It is no secret, we now definitely need rain to get the fishing back on track. There are fish around but they are getting a little laid back when it comes to hitting salmon flies at the moment due to the bright dry conditions unless you are prepared to get up very early and fish the late shift.

Since there are not great catches to report, we are going to direct you to our "testimonials page" this week where we have lots of great feedback on our flies from anglers who have fished far and wide with them. These are true stories based on memorable catches and anglers who want to share their success with us. This is great motivation for Helmsdale Co and it is what makes us tick and keep pushing the boundaries of fly tying so we can keep offering you an awesome variety of stunning patterns that just keep catching. Read out testimonials here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/testimonials.html

One of the favourites has been our Cascade Alistair which you can see below in the most popular versions. it has to be without doubt our most successful fly locally, nationally and internationally, not many salmon flies have that appeal or power.

RS Cascade Alistair JC plastic tube - 1/2" 0r 1/4" buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-cascade-alistair-jc.html

RS UV Cascade Alistair conehead, also available on copper tubes, many sizes ( this is our long standing original version ) buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/cascade-alistair-conehead.html

RS UV Cascade Alistair JC conehead, buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-uv-cascade-alistair-jc-conehead

RS UV Cascade Alistair JC Copper tube - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-uv-cascade-alistair-jc-copper-tube

The Helmsdale has been fishing well recently with settled conditions and a steady run of fish. Smaller flies are working well and we have another 2 of the best right here for you from Ron.

There is a story behind the first one as Ron first trialled it on the beautiful West cost river Ewe and had one of his best spells on a river with 5 salmon in a matter of hours. Salmon hit this fly in every pool fished off a 6ft intermediate tip and from that day onwards we knew we had another very special fly here, The Kazcade conehead was born and Ron is offering it mainstream again and tying it himself for you.

RS Kazcade conehead, order now here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-kazcade-conehead

Our other summer sensation is based on our super popular Baby TD philosophy of turning large favourites into tiny summer killers. The Monkey tube has a huge following based predominantly on spring and autumn fishing, well now all Monkey lovers have a stunning tiny summer option right here.

RS Mini summer Monkey with a little touch of Rons favourite UV in the wing., order now here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-mini-summer-monkey-tube.

The fishing struggled a little last week due to bright and calm conditions which were much better suited to golfing. There were certainly fish caught and encouraging numbers of fish seen around the North in general but a change in weather conditions is required once again to top up rivers and get salmon properly on the move.

One thing is for sure, our latest new RS Baby TD is certain to make a splash. Ron has yet again elevated a best seller to give this particular Baby TD an even better look and edge particularly for fishing first light and into the dusk with its deadly UV element. Check it out below and grab some when the tying list is still short because this gorgeous little tube is going to fly and orders will backing up for it very soon.

Also take a look below at all the sizes now available in our great new UV Collie Sunrays which are selling like hot cakes for £1.50 each.

Buy your Baby TDs now right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/new-rs-uv-baby-td

RS UV Collie Sunrays - 10mm, 6mm, 4mm and Micro so you are covered all summer with these explosive tubes in 4 great sizes. salmon and sea-trout will be mad for these all day and into the night. Buy them here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-uv-collie-sunray

It is still spring but it is almost summer and the month of May is the perfect transition of tactics to ease us properly into full blown summer fishing. In May, salmon are still grabbing large tubes and coneheads fished deep but they are also beginning to cast an eye towards the surface with every degree that the water warms up.

Anglers are already enjoying the early fruits of very early summer style fishing by catching fish on the fabled Sunray Shadow which has the ability to pull fish up to the surface from any depth and have a go at the fly with a heart stopping explosion usually, it is amazing to see. Then as we drift into May properly our fly size generally starts to drop ( apart from the large Sunray ). Size 8 doubles and small coneheads are more the order of the day unless the water is really low and clear.

So, Ron has put together a selection of magical may flies for you, all of which are proven fish catchers apart from one which we know will work a treat - our new Golden Pearly Alys Shrimp, another stunning take on the deadly original Pearly Allys shrimp.

