Sea River Hill: Spring 2015

I haven't had much to write about since returning from Russia. With 2014 having perhaps the lowest runs of Scottish salmon in history, I, like many, have written it off, erased it from memory and started the 2015 season with a spring in my step. The prospect of a winter fish was so great I backed myself and booked some serious February fishing. The science couldn’t lie – five year cycles. 2009 was a shocker, forgotten by most and only talked about with a hushed voice by ghillies across the country. 2010 dispelled some serious concerns as the Scottish rivers saw the return of a proper salmon migration. With good spawning that year everyone has been hoping 2015 would see a return of leaping silver throughout Scotland’s rivers and streams.

My season started on Upper Blackhall on the Dee… a stunning beat, which the owner kindly invited us to fish during his first week of the season. The well-known fact that you won’t catch a fish early or late on a February day gave us all a good excuse for a leisurely start and a few drams to toast the river and season ahead of us. I should have known the rule book doesn't exist when it comes to salmon... As I arrived at Upper Ferroch I saw, to my surprise, good chum Clive on the far bank half way down the pool having already released a springer! The day continued and although we did fish hard, I wasn’t disappointed when I didn’t get the long slow pull I’d become so familiar with on the Kola Peninsular. We more than made up for the lack of fish that evening - the first whisky bottle barely made it through lunch and was soon joined by a second and third. Unbelievable scenes under torchlight in the fishing hut, with great hospitality from Simon and Deborah, the owners, as well as Raymond the ghillie whom, I suspect, might have had a bit of a hazy head the next day, along with Sam, his father and myself! Only the one kelt for our party, but probably one of the most social days I’ve ever had on the river.

I was then lucky enough to grab a day on Upper Floors on the Tweed a week later. Floors and Junction had been consistently catching springers in the first week, while no other beat was off the mark. Despite being some of the nicest Tweed water I’ve ever fished – none of the rods on the beat that day saw a fish. Frustrating! Especially when your mate has a 24lb licer the day before and two more of your pals get fish on the same day, all on the beat below - Lower Floors. Anyway, cracking water, and again a good mild day for February. Another beat ticked off and another blank. Closely followed by two more blank days at Park on the Dee; a beat which only three years ago was the crème de la crème of Scottish spring fishing.

All was not lost for my spring fishing, as I still had the day I was looking forward to most ahead of me. Ian Neale had kindly invited me and a couple of mutual mates up to fish the Findhorn at Altyre. Two foot and dropping when we arrived, and the biggest tides of the year - Ian was sure we at least see a fish. Another unseasonably mild day, on a stunning river – I couldn’t have asked for more, apart from (you guessed it) a bend in the rod. Another blank day, this time on probably the bonniest rivers I’ve ever fished. I spent most of my day watching my fly line in disbelief that its swing wasn’t interrupted by a fresh run Findhorn springer. Ian was a former head guide at the Ryabaga camp on Ponoi, so we spent most of the day sharing tales from the Tundra and working out a number of small coincidental connections we had. Thanks again Ian for a great day, and for the photos. I can't recommend Altyre enough. Please take a look at Ian's website for availability here and on other Findhorn beats - http://www.speycaster.net

Five days fishing and not even a kelt. Perhaps it wasn't going to be a bumper year after all. I will admit that even I was concerned that the fruits of Russia would ruin my Scottish fishing forever. However the excitement, expectation and challenge that Scottish salmon fishing has always offered me is still there, a fish being an obvious bonus. Swinging flies in Scotland this season has introduced me to some incredible people, shown me some of the prettiest parts of Scotland and provided me with by far my favourite days of the year, and I don’t plan on forgetting them in a hurry. Now imagine how excited I’d be if there was a salmon involved! Needless to say I’m already dreaming of my next day on the river… reading a new pool for the first time, looking for that glassy black window of water, a nice square cast and just as the flyline slows down, beginning a slow steady strip… any second now.