquisite creations are a delight on the eye and most definitely tied to fish well, being lightly dressed yet balanced. If you would like flies tied by Donald please contact him at: mary.mac(at)tesco.net

 

Brae Shrimp

 

A brace of Brae Shrimps

River Spey – Prime summer fishing

PRIME WEEKS ON the Spey don’t come along that often, and the weeks that follow are only available because of some changes made in how the Gordon Castle Estate water is being managed.

The Castle Beat and Lower Water 1 and 2 all lie downstream of Fochabers road bridge and offer excellent fishing throughout. Since last year the Castle Beat is now let as a package with accommodation at Gordon Castle. Three prime weeks are available on the Castle Water, and one September week has become vacant in which rods fish all three lower beats, rotating daily. 

 

Looking up The Birks on the Castle Water

 

 

The packages, starting at £15,500, include fishing for up to six rods and accommodation, with meals, for up to 10 in the castle. The dates are:

Castle Water

12 t0 19 July (ave. 10 fish)

19 to 26 July (ave. 12 fish) 

26 July to 2 August (ave. 27 fish)

Castle Water, Lower Water 1, Lower Water 2

20 to 27 September (ave. 18 fish)

For details contact Strutt & Parker  Mark.Merison(at)struttandparker.com

or directly to the Gordon Castle Estate office

admin(at)gleco.co.uk  or Tel: 01343 820244

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Norwegian Flyfishers’ Club – available rods 2009

ONLY A COUPLE of weeks and the season kicks off in Norway. The Bjora (Namsen tributary) will be fishing now, but it is 1 June when the majority of salmon rivers open.

 

Mary Ann Sawada with a June Gaula fish.

 

 

There are some available rods on the rotating beats of the NFC water around Storen. This is fly-water of the highest order, the rods are strictly limited per beat, and beats are rotated daily. It’s all very well organized and you couldn’t wish to fish with a more knowledgeable host in Manfred Raguse. The details are:

Gaula Rotation:
6 rods for week 23 (1 June): EURO 2.933 per rod/week (fishing incl. country house accommodation)
4 rods for week 30 (19 July): EURO 2.286 per rod/week (fishing incl. country house accommodation)
5 rods for week 31 (26 July): EURO 1.635 per rod/week (fishing incl. country house accommodation)

Bogen Søndre Beat:
Weeks 23 + 24 (1 and 7 June): Euro 1.990 per rod/week (fishing incl. country house accommodation)
Week 25 (14 June): EURO 9.990 for the whole beat (fishing incl. accommodation in the English House, 4-6 rods), or Euro 2.250 per rod.
Week 29 (12 July): EURO 11.800 for the whole beat (fishing incl. accommodation in the English House, 4-6 rods), or 2.950 per rod.

Contact Manfred Raguse: raguse(at)t-online.de
www.nfc-online.com

Autumn on Tweed

THE RIVER TWEED provides the best back-end salmon fishing in the country, and of course being so popular (and productive) rods in the prime weeks on the best beats are dead men’s shoes affairs. However, all is not lost and there is still time to secure a day or two’s fishing at this very special time of year.

Thanks to the Tweed Foundation an auction is taking place on 26 June in which 38 lots are on offer. Fishing includes dream beats such as Carham, Upper Floors, The Lees, Birgham Dub and Rutherford, amongst others. For full details of the fishing on offer and how to enter please go to http://news.rivertweed.org.uk/blog/_archives/2009/5/5/4175671.html

On the webpage it takes you to  there is a downloadable version of the auction catalogue.

The Tweed News website is another excellent innovation from the Tweed Foundation. There is regular news from the river and a very entertaining weekly blog by the river biologist, Ronald Campbell. 
http://news.rivertweed.org.uk/blog

Good luck and tight lines!