Not much to write home about

 In my last post 'Rain, Beautiful Rain' I was buoyed by optimism, with great hopes for the season to come.  As always I added a caveat of 'Murphy's Laws permitting'.  Subsequent events have underlined the prescience of that warning, because it's been an incredibly dull summer in which nothing much has gone right.  Even enjoying the garden has been a challenge amidst the cold, wind and rain, and the trout fishing has been correspondingly poor.  Today it's so dark and gloomy outside that in mid-afternoon in early August I've had to turn on the lights to be able to write this post.

Tweed

Rutherford - Long Stream in spring sunshine

In late April I was privileged to fish a day at Rutherford, courtesy of the ever-generous TTMN.  Without doubt Rutherford is one of the most beautiful beats on the Tweed, an absolute gem, and fishing there is real soul food, irrespective of the outcome.  However, having hooked 3 fish in as many casts from a single lie on my last visit, and caught two the visit before,I was feeling quite optimistic.

In the event I blanked, which was as surprising as it was painful, because the water was at a perfect height and felt strongly 'fishy'.  Here is the Island run, looking as good as it ever has, and significantly better than when I took a very lively fish here in 2019.  Lovers was in similar ply and most encouraging of optimism, but in contrast both Mill Stream and Between the Caulds looked and felt flat in the dull grey light.  It's funny how atmosphere affects your fishing morale and confidence.  But as I was to re-learn in July, perfect water guarantees nothing.

Norway

My excited anticipation of our trip to the Orkla was plainly evident in my last post.  As the day of departure approached I noted with trepidation the dismal results from the research bagnets in the Trondheim fjord, especially of the biggest 3 & 4 SW salmon.  Nevertheless, our host's sister in law had caught a 45 pound fish on opening day, which helps to suppress at least some of our concerns.  On the Thursday we got the first warning that the Norwegian government was considering drastic action to protect salmon stocks.  And on the Friday afternoon, when we were fully packed and ready to go to Leeds Airport, they announced the closure of all salmon fishing south of Trondheim.  It was a bitter disappointment, but we were better off than many, including one friend who arrived at Trondheim Airport with a party of 6 rods, just after the announcement.

The standard Norwegian fishing contract T&Cs are that there are no refunds from the operator in such circumstances.  I was fortunate in that one of my credit card policies covered this eventuality and the insurer settled in full for fishing, accommodation, flights and extra luggage.  However, my main travel policy did not: NFU Mutual, normally the most flexible and understanding insurers, went into fine detail to explain that this specific circumstance wasn't covered in the policy wording.  John and Patrick's insurers have held a similar line, although they are challenging this decision.  The lessons here are:

• Ensure you have a comprehensive cancellation cover policy
• Consider paying more to get flexible air tickets that offer refunds on cancellation

Despite this bitter disappointment we are planning on returning next year.  People may think us daft, but when you reach our age you have a certain determination to do things while you still can.

Findhorn

Findhorn - Altyre Beat, Palamore pool

The 3 days on the Findhorn were a complete and unexpected bonus through the generosity of an old friend of 55 years' standing: we joined the Army together as teenagers.  He had booked a week's fishing across the slew of beats, Logie & Relugas, Darnaway and Altyre, which coincided with a substantial run of grilse.  The party did well in the first 3 days, but on the Wednesday afternoon, for no easily discernible reason, the fish went on strike, and they caught only one more from the Thursday when I was there: just my luck!  The water was at an excellent height and although it felt fishy, it clearly wasn't.  Two factors stood out: there was quite a lot of very fine particulate peat suspended in the water; and it had an inky tone and surface foam indicating increased acidity.  The conventional wisdom and my experience elsewhere on the river suggested that such conditions tend to put fish off the take.  For their part the abundant grilse - I saw hundreds running through off each tide on the Thursday - seemed hell-bent on putting in the miles.  Indeed, Drynachan 25 miles upstream was enjoying one of its best July weeks on record, which underlines how fast the grilse were moving.

Visually it is a stunning collection of beats, with some of the most beautiful fishing I have ever enjoyed.

