Fishing and Friends

Last week I had the pleasure of returning to one of my favourite beats to fish, Wester Elchies on the River Spey. I was invited to fish by one of my very good friends who equally shares a passion for the beat going back many many years.

Summer time, when the fishing is…hot!

It’s interesting speaking to various people about the weather we have had so far this yea, not least this current heat wave. Fisherman, not surprisingly, have been delighted to see us get our fair share of rain over the months. Some would of course want more, some unlucky to have been on the river before the rain and rivers on their bones, others arriving whilst the water was big and dirty and the lucky ones timing it just right as the river falls back, clears and you start to get really excited about the days ahead!

River Verdal, Tingvoll, Norway

It starts with a flight out to Norway on the 31st of may to join friends ready to have their first cast of the new season on the Verdal as the clock strikes midnight. It might be a short season for the rivers of Norway but the opening week is always eagerly awaited.

Skarnsundet Norway

Skarnsundet is regarded as one of the best fishing locations in the Trondheimsfjord. Its nutrient rich waters and strong tidal currents attract large shoals of feeding fish.

The Trondheimfjord is the third longest fjord in Norway and one of the most spectacular. Due to Skarnsundets location, we can offer fantastic fishing in calm waters all year round.

Marks View 24th April

The opening paragraphs of todays newsletter talks about the 2018 catch statistics and the ongoing problems with our salmon stocks and I am proud to be supporting so many different initiatives that hope to help not just with the conservation of our beloved salmon but also get behind some seriously well thought through initiatives that hope to finally help address some of the issues and then do something about it!

FMS Conference Edinburgh

Friday week I had the pleasure of attending the Fisheries Management Scotland Conference in Edinburgh entitled “Salmon and People in a Changing World.” An audience of interesting like minded people from around the world all meeting to get stuck into some really challenging and topical agenda items that certainly made for some great debate.

Norway Students Visit The Tay

Great to have time to spend visiting a few beats on the Tay today and a look too at the Tummel below the dam at Pitlochry as you do.

Wester Elchies

I had the great fortune to be fishing one of my favourite beats on the Spey last week at Wester Elchies with some good friends. The river was high on arrival and proving to be difficult to fish with us really not wading at all but there were a few pools that fish well in the higher water, The Brock and Delagyle in particular where I fished hard with my favourite black and yellow flies and a compulsory cast with  a Gold Bodied Willie Gunn.

Lower Cargill, River Tay

It was a pleasure to be invited to the new “hut” being opened today on Lower Cargill.

River Tay 2019

As I sit writing this first blog of 2019 I do so with thoughts turning to tomorrow’s opening day celebrations at Meikleour to kick of the new season on the River Tay.