Salmon Fishing on the River Thurso. August 2023 Day 1 

Thanks Andrew. It has been a difficult year for anglers including myself. When the fish have been in the river conditions haven't helped . It was good to hook up with two fish on the same day Cheers Iain 🥃

Thanks Marcel. this year has seen a lot of fishing for a small amount of catching Cheers Iain 🥃

It's great once you have planned a trip and catch a fish shortly after starting the week Steve . It takes the pressure off . it was a difficult week several anglers never managed to touch a fish for their visit . Better being lucky than good 😉. Cheers Iain 🥃

Thanks Paul I was there for a week and had mixed results but really enjoyed myself Cheers Iain 🥃

Thanks Bob I had a good recovery session in the bar later Cheers Iain 🥃

Thank you Brian It has been a difficult year for a lot of us. Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thanks Robert I wish you tight lines and keep your rod bent 👍. Cheers Iain 🥃

Thanks Norman. I was fishing for a week on the Thurso so still editing my next five Days but will hopefully give you something else to keep you going until opening day Cheers Iain 🥃

A most enjoyable day David we don't get enough of them. Cheers Ian 🥃

Thanks Stewart another enjoyable day and if I added all the bits I enjoyed it would take me until October to edit Cheers Iain. 🥃

I had a week of fun BJ fishing on the River Thurso is always enjoyable Cheers Iain 🥃

I think that we have all had a difficult time recently Derek the few fish that have come into our rivers have been difficult to catch and its good to land a few it makes it all the more exiting Cheers Iain 🥃

I have been really lucky Iain to have had the chance to fish a lot of great rivers Tight Lines. Cheers Iain. 🥃

I hope that I haven't upset you Sue. I always wished that I could have travelled to Canada but never managed. you have so much there I bet the home sickness doesn't last long Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thanks Allan its strange that even although the water is very peat stained the fish will take such a small fly ... Cheers Iain🥃

It certainly was a brute Colin . Fish that size are a common occurrence on the Thurso and I think there were three 15lb fish caught last week . there are quite a few fish caught over 20lb each year Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thanks John I have fished in Caithness when there has been strong winds and it makes for an interesting day I think that I ended up going for a walk and blowing the cobwebs away Tight Lines when you get back to Caithness. Cheers Ian. 🥃

Thanks Colin we all have days that are great and next time we get a day of casting practise even although we try as hard and think that we should get a fish ............ no one told the salmon Cheers Iain 🥃

Thanks Big Man ! I always enjoy my days out but that one was special 👍. Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thanks Greg. I want had the reel sing to often and was glad to get the chance to fish on the river Thurso Cheers Iain 🥃

I had great company Jin and the meals in the hotel were excellent . Fishing on the river Thurso is an experience . some anglers go back two or three times a year , others go once and never go back. I am one of the anglers that have been sucked in Cheers Iain 🥃

I haven't fished beat 1 but know several that have. I believe it's a productive stretch. Tight Lines. Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thanks Mitch the water temp was a bit high at 20oC causing a bit of a problem with the fresh fish but the beer at the bar at the end of the day had that cooling effect 😀. Cheers Iain 🥃

I have been fortunate to have fished the river Thurso off and on for about 30 years and had some great days with size 16 doubles Cheers Iain 🥃

the J W Young reel was the first salmon reel that I bought and it still sounds as good now as it did all these years ago . I have had to change the Pauls that make all the noise and help with the drag system Cheers Iain. 🥃

Hi Alan. there are guys the are out there that give casting tuition . If you look on the internet you will probably find one close to where you live . . I know that buying tackle can be expensive and the best way to start is buy second hand. Cheers Iain. 🥃

I had a great time fishing on the river Robert every day a different beat so new challenges Cheers Iain 🥃

Hi Joe The noise you hear is the sound of a J W Young reel . I think that the noise is great when the fish takes a run it's like music to my ears . The fish had been in for a while and I am not sure why it decided that day to take a fly when it must have been in the pool for a long time and seen so many flies before my one Cheers Iain 🥃

I have booked to go again in August and looking forward to it. I do enjoy your videos and envy your chances to fish the Spey as often . I will be at Tulcan for a few days in March and hope that you have left a silver one for me. Tight lines. Cheers Iain. 🥃

@@IainSB I'm the same with your videos from the Tweed. I adore Tweedside and miss the opportunities to go there. I'm still overseas so no Tulchan (or Salmon) for me until July this year. March can be good with the right water so you should have a great chance. Tight lines!!