This is a great set at a great price with options to have it boxed and with or without tube doubles added, grab it right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/magical-may-salmon-flies-pro-deal

Also, we have a superb new UV Collie/Sunray up for grabs for £1.50 right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-uv-collie-sunray

The Helmsdale has had decent week with 25 + fish off in far from perfect conditions with a washout high coloured river midweek. Torrish rods had the best of it with 9 fish. It would be fair to say that the spring run is now in full flow and Andy Sutherland once again put his trusty Sunray Shadow to good use, this time in the upper Whinnie pool on beat 1 with a sparkling 10 pounder. The Whinnie pool itself was one of the finest pools on the river until a huge spate decided otherwise. That day, the bench on the north bank and the all the structure around it at the head of the pool was washed away to the extent that a tiny new run appeared above the head of the pool, this has now developed into more of a pool. Let’s hope it turns out to be as good as the old Whinnie pool.

On the fly scene we continue to develop new patterns and upgrade others, last week we added a new Solar Sunray to our collection and this week due to the popularity of our new pink flies we have added a new pink UV Solar Sunray Shadow and pink UV Alistair tube. We have so many superb flies you cannot get anywhere else and our loyal customers love this fact and keep coming back for more flies. We also tie to order in the background and below are some of the unusual flies we get asked for. Never a dull moment at Helmsdale Co!

We will probably put all the below PBPs online for sale...let me know via email if you want some in the meantime.

RS BanAlistair PBP ( banana Pot bellied Pig Alistair colours )

Flies heading to the big fish waters of Norway soon - 2.5" Cascade RS Alistair UV tubes and wicked big Pink PBP's tied same form as above.

UV green PBP's

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Most rivers had a decent showing of salmon last week with reports of very large fish being lost too. Good water got the fishing going and at last some salmon turned up.

The Helmsdale had a dozen fish off and they were spread right through the system, the furthest up reported was caught in the Kitty pool on beat 4 above by none other than that man Andy Sutherland who thought it would be worth the walk over the heather, yes it was!

I can also confirm that the Sunray Shadow tube is now getting interest right up on the surface where classically it fishes at its best. The Little Rock pool on beat 6 was the scene of the first sunray attack of the season, and of course, it was Andy who was the instigator.

This leads us into the next subject very nicely. Our flies are catching fish all over the place but that never stops design and innovation at Helmsdale Co. Sunray season has indeed arrived but this is a magical part of the season because you will now still catch salmon on coneheads and copper tubes etc but the Sunray Shadow is another very exciting option which can be deployed very successfully. We have the latest and most unique pictured below and designed by Ron which is going to do serious damage above or below the surface.

We also have just introduced a stunning new UV Alistair conehead pictured below the new Sunray....our great flies just keep coming!

RS Solar Edge Sunray shadow in 3 options of 6cm, 10cm & 15cm which you can buy right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

In sun pic

Underside view

RS UV JC Alistair conehead - grab some here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

In the Sunlight

No sunlight

latest news - we will not be processing any flies on April 7. 8 & 9th due to holidays so get your orders in fast if you need those killer flies/hooks/accessories soon.

The Helmsdale had another tough week but some fine fish are being caught. The highlight was this cracking chunky 20 pounder from Alan Shanahan in Kilphedir pool beat 2.

We have another spectacular addition to our super polular range of Premium Willie Gunn Legend tubes all tied by Ron. The RS UV Willie Gunn FL Red head below. This stunning conehead is sure to catch the eye of unsuspecting salmon especially in peat stained water. Grab some on our link below as soon as you see them as Ron has a long queue waiting for his very special flies.

Normal light pic - Buy now right here -https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

Same fly "Sun on" pic where you can see more vibrancy as the ingredients explode in the sunlight. The pics do not do these flies justice, they need to be seen in hand to fully appreciate the amazing colour and quality.

A few more fish are coming off the Helmsdale now with most of the beats starting to score. The river is running at around 7 - 8" so it is quite low but this is a height when fish are found, if they are in the system.

Andy Sutherland is still catching them, his latest however took him through arguably the most trecherous strech of water on the Helmsdale to play out and land a fish. Hooked in Johnny Gordons on beat 2 the last thing you want is for your fish to head for the sea, but this one did and at this point Andy was wishing he had not set up his 11ft switch rod for the day! a sporty 10 pounder was landed below the swing bridge however and all that one can do is wipe the sweat from the brow, release and smile at this wonderful sport we chose to pursue.

