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2005 Season opens in Scotland

7K views 39 replies 15 participants last post by  flytyer 
#1 ·
The 2005 salmon season has opened in Scotland. Not all rivers open on the same day, today the 11th Jan the Helmsdale and the Thurso have started. Today’s forecast is poor with gales and driving rain but I know the Helmsdale will be busy, Every year the estates allow free fishing on the opening two days.
I am giving today a miss and saving myself for Saturday when the Ness system opens, along with the Tay. Next month I have organised fishing on the opening day of the Dee (1st Feb) and the Spey (11th Feb). I hope to get up to date reports.
 
#4 ·
Fishing the Ness on Sat.

Thanks Willie. Thought I might take you up on the invitation so told the wife I was going fishing on Sat.. She said "thats nice but I thought there wasn't anywhere to fish just now. Where are you going?"
I said Scotland. Then I ran like hell :lildevl:
Good luck on Saturday

Ramsay
 
#5 ·
Helmsdale opening day

Managed to make the opening day to the River Helmsdale yesterday.

The day before my local river (River Ness) was bursting its banks. However, with a phone call the the local fishing tackle shop in Helmsdale, I was assured that water conditions would be in good order. I found this hard to belive, in that only live an hours drive away.

Anyway, On arrival, I was proved wrong, with the water dropping at 2.5ft,clear and with very little wind. Almost perfect!

One of the local pipe bands, piped what appeared to be 50-70 anglers to the rivers edge, to start the new season. I felt this was a really good touch to the opening day cereremony.

Apart from a few kelts (well mended), things were quiet and there was no sign of that elusive January springer. However, It was good crack to meet up with a few freinds and wet a line after a long and wet winter!

As Malcolm said, its the upper Ness system opening day on Satuarday. Having phones the factor of the river today things don't look good. fingers crossed! :wink:

Gordon

p.s

The light wind in the morning on the Helmsdale, was like a child with a box of chocolates and didn't know when to stop. By the evening, winds of over 100mph were recorded. A possible opportunity for long distance dapping? :chuckle:

I will try and get some photos of the opening day!
 
#6 ·
It's still a long time until the rivers in Norway opens, but it's allways fun to read reports from other rivers in other countries. I usually check the sites of fishscotland (spey, dee, tay, tweed and the esks) a few times a week, but is there any other sites on the internet which gives good reports from the other rivers?
Well, I check back here on monday to see Willie Gunn's report from River Ness, remember to take pictures of the springers before you release them :wink:
 
#8 ·
First Fish from Helmsdale!!!

Seems I was in the wrong place at the wrong time yestersay.

I have just found out that there was after all a springer caught . It was caught at 1.30pm on beat 2 (below) by Robert MacKay of Helmsdale on a "WILLIE GUNN". The fish was 5lb and sea liced!

Things are looking up!
 
#11 ·
It's reassuring and inspiring to witness the rich lore of salmon angling alive and well in the 21st century! Malcom, et. al. - I am definitely going to come visit, every spey fisher must at least once in his lifetime.

Thanks and please keep the reports coming!
 
#13 ·
Juro, you are very welcome, though I'm not sure if I can get a pipe band, even Madona, only got a lone piper when she came up for her wedding.

I will have the Meiser out on Saturday, when fishing with Gordon I need all I can to get an edge. The Meiser is an excelent kelt cather, but it would be great to get a new model on it.

Andre, if tradition was followed some whisky was gently sprinked into the river to bring goodluck, I'm not sure what is used on the Helmsdale but on the Spey we use a 10 year old Glenfarclas. Rumour has it that some of the older gillies will only drink water from the river as it will always have a wee drop of critter in it.
 
#14 ·
Pipes

Dear Willie,

I really enjoyed the pic of the bagpipes. I wish we had those sorts of traditions here. I can just imagine the feeling of hearing them march down the first anglers of the season towards the river. Wonder if the salmon get spooked! ha ha...

Will make my pilgimage there one day.

Last little note. My father, who used to work quite a bit in Churnside, told me of a poem that he read in a bar, it was a conversation between two rivers the Tweed and the Til, if I am not mistaken. Do you know this short poem where the rivers are speaking to one another? If so, do you know how it goes, and if you do, could you send me a copy via email or post it. I always got a kick out of hearing it with the brogue my father used.

If you know of it, please tell me.