Daranaway - looking upstream from the hut

Darnaway in the gorge is real mountain goat terrain, fishing in narrow defiles and tiny pools.  Despite its visual beauty I must confess that at my age a 130 foot descent to a pool using steps, ladders and ropes, let alone the climb back up, is seriously challenging and not much fun.

At one point, while traversing a rock face 15 feet above the water, I contemplated the near impossibility of landing any fish I might hook beneath me.  The ghillie suggested descending to the flat rock at the foot of the face using the rope provided, but his instructions on how to get back up were less explicit.  I therefore decided to give up fishing the pool at that point, and clamber back up to the hut.

Darnaway - Poolie, looking downstream

This is a classic example of a Darnaway defile, which reminded me of the Dog's Nose on the Helmsdale, but a lot narrower.  The lip and falls out of this mini-pool is in the centre of the photo.  There are only two places from which you can fish Poolie, and no scope for movement.  So I spent much of an afternoon bouncing my tube fly off the rock face opposite to get at the stream of grilse running hard up against the side, to no effect whatsoever, which was very frustrating.  It's one thing if you can't see the fish you're failing to catch, but when they're in full view it's far worse.

Logie - Garden pool

I only fished two pools on Logie, with the picturesque Garden shown here, so I don't have a good view of the entire beat.  It's shorter than it looks in this photo and so didn't take long to fish.  The main interest was in the tail, which is nicely shaped to hold salmon at the short halt after the fast water in the exit, but sadly none were hanging about in the bright sunshine.

Logie - Red Rock

Red Rock is an interesting wading challenge, heavily dependent on detailed local knowledge.  It's very pretty, but sadly remained unwilling to provide a fish.

One of the added pleasures of Logie is the ability to cover the water with a nice small rod that makes grilse much more fun: my 12' 6" XO was a joy and fully capable of reaching the extra yards when needed.

Altyre - Palamore

The Altyre beat is where visual beauty and fishing pleasure come together in optimal delight.  I loved every minute of fishing it.  One of its great attractions is that every few yards poses a different question requiring a new solution of changed presentation, angle, speed and depth.  There's no mechanical cast - step - cast on Altyre.  It keeps you on your mental toes and really adds to the enjoyment.

This is a prime fishing beat in April for the chunky Findhorn 2SW springers, and so one for my wish list.

Altyre - Soldier's Hole

Soldier's Hole is another pool where Ian Neale's local knowledge was invaluable.  Fishing the head involves wading out onto a sandstone ledge that isn't visible from the right bank approach.  From there you can cover the full width to get a good swing through the running line visible in the centre of the photo.  It was there that I had my one decent grilse take of my stay, but as is so often the case with their soft mouths and head-on approach, it didn't stick.

Altyre - William's Run

Soldier's leads down into William's run, which provides delightful fast water fishing to cover a mass of potential short-halt lies, and the possibility of a really exciting fight should you hook a salmon here.  Moreover, running after the fish isn't an option, so you would have to rely on the combined power of prayer and a good drag.

While I was disappointed not to hook a grilse in William's, it was such fun to fish that by the time I reached the bottom I felt extremely happy.

At the end of the 3 days I'd certainly fallen for Altyre and should very much like to return, ideally in the spring.  If you are to really enjoy Altyre and Logie, which are both right bank beats, you have to be confident and competent casting left handed.  On several pools you need to be able to get out to 30 yards to cover the running lines. However, elsewhere in July a 12' 6" rod was ample for the most common requirement of around 25 yards.  One word of caution: if you're considering the privilege of fishing this water, it isn't cheap.

Gruinard

This was a surprise invitation from an old Yorkshire friend that didn't arrive until after I'd written my last post, to fish the water his family have fished for 3 generations across 70 years.  The north west coast of Scotland is stark, beautiful and incredibly sparsely populated.  Indeed, it makes rural North Yorkshire seem positively suburban.  It is also one of the wettest parts of our very damp isles, receiving an average of 6 feet/2 metres of rain annually.  I was therefore amazed on arrival to find the area as dry as a bone and the river as low as it could be.  Amazed yes, but not surprised owing to my respect for Murphy's Laws: my fervent desire for good fishing conditions almost guaranteed the absence of rain.  The complete lack of water made fishing almost pointless, although I did make an effort to gratify my generous host and appease the fishing gods, who clearly unappeased not only failed to deliver a fish but also inflicted serious injury upon me.

