24th May, 2013

Weir regulars reap rewards
Catches suggest healthy Spring runs

The past few weeks have been a busy period at the Weir Pool with four good-sized salmon being landed and safely returned. Neil Fraser repeated earlier success with two bright fish straight from the sea. Ally Foyers followed with an estimated 18lb cock fish taken on a silver Toby on May 22. Willie Stirling, who caught the first fish of the season several weeks ago, reaped the rewards of regular visits to the river with a 12lb fish from the Weir on May 24. These, along with earlier successes at the Weir and Little Isle, suggest that the total catch may now be into double figures.

12th May, 2013

Winter trout league ends on high note
Long serving members take top honours

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The final of Inverness Angling Club’s 2012-2013 winter trout league on May 11 saw competitors enjoy some particularly good sport, despite occasional testing conditions, in what proved to be a thoroughly enjoyable day.

The best fish of the final was a 7lb 12oz specimen taken by Donald MacPherson Jnr, winning him a FlexTech trout rod donated by SBS Security.

[Pop up picture]In the overall categories, covering the eight sessions from October to May, George Skinner came out on top in the best bag with a total catch of 45lb 13oz. Club president Michael Campbell presented George with the club trophy along with a top class Sonik rod, reel and line donated by Inverness tackle dealers Graham and Company. A very close second place went to Jimmy Craib with 45lb 7oz, third was club treasurer Billy Mackenzie with 41lb 15oz and fourth was Ross Anderson with 41lb 1oz. The runners-up won tackle vouchers donated by Achagour Fishery.

[Pop up picture] The Best Fish over the eight month period, winning the club trophy and a valuable Snowbee Diamond rod, reel bag, line and net, went to Billy Mackenzie with a fish of 9lb 2oz caught in his November session.
[Pop up picture] Second was Dave Allan with a fish of 8lb 11oz, also taken in November, and in joint third place were George Skinner and Ross Anderson, both with fish of 8lb. The runners-up received tackle vouchers donated by Neil Fraser of Bellfield Enterprises.

He added: “Our sponsors and Achagour Fishery have sustained the league for the last four years, helping to turn an idea designed to keep club members together over the close season for salmon into a highly successful reality.”

14th April, 2013

Another springer for the club water
Cascade works well for James

The Ness Fishings of Inverness Angling Club continue to produce the odd springer as very low water appears to be slowing the passage of fish through the river system. James Robertson took an eight pound cock fish from the Little Isle stream on Saturday (April 13). It was attracted by a medium-sized Cascade and safely released.

3rd April, 2013

River Ness catches in six-year fall
Board chairman raises serious threat from sawbill predation

As a study revealed the severity of falling salmon stocks on the Garry (see separate story), Ness District Salmon Fishery Board chairman Andrew Duncan emphasised that the board was also concerned about the River Ness itself, where catches had declined for the past six years – a worrying downward trend, he said. He also raised an issue with which salmon anglers will be all too familiar.

”Goosander and merganser ducks are posing a serious threat to salmon stocks,” said Mr Duncan. “There can be up to 90 of them on the Ness after their breeding season and, while ordinary ducks don’t eat fish, these eat salmon fry and parr.

”A further stock restoration programme may well be required to reverse the Ness trend but, again, cost is an issue. It is clear that the fate of Scotland’s salmon and sea trout lies almost solely with those who fish for them and we intend to step up activity this year to draw attention to the major issues facing the Ness catchment.”

3rd April, 2013

Garry study reveals drastic decline in salmon stocks
River Ness next in line for research

An internationally renowned salmon expert is being commissioned to examine declining stocks on the River Ness and to recommend a remediation plan. This follows a study of the River Garry that shows a drop of 1400 per cent in salmon stocks between 1957 and 2011.

The Garry study was carried out for the Ness District Salmon Fishery Board by Professor Eric Verspoor, of the Rivers and Lochs Institute of the University of the Highlands and Islands. It confirmed that counts of salmon at Invergarry Dam had plunged to 60 in 2011 from a high of 800 in the late 1950s, and that a stock restoration programme needed to be developed. Board chief executive Michael Martin said: “The decline of the once famous early-running River Garry spring salmon has been felt along the entire length of our system. The stocks of these fantastic fish are now at a perilously low level and addressing this is a top priority.” There were, he said, genuine threats emerging to salmon stocks in the area and they were keen to make progress in addressing them, subject to funding.

