I haven’t written anything since Christmas because, as is so often the case in winter, I didn’t have anything useful to say. Now it’s April: the salmon season is open in Yorkshire; the rivers are full of water; and the first salmon have been caught on the Ure, the earliest catches in a decade. That’s quite enough to perk me up to write, even if the content could be a mite thin.
 |
However, fortified by this deluge-induced onset of optimism and hope (no matter how ill-founded Murphy’s Laws may prove it to be), I’m feeling even more salmon-perky than usual. If I can get on top of the massive rain-induced backlog of gardening, I’ll try to get out at Sleningford or Bolton. In any event the very kind TTMN has invited me for a day later this month at the stunningly pretty Rutherford on the Tweed, which is always a huge pleasure, and sometimes pleasingly productive. Thereafter I’m looking forward to the Orkla in Norway in late June: my wife told me to go while I still can on the grounds of my advancing age. Then a kind friend of 55 years’ standing has invited me to join his party of the Middle Findhorn in July. This year’s Just One Week expedition is to the Inver and Kirkaig in the extreme northwest at the end of August. Other than the Helmsdale I’ve not fished in the extreme north and I’m looking forward to the new learning experience. My season will close traditionally with a succession of days on the Ure at Thoresby, which allow me to indulge in father and son bonding with HMCX, repay my friends’ hospitality and possibly catch some salmon. It’s a lovely prospect, and certainly the most varied season I’ve had since 2011 (I can only pray that it’s as productive as that magic year).
All of those wonderful opportunities bring different challenges and requirements, which I discuss below. In the near term I got on with my traditional spring routine of cleaning and polishing lines (not much fun at 6C temperature!), checking reel function (rather superfluous with a stable of Danielssons, but an embedded habit), culling damaged flies and preparing disciplined shopping lists.
The Orkla
The first question I have to address is why, having warned readers in my previous Norway posts about the high costs of catered accommodation, am I going to a lodge this year? First, John and Patrick’s enthusiasm for going to a lodge was a clear indication that they’d had enough of my cooking and were happy to pay to avoid it but were too polite to say so. Second, while havering over the cost I received a stern common-sense lecture from my wife on age-related risk: “at your age there’s no guarantee that if you delay you will still be fit enough to enjoy fishing in Norway next year, so get on and do it”. That green light trumped my customary Yorkshire parsimony and clinched the booking.
If required, the XO will deliver the traditional floating Scandi body with the S5/6 Versitip supplemented with a super-fast sinking polyleader. This combination won’t fish as deep or slowly as the Gamechanger but should suffice in many of the likely fishing scenarios at Grindal.
I have a small stock of Frodin-style lower water flies from my previous trips, but nothing at the larger end of the range. However, I’m not planning on buying Norway-specific flies before I leave UK. Grindal Lodge is operated by people who are expert anglers and operate a small shop on site, so I shall put myself in the hands of their judgement for flies. As you might expect, I will undoubtedly see whether the MCX Dark also works on the Orkla!
The Middle Findhorn
In contrast to the big, cold and heavy challenges of the Orkla in June, the Middle Findhorn (Darnaway, Relugas, Altyre) will be at the opposite end of the spectrum. A lot of the water will require short rods, fine leaders and small flies and hitches. My 9’ 6” single hander and 11’ 6” Tool will have leading parts, although the lower more open beats may demand more. I’ve got all the gear, including flies – the tiny MCX Light may get its first outing here, especially in the evenings. The only items for the shopping list will be some light Maxima for surface presentation and 15 lbs Seaguar for sub-surface.
(Photo - Relugas Estate)
Inver and Kirkaig
The Kirkaig (Photo - Ossian Adventures)
These far north rivers are entirely new to me, so I shall need to garner lots of local knowledge and advice on techniques and tactics. I’m assuming that low clear water is most likely, which means more of the light and fine tactics used on the Findhorn. In any event I love the new challenges, experiences and learning opportunities that enrich and broaden my angling experience. And of course, they give me new and different things to talk about on this blog.
The Inver (Photo - Ossian)
It's a great consolation that in the gathering twilight of my salmon fishing career, that I have such a wonderful season in prospect.