I have had some great days fishing the river Thurso Jon and wished that I had a GoPro years ago. I wish I could record some of my days from my memory banks. I will need to keep them to myself and replay them . All the best Cheers Iain. 🥃

@@IainSB did you revise your weight estimate Iain? I’ve been known to make them bigger, but from the film it looked a good deal more than 12-13lbs! Not that it matters with such a catch.

I have found in the past if I overestimate a fish I get chastised so tend to go under and that way I get to respond to yourself Twice 👍😀. Cheers once more 🥃

@@IainSB It was a very good one!

Mr Mazo I had recovered by the time I hit the bar . The other guys in the hotel were good company and led me astray on several evenings . 3.30am on one occasion. Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thank you day 6 ended up another special one for me . catching on the last day when conditions are difficult makes it so much better Cheers Iain. 🥃

Hi Brian. did you watch it all as I had another . salmon on the river Thurso at 15lb are a frequent occurrence and fish over 20lb are caught in numbers throughout the season Cheers Iain 🥃

Ahh ok because the weekly reports doesent mention a single 15 and def not any 20 caught this year so tyvm for the info.@@IainSB

Have you ever had a double hookup of salmon iain.. I've had a few on trout but never seen it with salmon.

It is quite a small net Steve I find it easy to have on my back . I have squeezed bigger than that one into it (with difficulty) Cheers Iain 🥃

Yes I do remember Ged I am sorry that you no longer can manage up to the Thurso . I hadn't managed to fish on the Thurso for a few years as Frances health would not allow us to travel. I lost Frances in February and she made me promise to go fish again I am in the process of editing another 5 videos and hope that it helps bring back good memories .... The bar hasn't changed much apart from the prices All the very best Cheers Iain. 🥃

@@IainSB So sorry to hear about Frances, Iain. We all thought a lot of her. Keep on fishing and those videos coming.

You guys were always my favourites from Fife and enjoyed your company

It was a difficult week the water temperature was 20oC it made it difficult to get fish to take. I think that I landed lucky with two fish Cheers Iain 🥃

@@IainSB well earned

@@IainSB that's your day 🎣👌

Thanks 👍🥃

Hi Lorenzo Thank you. the line I was using was a Rio Scani short with a floating polly tip. the rod is an old hardy Demon 12ft that I picked up at a reasonable price. Cheers Iain 🥃

Ah, I always thought it was a bigger setup, I have been using a guideline 3d compact 510grains 33g, that’s a nice short head and goes out well

Hi Can it has been difficult everyone that I have spoken to seem to have had the same problem ..... seeing fish but finding it hard to get a take . Most of the reels are J W Young 1540 series . they made them for most tackle companies including Diawa ,Shakespeare , Bruce and Walker and Farlows Cheers Iain. 🥃

Hi again Jerome. I fish a dropper quite often and on the river Thurso I think that over the years have had more fish on the dropper including spring fish. It's always a worry that the other fly will get caught up . The only time I have had bother was when a fish took the tail fly and dragged the dropper on to another fish and foul hooked it . That was a lot of fun . Cheers Iain 🥃

another enjoyable day Gareth Its good when you see them move and then coax them to take . I had a really good one on the Halladale that I had to wait a while before it came back and then did quite a few leaps Cheers Iain. 🥃

I was using some of Rio Powerflex Plus. 15lb Peter . it has a very low diameter for the breaking strain . when it was really breezy some days I went on to use . Rio Steelhead/Salmon 16lb which is a stiffer mono and turns over better in the wind . they both have great not strength which I find great while fishing with a dropper Cheers Iain 🥃