Professor Verspoor traces the problems on the Garry to a mix of a loss of habitat due to flooding, an increase in predators such as pike, environmental changes due to new forestry, interaction with escaped farm salmon and poaching. Work undertaken this year would not have an impact until 2018, so Professor Verspoor recommends moving quickly with a carefully crafted programme of habitat and stock enhancement. He urges identification of the biological and engineering scope for improved habitat and sources of broodstock, with expert ongoing monitoring.

26th March, 2013

Neil gets his season off to a good start
Weir pool produces another springer

With just a day of his offshore leave left, long-term club member Neil Fraser braved the continuing wintry weather to have a cast at the Weir Pool on Tuesday (March 26), where Willie Stirling took the season’s first salmon from the club water last week. And Neil’s luck was in, hooking, landing and releasing a cracking 15lb springer attracted by a Devon minnow.

Loch Ness anglers report plenty of salmon in the loch. Catch reports are sketchy but it is understood the loch has produced almost 30 salmon so far. Dochfour is having a great start to the season with 10 good springers for March. Ness Castle has produced one.

21st March, 2013

Springers arrive on the Ness
First of the year from the club water

This week saw a welcome start to salmon activity on the River Ness. Dochfour kicked off with four springers on Tuesday (March 26) while Ness Castle is believed to have landed one. Down on the club water, Willie Stirling reaped rewards for persistence on Thursday, losing one fish then landing a second of 15lb at the Weir. All the fish were taken on the fly and safely released. While continuing low water levels suit the Ness, the lack of flow means that the Garry, Oich and Moriston have yet to open their accounts.

21st March, 2013

A man who will be sorely missed
A tribute to Jock MacLeod

Jack Fraser, honorary president and former secretary of Inverness Angling Club, makes this tribute to the much respected Jock MacLeod, honorary vice president, who passed away on March 19.

”Jock, or Ian as some members knew him, enjoyed fishing the Ness and many other rivers, including the Deveron and the Oich – in later years accompanied by his son, Alistair. He fished the Ness for salmon with great success, mostly on the MacIntyre Pool in his earlier years. But what many members do not know is that he was also a keen sea trout fisher, fishing the MacIntyre, Little Isle and Silver Wells pools late in the evenings when the salmon fishers gave up. Here, too, he had great success and enjoyed experimenting with different types of flies of his own make.

”Jock was a very keen and helpful member of the club. He assisted at the Moy Field Sports Fair every year and at casting clinics, and was always ready to give members advice on any problems they were experiencing. He will be sorely missed by members young and old, especially for his chats with those who assemble at the Little Isle fishing hut.”

The funeral service for Jock will be held at D. Chisholm and Sons’ Funeral Home in Huntly Street, Inverness, at 1.30pm on Monday (March 25).

19th March, 2013

Club mourns its respected honorary vice president
Jock MacLeod passes away

It was with great sadness that Inverness Angling Club members heard of the death today (March 19) of their much respected honorary vice president, Jock MacLeod. A stalwart of the club for decades, Jock was a skilled angler and a hugely popular man with a ready smile. He will be sorely missed. Jock’s funeral service will be held at 1.30pm on Monday (March 25) at D. Chisholm and Sons’ Funeral Home in Huntly Street, Inverness. On behalf of all members, the club extends sympathies to Jock’s family.

15th March, 2013

Council to stage further consultations on West Link
Road designs and area development brief on display

Although some controversy remains over The Highland Council’s choice of Option Six for the Inverness West Link route, designs are being developed which could pave the way for a planning application in the late summer of 2013. Planners will also be presenting a report to the City of Inverness Area Committee on April 15 setting out a vision for land use in the Torvean and Charleston areas, including opportunities for enhanced recreational and tourism provision as well as new homes and businesses.

Before submission of the planning application, further public consultations will be held to include inviting comments on the draft development brief for the area. The road plans and draft development brief will be on display at Kinmylies Church on Wednesday, April 17, and Culduthel Christian Centre on Thursday, April 18.