Griunard - Bridge Pool, The Labrador's Head

This photo of the aptly named Labrador's Head shows how low the water had fallen.  In normal conditions the water is around its nostrils.  The adjacent channel, which would usually hold fish was too shallow to hold anything.

Griunard - Bridge Pool

This was less a pool than a large slow moving puddle, shallow, warm and gin clear.  To my amazement two grilse came to my tiny #14 double during the first morning, one coming up 4-6" behind, and the other actually getting its mouth onto the fly.  That comprised the entirety of the excitement during my stay.

With the water so low and clear, fieldcraft was essential: avoid sky lining, stay well back from the water, and move very slowly and quietly.  I took this photo after I'd finished fishing the centre section of the pool, before moving round to cover the tail.  The two interested fish were downstream of the small rock showing in the centre left of the shot.

The compensation in these circumstances is the stunning scenery, wild, raw and ancient.

There were plenty of fish hunkered down in this pool, mostly grilse with a few bigger 2SWs that showed periodically.  None of them showed the least interest in any of the variety of flies I tried, even amidst the flurry of activity triggered by an impending break in the weather, which needless to say, failed to deliver any water.

Even in the larger pools like this a single handed rod sufficed, using a mixture of overhead, roll and single Spey casts.  It makes for easy fishing.  I'll be writing a review on the rod, reel and line combination that I used, which proved an excellent choice for the task.

On the Saturday morning the Fishing Gods took their revenge.  Just after I took this photo I hooked and lost a small sea trout of about 1 1/2 lbs.  I was fishing from the rocks rather than the path to get a better presentation, wearing walking shoes as waders would have been superfluous.  But I failed to heed the simple fact that Vibram soles are useless on rock.  I slipped and fell into the water, hitting several rocks along the way  Cursing volubly I picked myself up, checked the rod was intact and prepared to restart fishing.  It was then that I noticed a copious amount of blood dripping into the water.

In falling my right hand had made heavy contact with a very sharp rock, making a cut about 3cm long and inwards to the thumb joint, which was clearly visible.  This brought fishing to an abrupt end.  I rinsed the wound in the river, bound it with a handkerchief and made my way back to my host in his pickup.

As there were no surgeries open in the north west on a Saturday, the nearest treatment was at the A&E unit in Inverness, almost 2 hours' drive away.  Eric the head ghillie, the kindest of men, volunteered to drive me there and to wait for me to be fixed up.  In the event the delay was only about an hour before a nurse applied 2 internal and 3 external stitches, enhanced with liberal quantities of medical superglue, and sent me on my way.

Bad as this was it could have been far worse.  I'd had a near miss on a broken wrist, which would have stuffed the rest of the fishing season and probably a fair amount of the shooting as well.  If the hand and wrist had stuck behind the offending rock, that might have become a broken arm.  The lesson is simple: a small slip can turn pleasurable fishing into significant injury, so always keep a first aid kit in your car and know how to use it, because you never know when your friend's life may depend on your ability to respond effectively.

Gratitude

While I may be disappointed not to have caught a salmon in any of the three wonderful places I have fished so far, I also reflect on the privilege of fishing them and the exceptional generosity of my friends.  When you are in receipt of such kindness it's wholly unseemly to complain about anything.  After all, it's just nature and we don't set the rules: to turn a quote, "man proposes, but the salmon disposes".

Looking Ahead

After such gloom - and it's not in my nature to be gloomy - it's nice to have a week on the Inver and Kirkaig at the end of August to which I can look forward.  Meanwhile my hand is healing nicely, although it will be another week before I can get back to proper gardening.  If you have been more fortunate enjoy the memories and tight lines.

Rain, Beautiful Rain

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.

It's been an extraordinarily wet winter, certainly the wettest since 2012, and probably since the1990s.  It started in October with 2 ½ times average rainfall, and above average or much more in every month since.  The land is waterlogged and will seep for weeks.  Any fresh rain runs straight off causing sharp rises, while the seepage slows the falls.  The Ure has been running at a consistent +1.0 - 1.3m for weeks, no wonder the salmon are running.

