'The fish just keep coming . . .'
Posted: Friday 11 September, 2009 @ 08:05:30
The following report was circulated by Eilean Darach ghillie, Brian Fraser on 8 September 2009:
‘’I just thought you would like to know that we have had another fantastic week's fishing on Gruinard and the River Dundonnell. The fish just keep coming. We have seen fresh fish every day this week bar Saturday as the river was verging on being too big to fish due to the rain on Thursday night. It's the quality of the fish and the numbers that are impressive. Bumble, a good friend of Jonnie Parry, who has been fishing the Dundonnell River for 30 years said she had not seen so many fish in the river for 20 years and more. This lady caught over 40 sea trout on the River Dundonnell in the first week of September, the best being 4 lbs and a 5 lbs respectfully, hen fish, and quite a few between the 2-3lbs range. Bumble also had 3 grilse and a fresh run sea liced salmon of 12 lbs. That is quite a catch of fish for one lady fishing 2-4 hours a day for six days. Jane Wright had 4 sea trout in one hour on Saturday night, the best being 2lbs. Fantastic fishing I am sure you would agree!!
Nick Wright has been fishing the Gruinard for over 60 years and he said that he has not seen so many fish in the river in years, and caught what he describe as a fish of a lifetime in the Bothy Pool on the Gruinard.
It's a pity it rained so hard Thursday night as that seemed to put the fish off the take Friday and Saturday. We ended up with a total catch for the Gruinard of 48 salmon for four days really as Friday and Saturday the river was too high. We had double figure fish being caught clean off the tide carrying small numbers of lice. Bill Whyte reported catching beautiful plump little silver Sea trout on Loch na Sheallach at the head of the River Gruinard on the Saturday, clean off the tide. The sea trout really are in good condition this year with no grazing marks from lice to be seen on their backs and they can only be described as being in perfect condition.
This is a remarkable turn around with Ardessie only being fallow for one and a half years and confirms that all the environmental reports ever done about Ardessie over the years have been right. They all state that Ardessie Fish Farm is badly sited and is having a huge affect on the Rivers Gruinard, Little Gruinard and the Dundonnell sea trout and salmon. There can be no doubt after the results of this year.’’
Donald Rice, of Dundonnell Estate added that ‘’the fallow period of Ardessie is a key factor; many more sea trout of 2 pounds plus have been caught this year, however some of these bore lice marks from pervious years (which was the case for several fish I caught myself)’’