As it is usually the case with the pursuit of Atlantic Salmon, the weather is probably the most important factor, especially in the case of smaller spate or semi spate systems. In June we were lucky, due to the fact that the lakes were well filled in the first ten days of the month and this basically kept us going till the end of the month.

By the time we got to July there was no reserve to call on so by the 1st of July the river was running at 9 and since then has decreased to -6. We got 17mms of rain on Wednesday and this put the river back up to 13 and with a little mist on the hills it has held there since. It does however make fishing difficult and you really need to be stalking fish when it gets this low.

Despite the conditions we have landed sixteen fish since my last update. As per usual in week 27 Giovanni Mazzoleni was the main man with four fish landed. There were good numbers of fish running in early part of the week.

Giovanni’s fish were all from the river, Holly, Rock, Meadow and Road Pools and weighed in at 2lbs14ozs, 5lbs7ozs, approx. 4.5 and 6lbs, all on a Collie Dog except the fourth which was taken on a Silver Stoat. On the 4th Kemal Scarpello managed to land his first ever salmon, a fish of 2lbs3ozs from the Stream on Finlough on a Sunray Shadow.

Other fish were met and lost during the week and on Saturday the 6th Mark Kamine from New York landed his first ever salmon, a fish of 4lbs10ozs from the Quarry Pool on a Foxford Shrimp.

The early part of week 28, belonged to Dennis Bonnet from France who is an expert in the art of nymphing and he managed to land six fish in three days. He had four in the Turn Pool, one in the Road Pool and one in the New Island. The fish varied in size from 2lbs11ozs to 5lbs15ozs and were all taken on nymphs, with the exception of the fish from the New Island which took a Shrimp Fly pattern. Donna Morrison had a fish from the stream on Finlough of 3lbs12ozs on a Tosh.

When the slight rise in water came Klaus Büning had a fish from Deadman’s of approx. 3.8lbs on a Willie Gun. Maria Fasching had one from the stream on Finlough of 4lbs12ozs and David Patton had one this morning from the Kings Pool of 2lbs9ozs.

The river is now at 13 and will probably drop off, but it looks like there may be some substantial rain from the middle of next week on, (at least I certainly hope there is). If it does come, I would expect some excellent fishing as there is a good head of fish in the Hillary waiting to run. Here’s hoping!! D. McEvoy

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