The beats on the Thurso are 2 Rods and on occasions I have the beat to myself and that was one of them . the next couple of days were the same . There are 12 rotating beats let through the Ulbster Arms Hotel and it is always a good day out Cheers Iain. 🥃

Sounds good Iain... might be worth a road trip someday! 😉👍

Hi Chris I have had a salmon from West Newbiggin and a seatrout from Cardrona I have lost quite a few this year and that is how fishing goes Cheers Iain

@@IainSB was a really well deserved trip that one Iain, loved it , and what a lovely interesting beat , the dram will of been nice that night 👍

It is quite an expensive river to fish it has 12 beats let through the Ulbster Arms Hotel with 2 rods on each beat . when you fish on your beat you know that you have a good chance of a fish when the conditions are right . I have had some big catches in the past and some large fish amongst them Cheers Iain 🥃

​@@IainSBcheers iain thanks for info sounds out of my price range but I can dream about it tight lines 😊

Hi John. The head is a Scandi short floating size 9 and the rod is a 7weight so probably loads really easily the running line is a mill end that I payed £7.50 for and welded the loops myself. I bought several a few years ago and have them ready to change if necessary but they have never let me down. Cheers Iain. 🥃

Thanks Ian. I have really enjoyed watching your videos this year. You really get the sense of being there - and finding out about beats I have never fished before. Nearly every corner of that beat looks 'fishy' and I was expecting a take at every moment. Great stuff !

Thanks Thomas I love returning fish safely but do keep the odd fish (1 in the last three years ). Cheers Iain. 🥃

I was on beat 10 the first day Kurt then move downstream 2 beats each of the following days until I hit beat two then up to thirteen for the last day . Its a good river to fish as you get a different beat each day Cheers Iain 🥃

I can. refer you to the Ulbster Arms Hotel, they have a web site and Jessica is the fishing coordinator and she will help organise a package. The prices vary throughout the year and hopefully there is something to suit your pocket Cheers Iain 🥃

@@IainSB A great set up but at £225 per day excluding food and accommodation I think i will pass

Like Ian said the prices vary thorough out the year that price was quoted for August

I think that some of us anglers tend to work the fly a lot more than was done in the past , in the hope of inducing more takes . it's a natural instinct to pull harder when some thing pulls at the line. a bit of it comes from silly anglers like myself not managing to get away from trout fishing even although I haven't fished for trout for a number of years.

I have way in the past seen the same practise happen . I hope that the reality of how poor a world we would have if the salmon disappeared . All the best for 2024 Tight lines. Cheers Iain 🥃

The water was a bit warm Tam, there was a lot of big fish had entered the system but coming from the cold North Sea into 20oC put them off so had to make do with the residents Cheers again 🥃

@@IainSB how big do they get in there ?

It's a Rio Scandi Short Multi tip Brian. I am using the floating tip and then a clear polly tip . My rod is rated for a seven but works well with a 9 weight as it loads really well Cheers Iain. 🥃

Hi David Thanks for your wishes and I had a great time . There were lots of fresh fish entering the system but the water was that warm the fresh ones were difficult to catch but stirred up the residents . Did you stay in the Inch as a child? Cheers Iain🥃

@@IainSB stayed next door to you at 32 , Glenallan D. 55years ago , time fly’s by. Let me know if it was and we could catch up over lunch 🤗

Just had a look in the mirror and its definitely me 😉sounds good I think the last time we met years ago was outside the bank in Morningside it would be good place for me if it suits you ... Can't do this Tuesday let me know a good day for you...... I still meet with a some of the guys from the 11th for beer or two about once every six weeks or so

Hi Iain, 4th 5th September would suit me , can’t do next week , family with us . Funny how you you remember things, I told the good lady the last time we met was at the bank 😂

Hi again Dave 5th would be ok for me 12.30 ........... we can go back into the bank and see if they have arranged our loan