This is a far cry fro the previous decade (2014-2023), in which 9/10 springs in Yorkshire were dry, with the same proportion of years having below average rainfall.  In one year, I recall it was 2015, we were in a technical drought before we even reached the spring.  Not only do such low flows discourage running, in the worst case, especially as temperatures rise, there is a serious risk of an ‘oxygen block’ forming in the lower reaches of the Ouse between Goole and Selby owing to sewage and other forms of contamination.  If the oxygen content in water falls below 5 ppm, salmon won’t even attempt to enter the river.  

This was the major factor in the 1950s extinction of salmon in the Ouse.  Within limits salmon don’t mind mud in the water, but oxygen-depleting biomass is another matter altogether, it’s a total showstopper.  If you look at the graph above you will see that in the two hot dry years of 1995 & 1996, the oxygen count in the lower Ouse stayed below the critical 5 ppm threshold, whereas in the run of wet summers 2004-10 it was consistently above.

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.

Grindal is beautiful stretch of river with some exceptional pools. It is quite well up the river, so in the third week of June, we hopefully will be at the leading edge of the run of larger salmon (storlaks).  There won’t be many fish, but there’s a realistic chance of a good one.  This requires strong leaders to cope with the combination of big fish, heavy water and highly abrasive rocks.  Typically, this comprises a 40 lbs header and 30 lbs mid-section, and a short ‘fail safe’ length of 23-25 lbs.  Without this final element, if you hook a large rock, you are at risk of breaking your running line and losing the head.  As my existing stock of 40 and 30 lbs fluorocarbon dated from my last Norway adventure in 2017 and was thus well beyond its safe life, it went into the bin.  Given the price this was tough but essential.  There’s no point spending a lot of money to hook a large Norwegian salmon, only to lose it for want of the price of a couple of (expensive) spools of Seaguar.

The water will be full, cold (ca 6.5C) and flowing strongly.  My primary rod will be the 14’ 7” Hero balanced with the Control #8/13, with the 13’ 6” XO as the back-up.  I therefore need to take my full suite of #9 Guideline 3D sinking heads, which get very few outings in the UK.  In view of the weight of water I supplemented those with a serious depth charge option, the new Rio Gamechanger S3 sinking body, with matched S5 and S7 Versitips.  The overall head length with the tip is around 34 feet.  This line has replaced the old Scandi 3D sinker, which Rio phased out at the end of last season.  Their strategy makes eminent sense when you bear in mind that by far the largest market for such very fast sinking lines and tips is in the Pacific Northwest, where shorter headed lines predominate.  If I do need to deploy this option, it will be interesting to see how it casts and I’ll report on it in a future post.  I’ll also take the 65’ head full Spey line as an insurance option for the unlikely event of low water.

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

(Photo - Relugas Estate)

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.

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.

Amidst the stunning terrain and challenging fishing, there’s one aspect of the northern rivers to which I am certainly not looking forward – the Scottish midge!  I’ve faced some ghastly insects in inhospitable places around the world, but none of them equalled the horror of this tiny grey flesh-eating monster, which operates in countless millions.  After experience of high summer on the Carron, I had sworn never to fish while dressed as a bee keeper.  Breaching that oath is inevitable, and I’ve already invested in easily packable head nets from Go Outdoors and a stock of military-grade insect repellent.  While those solutions may suffice for me, I’m deeply concerned with how to protect my fair-skinned bug-magnet wife who suffers dreadfully.

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.

Directory of Posts 1-125

 