By the end of play today (Saturday 23rd) I would not be surprised if this is the first double figure week as I have heard of around 7 - 8 fish off so far and fishing conditions look good today all be it a touch on the windy side. Bill Baxter, Aaron Grant and Graham Nichols all scoring last week on the beats.

Another headline for one of our new flies again last week too when Davie Morrison caught the first fish off the Helmsdale Association water on our RS Pink Tomic SuperSquid on the Style pool so very well done to him. From the feedback we are getting here at Helmsdale Co, these new pink tubes seem to be catching everywhere but that is no surprise as they have been working well on the Tay for years as big Tomic spinning lures.

The RS Pink Tomic SuperSquid which did the damage for Davie, click and buy them from our premium range right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-pink-uv-tomic-supersquid

Davies lovely fish below with Pink Tomic clearly inhaled

We also have more fly deals with a special "buy 2 get 1 free" on our Blue Ass and Green Ass Willie Gunns below. We do enjoy popping on great deals for our customers who contunuously support us and enjoy reading our fishing reports. When you buy 2 we add another free for you, its that simple and we have them in 3 sizes.

Buy Blue Ass Willie Gunns here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-blue-ass-willie-gunn.html

Buy Green Ass Willie Gunns here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-green-ass-willie-gunn.html

Not many headlines from the Helmsdale last week apart from a sprinkling of fish off beat 6 and a few others so its all about our fly deals and awesome new RS UV Willie Gunn Loop double. ( see below ) The Brora river reported 5 with Daniel Logie getting in on the act with his first of the season.

We have a "buy 1 get 1 free" on our beauitiful Willie Gunn Templedog tungsten tube at the moment on 2 sizes, 1/2" and 1" so a great chance to stock up on a few of those, you buy 1 and we simple give you another for free, its that simple. Click here for your free flies - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-willie-gunn-td-tungsten-tube.html

We also have another great spring selection deal for you right here with a free Solar Monkey double thrown in. This is a fantastic set of spring flies which will definitely get you hooking up with fish! Click link to buy here and pic below - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/spring-pro-choice-deal-free-solar-monkey

And finally a truly spectacular new salmon fly design from Ron who just keeps pushing the boundaries of modern salmon fly design. On the back of our hugely successful UV Willie Gunn tubes, Ron has designed a Monkey version on arguably the best salmon double on the market, the loop "Up eye". check it out below and grab a few right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-willie-gunn-uv-monkey-loop-double

New Rs UV Willie Gunn Monkey Loop double

"Buy 1 get 1 free" on our Willie Gunn Templedog tungstens in 1" and 1/2"

Our latest Spring pro choice deal full of all the favourites

4 fish were reported from the Helmsdale last week so things seem to be waking up a little at long last. Andy Sutherland had his second from the tail of the Marrel Pool. There was a 17 pounder off Lower Torrish on beat 3 and beat 6 procided 2 on Saturday, one of which was 20lbs. A few big fish were lost and seen so it looks like a run has arrived.

Dont forget we still have 2 of our fave black & yellows on offer with a 3 + 1 on the feeler Black & yellow and our black & yellow mylar which you can grab from our homepage. Below are another 2 of our unique flies which fish great at home or abroad so if you are thinking of Iceland or Scandinavia then grab a few whilst they are still in stock but don't forget that they catch fish in the Uk too.

The RS Spring Frances tungsten conehead designed by Ron for spring fishing with black & yellow always a favourite early season colour combo. We all know how effective the Red Frances colour and profile has been for years so you just know this design works! We have it in 2 large sizes for deep spring fishing.

Buy here - http://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-spring-frances.html

The RS FireTiger SuperSnaelda silver conehead. Another deadly fly for many anglers. Ron based this design on the colours of the lethal Firetiger Rapalla spinning lure. It was a surefire winner from the day it rolled off the fly-tying vice and has done extremely well in the UK and Norway, we have it in 3 sizes.

Buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-firetiger-supersnaelda-p2007.html

And not forgetting a pic of the lovely springer returned by Andy from the Tail of the Marrel pool beat 1 mint fresh from the sea which is only a mile downstream.

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