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The River Helmsdale is in the 8th week without rain. Days are mostly in full sunlight, although there has usually been a welcome breeze. Nights are sometimes cool. Up until now the compensatory loch-water retained by the Badanloch Dam has … Continue reading →

The season has ended with a respectable catch total of 1720 salmon and grilse on the private beats. The Lower Helmsdale too had good catches. The rain continued most of the year but never resulted in enormous spates. River levels … Continue reading →

The River Helmsdale has fished reasonably well all season. There have been no bumper weeks, but also no weeks without fish swimming up. Weights have been unusually high, in common with some other northern rivers. Three fish have weighed 30 … Continue reading →

The River opened on January 11th with the Sutherland Schools Pipe Band bravely marching down the High St and soon to be lost in swirling sleet. However, hardy anglers from far and wide as usual turned out in numbers. They … Continue reading →

The season’s finish coincided with the first severe frost. Cock salmon at last left the lairs they had occupied since early August and became more aggressive. However, late season angling on the Helmsdale in 2016 had consisted of seeing fish … Continue reading →

The water has been lower for some time and kept to a reasonable fishing height by released water from the dam which is situated 24 miles from the mouth. The weather has been extremely variable, cool periods punctuated by spells … Continue reading →

Please note: Visitor Angling Tickets for the River Helmsdale may be bought from either: Thyme and Plaice, 10 Dunrobin St. Helmsdale, tel 01431 821598 email: robertstephenson81@hotmail.com or from the Bannockburn Inn, Stafford St., Helmsdale, tel 01431 821461, email: tartanlounge@aol.com

The Open days starting January 11th saw a large number of faithful visitor anglers returning once more to the River Helmsdale Opening. The Sutherland Schools Pipe Band led the procession down the High St and the Opening Cast was performed … Continue reading →

Season 2015 ended with dry weather and the summer we had all missed. July was the coldest it had been in Scotland for many years. Catches have yet to be finalised but the river will end with somewhere over 1400 … Continue reading →

March and April were thin months on the Helmsdale with cold weather and few fish about. Beats struggled to score. But May ushered in a complete change. The month saw about 250 in the book and some were heavy. This … Continue reading →