The river Helmsdale is still quiet for the time of year with only 2 fish off. The second was caught on beat 6. With the river fully rodded for the week ahead we should get a better idea if there are fish around. There are some lovely springers coming off many rivers now and with the mild winter they are being caught a long way up river of most of the famous lower spring beats. I bet there are a few over the falls of kildonan on the Helmsdale already.

We have added another great new fly to our awesome collection this week, the RS Pearly Allys FL Red head. Our Pearly Allys have a big following now after a great show on the Spey last year so our range just keeps growing due to popular demand. We have them on doubles, copper tubes and coneheads now so something there for the whole season. The UV in the wing and body seems to make salmon take notice of the profile. See a few of them here on our homepage plus our new design hot off the vice, grab some right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

Well there is only one headline this week on the Helmsdale, that man has done it again! Whenever Andy (Torrish) Sutherland heads up the river we know there is going to be action of some kind and when he parked up at Salscraggie pool beat one last week it sure happened.

The river was running perfect at around 1ft 3 and pulled the top end of the pool into play. The decision was made and one of our new RS UV JC Willie Gunns was deployed and it was not long before the rod bent just above the famous boils area of the pool. The result you can see below, a fine 12 pounder and the river and Andy were off the mark again for Suisgill rods where his grandson Aaron Grant is the ghillie.

There have been a good number of fish reported recently off many rivers especially the North Esk which is now into double figures. It's time to get the rod out and the fly in the water.

Another first will be the opening of Speyside Angling Supplies today (Sunday) in Fochabers where you can buy a selection of great flies including some of ours so pop along to check out all the tackle and support this exciting new venture set up by expert local angler Allan Crook

Andy Sutherland proudly displays his 18th first fish off the river.

The deadly new RS Willie Gunn UV JC from our Premium range

The Helmsdale is still without that elusive first fish which is unusual, water levels have been high but there should be some springers in the book by now. The Naver and Brora are off the mark with Peter McGregor landing a super 18 pounder up on the Naver on one of our Black & yellow Supersquid tubes. Our UV Alistair tube has also caught one of the few fish off the Dee so our flies are working as usual but there are not many fish around yet. The Tay and Tweed are picking away and there was a fine opening day springer off the Spey for Gerrard Macauley at Aberlour.

So, We have another 2 beautiful RS design flies to offer in the mix which are proven fish catchers in spring, and we have them both on offer for immediate delivery. The RS Black & Yellow feeler tube and our RS Black & Yellow mylar tube. They are stunning salmon tubes so if you are on the water soon they would be well woth a try especially when we are givving you one for free when you buy 3 of any mix or size of either of them. Buy 3 and we just add another to your order to keep things simple. if you buy 6 you get 2 free and so on...Black & yellow is a great favourite in spring so these flies are very productive.

A quick word on some of our recent new RS designs which have gone balistic, The RS UV JC Willie Gunn and Alistair especially, we have had to move them both into our Premium range as we cannot keep up with demand on them, apologies, but, they are very special tubes tied with real Junglecock and UV materials and time for tying them up is very limited so please order well in advance if you wany these unique flies, see them in previous reports below.

The RS Black & yellow mylar tube 3 + 1 ( immediate delivery ) buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-black-yellow-mylar-tube.html

The Rs Black & Yellow feeler tube 3 + 1 ( immediate delivery ) buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-yellow-feeler-copper-tube-pro-choice.html

RS SuperSquid black & yellow which caught the first fish on the Naver, buy here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-supersquid-blk/yellow-tung-conehead.html

Partnering with https://salmonfishingholidaysscotland.com/

The season is hotting up already as we have seen some lovely spring salmon getting caught on many of the big rivers and here is a pic of one of the latest fron Allan Crook who hooked up on the Dess beat of the Dee. Alan is in the midst of setting up a new fishing tackle shop in Fochabers which will be called Speyside Angling Supplies which should be a great new asset to the area. He hooked up on one of our Cascade Alistair copper tubes and we will be stocking his fly selection with some of our flies that you cannot buy anywhere but at Helmsdale Co online and his new shop. The new shop will be opening in a few weeks time on the Main St Fochabers.

The Helmsdale is still awaiting its first fish but the water has been very high recently, as soon as it settles I am sure there will be a springer showing itself on the end of the line very soon.

Here is the latest addition to our deadly new range which we have put back online due to huge demand - The RS Willie Gunn UV JC Conehead which you can buy right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

The fishing has been slow so far but it is no surprise as most rivers have been way too high to fish. There is not much more to say that other than once water levels settle this week we should see the first spring salmon on display, especially with more big river openings on the Dee, Tweed and Brora plus a few others.

The big news is that Ron has upgraded his most successful fly once again to test the will power of any salmon it happens to swing by. We think it is our absolute best yet and pictured below. If you click on the link you can read the story of how we got there, its worth a little read - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-uv-willie-gunn-jc-best-ever

Better than a read, you can buy some too on the same link above.

