August has seen salmon catches on Inverness Angling Club’s Ness fishings rise dramatically, although ‘not what it should be’ continues to be a comment frequently heard on the river. Those who have put in the hours, especially from first light, have landed the rewards, but many of the fish proved to be very small grilse. Bigger, healthier looking fish up to 16 lbs began to appear towards the end of the month when water levels rose substantially as dam water was released following the collapse of a tunnel at the recently completed Glendoe hydro-electric scheme.

Each week produced some 30 to 40 fish from the Red Braes Pool down to the Legion Pool. Current ‘Angler of the Year’ John McIntosh was once again among the more successful fishers on the Weir, including a 14 pound fish on the fly which took him all the way down river to the Mill Stream. Jimmy Craib reversed the process, taking his first salmon for a couple of years from the Mill then landing two from the Weir. Harry Fraser was successful on the Bught side of the Mill Stream while Paul Kelly took two from the MacIntyre.

From the opposite bank of the MacIntyre, Mike Campbell was among the most successful anglers, including three fish on one day. Club River Watcher Louis Lisle landed a fish and lost one on an early morning visit to the General’s Well Pool while father and son John and Kevin Macdonald were successful on the same day, but on different pools. Uisdean Macdonald and visitor Bill Hunter were among those who took fish from the Little Isle Pool.