Salmon Behaviour
Taking a fly https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/01/revelation.html	Feeding impulses Fast Food & Broad Beans https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/02/fast-food-broad-beans.html
The Dynamics of the Take Crash! Bang! Pluck https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/10/crash-bang-pluck-dynamics-of-take.html	Hen fish taking times Good Morning Ladies https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/02/good-morning-ladies.html
Survival - running & choice of lies Where are they? https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2012/11/where-are-they.html	Taking radius Deep Thinking https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/02/deep-thinking.html
Cock fish & hormones Morning Glory https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/01/morning-glory-sex-and-fly-havea-look-at.html	Migration The Annual Miracle https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/12/happy-new-year-annual-miracle.html
Salmon Characteristics
Vision Windows on the World https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/02/windows-on-world.html	Imaging - how and what salmon see Here’s Looking at You https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/03/heres-looking-at-you.html
Sensor systems: hearing, vibration & smell CNE 3 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/06/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-3.html	Sense of Smell The Importance of Smell https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-importance-of-smell.html
Underwater glare Blinded by the Light https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/08/blinded-by-light.html	Sound & Vibration Speaking Salmon https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/12/speaking-salmon.html
Flies underwater Eye of the Beholder https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/07/eye-of-beholder-search-for-perfect-fly.html	Light in Water Sparkling Water https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/01/sparkling-water.html
Fishing Craft
Reading & fishing a pool Reading Railway Maps https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/03/reading-railway-maps.html	Reading a pool – the MCX scoring system Walking to the Water Part 1 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/05/walking-to-water-part-1.html
Reading a pool - examples Walking to the Water Part 2 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/05/walking-to-water-part-2.html	Choosing fly Size Hot & cold Running Water https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2012/11/hot-and-cold-running-water.html
Trying too Hard CNE 4 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/06/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-4.html	Forgetting the Fly CNE 5 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/07/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-5.html
Depth & sink tips Deep Thinking https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/02/deep-thinking.html	Using Google Earth to read pools Rod, Reel, Flies & Satellite https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/04/rod-reel-flies-satellite.html
My flies Inside the Box https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/03/inside-box.html	Error! Filename not specified. Fishing in cold water Brass Monkeys & Tubes https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2012/11/reflections-on-2012-brass-monkeys-and.html
Fishing tricky pools Walking to the Water Part 3 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/05/walking-to-water-part-3-tricky-pools.html	Fishing in low water Calm Reflections https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/07/calm-reflections-fishing-in-low-water.html
Ambush Tactics & Running Fish Ambush tactics – Close personal and a little dirty https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/10/ambush-tactics-close-personal-and.html	Spot the Lie https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2017/08/spot-lie.html
Don’t cast too far https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/06/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-1.html	Forget the far bank https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/06/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-2.html
Avoiding surprise CNE 6 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/07/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-6.html	Thinking & Analysis CNE 7 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/08/seven-deadly-sins-common-novice-error-7.html
4 Lessons from 2017 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2017/09/sins-virtues-4-lessons-from-tomatin-2017.html	Lessons from 2014 Lessons from 2014 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/11/lessons-from-2014.html
Estimating the weight of salmon https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2020/03/estimating-weight-of-salmon.html
Fishing Reports
The Week at Tomatin 2013 The Week https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-week.html	Looking Back – the 2013 Season Looking Back https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/11/looking-back-2013-season.html