RS UV Willie Gunn JC

The UV body dub of this great fly.

Scotland still awaits its first rod caught spring salmon. Weather conditions have been very harsh apart from the opening days of the rivers in the far North so it is no surprise that the early salmon fishing has produced lean results.  The big thaw is on however and the week ahead will see another challenge of where is fishable with huge water levels. The mighty Tay should produce the first springer this week once water levels start to settle so watch this space as they say and sharpen your hooks

I have to say that the flies you see below have had more interest than any others we have introduced - ever! Our order book is relentless as we caqtchup then get swamped....but it is all good and especually so early in the season, our advice to get orders in early is being heard so you should be guaranteed to receive your flies in good time if they are tied by me.

You can start buying from our huge range right here from our homepage where we have our "most wanted" new flies sprinkled with some standard classics - click here to grab some awesome new flies - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

Well that’s the new season up and running again with the river in very good order. Unfortunately no sign yet if that elusive springer yet but there are a few more kelts around than last year.

So whilst some of the rivers in the North are now open for business and the others are simmering and looking forward to more big opening days very soon we are having meteoric interest in our new range of RS Pink Tomic tubes (see previous report) and the updated version of our already super successful RS UV Cascade Alistair copper tubes and Coneheads which you can see below.

My advice would be to order early if you want any of these stunners as our order book for RS ties is struggling to keep up already and we are only 3 days into the new season!

RS UV Cascade Alistair copper tube ( Check out this review from a client who fished the River Alta in Norway in June with them )

You can buy all our flies from our homepage clicking right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

RS UV Cascade Alistair Conehead

Tight lines to all

Ron

As soon as Christmas is over, salmon fishermen are looking towards the new season which is only a matter of days away and we have just the flies to possibly get the new season off to a great start.

There are proven early season favourites for everyone and the most likely candidates tied on tubes are Willie Gunn, Black & yellow and most forms of Monkey tubes in the biggest sizes espacially if you are fishing in January, February & March.

Well, we are getting more and more enquiries regarding pink salmon tubes and it is all because of the famous Tomic lure which seems to be very effective early season especially in pink...so, We thought it was time to bite the bullet and design a range of flies tied up with pink as one of the most prominent colours. The fly-tying juices started flowing and the stunning new range of Tomic salmon flies was born which you can see below and now buy on our website. The list for these will be long so don't delay as they are going to be very popular. Is it the pink or the wobble? you decide....

The original Pink Tomic Harling lure

The RS Pink UV Tomic Monkey copper tube. you can buy here now - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-pink-uv-tomic-monkey

The RS Pink UV Tomic Conehead Monkey...you can buy here now - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-pink-uv-conehead-tomic-monkey

The RS Pink UV Tomic SuperSquid copper tube...you can but here now - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-pink-uv-tomic-supersquid

The Pink UV Pearly Allys Patriot double...you can buy here now - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-pink-uv-pearly-ally-s

The Classic Pink UV Cascade Patriot double....you can buy here now - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/rs-pink-uv-tomic-cascade

Many thanks to all who have taken advantage of our awesome Christmas bogof deals on fly selections. As it is coming closer to posting deadlines we are now looking forward to the new spring salmon fishing season of 2024.

All our amazing fly selections are discounted already so there is still time to buy some for your fishing friends but don't hang around as we need to get them out to you in time for Christmas.

Check out our reports below and take a look at the lovely flies on offer or simply hit this link to go direct to our homepage where there are lots of superb selections, new flies and offers.

Look out for our next report as we have some more stunning new flies for spring!!

Click here to start your last minute shopping  - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

BLACK FRIDAY OFFER CLOSES TONIGHT MIDNIGHT DEC 10TH

A new RS fly has hit the block and is ready to explode onto season 2024, The RS Pearly Alistair. This stunning fly is based on all the components of the Pearly Allys Shrimp which has been a huge success for anglers in 2023 especially on Speyside.

Ron has already created a Willie Gunn and a Black & yellow design to complement the original Pearly Allys Shrimp and to offer variety of options to this deadly design, the latest is the Pearly Alistair for all the Alistair lovers ( and there are many! ) it os a beautiful fly and destined to be the top trending fly in the Highlands in 2024 so grab some and give them a swim. if the original Pearly Allys effect of 2023 is anything to go by then the Alistair version is sure to be a big success story.

And, just to remind you that we have a BOGOF on all our fly sets for Black Flyday week. Buy any set of flies and get the same set on another lower cost set free, the choice is yours. Simply order 1 set and let us know what free set you want in the "comments box" when ordering.

Start shopping for your free fly sets right here - https://www.helmsdalecompany.com/index.php

RS Pearly Alistair Conehead 2024

RS Pearly Alistair gold Patriot double 2024