Kind regards to you and best of luck to all of you who are now fishing!

David
 
#15 ·
Hi Malcolm,

Good Salmon season to you.... I hope that you beach an ocean bright fish on the weekend.

My wife's family still lives in Ireland, and she's been planning a stay this late Summer during her teaching break.

I dream of fishing Scotland...

Would also love to try Loch dapping if Andy would have room in the skiff.

I think that this could be the year that it will really happen....};^)...!!!

Meiz
 
#16 ·
Meiz,
Just let me know which week and I'll find some fishing on the Spey, give me plenty of warning, the Spey is booking up quickly.
I have spent the afternoon trying to find three days top fishing for a continental gentleman and his wife. His wife doesn't fish but wants a 5 ***** hotel, the husband wants to be able to walk back to the hotel to see his wife.
My options appear to be, a) move the Spey or b) build a new hotel.
He appears to consider the hotel is as important as the fishing, young second wife I guess.
 
#21 ·
[Hello David,
I am quite happy to add the wanted poem (as a german...)

Says Tweed to Till
"What gars ye rin sae still?"
Says Till to Tweed
"Although ye rin wi´speed,
And I rin slaw,
for ae man that ye droon
I droon twa!"

I have heard it when I fished Tillmouth Park on the Tweed a few years ago.
Luckily enough there was no competition between the Rivers that time, so the conditions and the catches were fine, and everybody from our party escaped unharmed....

Found the poem in Ashley-Coopers " The Great Salmon Rivers of Scotland"

Best regards from Germany (where in general nearly no salmon fishing is in sight)

Martin
QUOTE=Gaspe Salmon]Dear Willie,

I really enjoyed the pic of the bagpipes. I wish we had those sorts of traditions here. I can just imagine the feeling of hearing them march down the first anglers of the season towards the river. Wonder if the salmon get spooked! ha ha...

Will make my pilgimage there one day.

Last little note. My father, who used to work quite a bit in Churnside, told me of a poem that he read in a bar, it was a conversation between two rivers the Tweed and the Til, if I am not mistaken. Do you know this short poem where the rivers are speaking to one another? If so, do you know how it goes, and if you do, could you send me a copy via email or post it. I always got a kick out of hearing it with the brogue my father used.

If you know of it, please tell me.

Kind regards to you and best of luck to all of you who are now fishing!

David[/QUOTE]
 
#23 ·
Says Tweed to Till
"What gars ye rin sae still?"
Says Till to Tweed
"Although ye rin wi´speed,
And I rin slaw,
for ae man that ye droon
I droon twa!"

Says Tweed to Till
What makes you run so slow.

Says Till to Tweed
Although you run with speed and I run slow

For every man you drown I drown two

Cheerful stuff, check out life jackets from our sponsors.
 
#24 ·
Thanks

Dear Sluggan and Wille Gunn,

I thank you for posting that poem!

I have always gotten a great feeling every time I heard it, probably something to do with a great childhood memory of when my Dad came home from a business trip from Scotland when I was a wee lad. Cannot be sure, but I think it also has something to do with the fact that he was showing me some prawn and shrimp type flies that he had picked up there while reciting. A bit of impregnating of salmon lore at a very young age.

One day I will see exactly how fast they each flow.

Best to you both


David
 
#25 ·
Hello David,

please do not expect too much stream of both rivers.
You cannot compare them with the highland rivers like the Spey or Dee.
But a few words to the poem.
A friend of mine who lives in Coldstream( and is born there, so he should know)
told me that the Till is more "dangerous" than the Tweed because of his in some parts muddy grounds(sticking wellies?) and the much quicker rising water.
He also said that this reputation is from an age when most of the English and
Scottish people were simply not able to swim....

Anyway, the fishing during the last years was fantastic,.... if not flooded off.

TL,
Martin
 
#26 ·
Gordon Armstrong, Graham Ritchie and myself had opening day on the Moriston yesterday. Although we tried hard through the driving rain no fresh fish were taken. Apparently we were on the wrong river, fine 8lb fish was caught and returned on the Oich. The Oich is the next river up on the Ness system, the fish was sea liced so was obviously pushing on.

The question always is "Is it a fresh fish or just a kelt?
The silver in the net raises hopes which are soon dashed.......just another kelt.
Some people just will not give up even when it is getting dark.
 

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