Autumn Glory – October Ure Autumn Glory https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/10/autumn-glory-october-on-ure.html	Ure Spring 2014 Joys of Spring https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-joys-of-spring.html
Spring on the Dee Spring on the Dee https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/04/spring-on-dee.html	Review of 2017 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2017/12/water-water-everywhere-2017.html
Rutherford (Tweed) Pearl of the Tweed https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/06/rutherford-pearl-of-tweed.html	Tomatin 2017 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2017/09/welcome-back-return-to-tomatin-house.html
Bonny Dee Hope Expectation and Reality https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/04/bonny-dee-hope-expectation-and-reality.html	Walking in the Park (Ure) Walking & Casting in the Park https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/06/walking-and-casting-in-park.html
Deveron 2015 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/09/deveron-2015-delightful-but-dirty.html	Top of the Water Upper Bolton Hall https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/05/top-of-water-upper-bolton-hall.html
The Beast of Wensleydale https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-beast-of-wensleydale.html	Swinton Park (Ure) https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/09/river-ure-swinton-beat.html
Helmsdale April 2018 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-edge-of-known-world-helmsdale.html	North Tyne Chipchase 2018 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2018/08/costa-del-chipchase.html
Conon 2019 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/09/coul-fishing-just-one-week-on-conon.html	Looking back at 2019 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/10/truly-unpredictable-looking-back-at.html
2020 – Covid & Lockdown https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2020/09/whatever-next.html	2021 – Glad to see you go! https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2021/12/2021-goodbye-im-glad-to-see-you-go.html
2022 – One week on the Spey https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/04/one-week-on-spey-chasing-unicorns.html	River Ure – Abbey Beat Guide https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2021/06/abbey-beat-river-ure.html
2024 – One Week on the Tay https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-week-on-tay.html	2023 – An Extraordinary Year https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/10/2022-extraordinary-year.html
Norway 2016-17
The Preparations https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/07/just-one-week-in-norway-preparations.html	Just One Week on the Gaula https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/07/just-one-week-on-gaula-16-23-july-2016.html
You Want to Go to Norway? https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/07/you-want-to-go-to-norway.html	Too Much of a Good Thing https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2017/07/gaula-2017-far-too-much-of-good-thing.html
Equipment
Rod choice Springtime – Swallows, Primroses & New Salmon Rods https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/04/springtime-swallows-primroses-and-new.html	Lines Half the System – Thinking about Lines https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/04/half-sysytem-thinking-about-lines.html
Understanding lines, tips & leaders Casting in Fog https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/08/casting-in-fog-understanding-lines-tips.html	Rio Grip Running Line Running Lines & Dog Days https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/06/running-lines-and-dog-days.html
Choosing a Budget Reel Reel Value https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/05/reel-value.html	Rod costs Where the Money Goes https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/05/rod-value-where-money-goes.html
Lamson Guru vs Loop Evotec https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/02/head-to-head-in-midfield-lamson-guru-vs.html	Vision Tool 11’ 6” #8 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2017/09/smile-machine-vision-tool-11-6-8.html
Sage 1 15’ #9/10 The Hero & The Emperor https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-hero-and-emperor-on-arndilly.html	Vision Hero 13’ 7” #8/9 The Hero & The Emperor https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/09/the-hero-and-emperor-on-arndilly.html
Vision Onki 13’ #8 User review https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/06/vision-onki-13-8.html	Vision Tool 13’ #8 User review https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/06/vision-tool-13-8.html
Vision XO 13’ 6” #8 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/09/vision-xo-13-6-8-yar-in-excelsis.html	Sage Igniter 12’ 6” #7 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2020/11/pocket-rocket-sage-igniter-12-6-7.html
Vision Hero 13’ 7” #8 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2021/05/vision-salmon-hero.html	Maxcatch Classic #9/10 reel https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/03/maxcatch-classic-910-reel.html
Maxcatch SkyTouch Spey 15’ #10 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2022/04/maxcatch-skytouch-spey-15.html	Vision MAG 13’ https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/09/vision-mag-13-89.html
Balancing Rod & Reel How to find the correct reel weight for your rod https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2019/04/balancing-rod-line.html	Vision Rulla Reel The Koma is Dead – Long Live the Rulla https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-koma-is-dead-long-live-rulla.html
Organisation & Preparation 1 It’s here - the new season https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/02/its-here-new-season.html	Organisation & Preparation 2 Loading Up https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/03/loading-up.html
Line Maintenance D-14 Countdown https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-14-countdown.html	Packing & Shopping D-7 Divine Madness https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2013/09/d-7-divine-madness.html
D-14 Countdown Reprise 10 years later https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2023/08/d-14-countdown-reprise.html	Wading Jackets 1 The Great Jacket Hunt Chapter 1 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-great-jacket-hunt-chapter-1.html
Wading Jackets 2 The Great Jacket Hunt Chapter 2 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-great-jacket-hunt-chapter-2.html	Wading Jackets 3 The Great Jacket Hunt Chapter 3 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-great-jacket-hunt-chapter-3.html
Budget Wading Jackets https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/06/terminator-return-of-oscillation.html	The MCX Shrimp V3 https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/10/meet-mcx-family.html
General Posts
Philosophy Balance https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/11/balance.html	Meteorology How long can this go on? https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2014/09/how-long-can-this-go-on.html
Water Flow The Vital (Missing) Ingredient https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-vital-missing-ingredient.html	Water Flow 2 Look Back in Sadness – 2015 Season https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/11/look-back-in-sadness-2015-season.html
Unusually Slow https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2015/11/look-back-in-sadness-2015-season.html	Amidst Great Joy https://mcxfisher.blogspot.com/2016/11/2016-amidst-great-joy-season-of.html