Salmon fishing on the River Thurso 2024 Day 4

[@Hardlinesangling]

Great video Iain. Was great to see you again on the Tay and get a cast with you. Looking forward to seeing you at Tulchan next year.

[@IainSB]

Hi Tobby. it was great to meat up and pass on my best to your dad I fell on the ice later in the evening when I went to get my sleeping bag out of the motor and cracked a few ribs and haven't fished since Jim thought it funny until he tried to drive up the track in his Polaris and skidded into the undergrowth and had to walk home....... It was a good evening but suffered ever since Cheers Iain🥃. PS thanks for the 40oz,er 😜

[@Hardlinesangling]

@IainSB oh no hope your ribs are healing up well. Will definitely get a cast next season. I will do I will be pike fishing with him over the winter months.

[@robertalp3878]

Amazing river, great videos, subscribed 👍

[@IainSB]

I have quite a few videos of different trips to the Thurso Robert and hopefully you can go to uploads and find some as I think you may enjoy them Thanks for ticking the box. hopefully you will enjoy the next trip to the Spey Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@robertalp3878]

@@IainSB yep, already working my way through them 👍

[@ChristopherBridges-v6r]

Nice to see Ian. So much open space. No trees to snag up on and a Salmon to boot😅

[@IainSB]

The first time I fished the Thurso I went with my mate Brian and he managed to hook a tree on beat 9 we spoke about it in the bar later in the evening and no one could think of a tree on the beat until we told them we were fishing in the manse pool. That it somewhere you will never catch a fish and no one ever fishes it .... a well beginners have to start somewhere Cheers Iain 🥃

[@shaunboffey8739]

Well done Iain,and a nice bit of music too🎣

[@IainSB]

Thanks Shaun. I had recorded the noise from the river but seem to have lost it in the laptop somewhere Cheers Iain 🥃

[@AlexSaville-l1t]

Well done Iain great video

[@IainSB]

Thanks Alex It was a difficult week but enjoyable Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@MarcelBergmeester]

Good morning Iain, At the place where the foam is on the water, it looked a bit like a clip from a cartoon with all the jumping fish. Congratulations on the fish! Thanks for the lovely scenery 😊 Greetings, Marcel

[@IainSB]

I couldn't add all the fish that I recorded Marcel it would've doubled the length of the video Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@stephenaldred2317]

Great video Iain, I need to get the rods out again, maybe fish Cardrona 👌

[@IainSB]

Hi Stephen. I haven't been out for a while but may try a couple of hours tomorrow I went for a walk late today and saw fish travelling upstream more rain forecast so should be good. Cheers Iain 🥃

[@jonatherton]

It's a good job we enjoy the quiet bits between the catching Iain! What a great fight you got, and after a tiny flick of a cast too. Magic.

[@IainSB]

Thanks Jon I should have asked you to play the Ariel music rather than down load the boring stuff. I had recorded background noise but when I down loaded it onto the computer it has found somewhere to hide. Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@jonatherton]

@@IainSB I liked your choice Iain. An acoustic guitar goes well with the river I think!

[@paulhickman8668]

Excellent Iain, good to see a lot of fish showing too. Thanks.

[@IainSB]

The video would have been an hour longer if I had added all the fish that I recorded . It was a good day for salmon watching Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@richardfleming4850]

Nicely done! And it was great seeing so much surface action on camera too.

[@IainSB]

There seems to be a bit more fish about in a lot of rivers this year Richard Lets hope the reds don't get washed a way this year Cheers Iain 🥃

[@paddydunne99]

Well done Iain it looked like that fish came to the surface for the fly. It's great when you get one. Keep them coming.

[@IainSB]

Thanks Paddy I have had a couple this year never took time to have a look at the fly and think it would have taken anything Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@colinmcdougal6233]

Brilliant Iain. Thanks for another great video.

[@IainSB]

Thanks Colin it was a tough week but enjoyable Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@magnetchi]

Awesome video again. Congrats to the fish 👍👊

[@IainSB]

Thanks Tommy It can be hard work when you go fishing for a week Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@appsuccess]

Now thats what you call right place, right time! As always great entertainment, the Mortimer and Whitehouse of Salmon Fishing :)

[@IainSB]

Never been great at telling Jokes Roy but thanks for the compliment 😉. Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@jamescompston2678]

The river is stuffed Iain! We'll done winkling one out. Looks like there will be a good spawning season this year. 😉 Cheers James 🥃

[@IainSB]

The Thurso has been fortunate over the years with salmon returning James . It seems that the last few years have had higher water temperatures than the norm and that has put the fish of taking Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@derekhawkins7290]

Brilliant video Ian thank you!!!!

[@IainSB]

Thanks Derek I have fished the Thurso for quite a few years and I look forward to my trip north each year Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@Luggiefrank]

Well deserved fish Iain, looks a wonderful river to fish, a nice mix of deep pools and glides. I'll get up there one of these days

[@IainSB]

There are a lot of anglers that love the challenge of fishing the Thurso Frank and some that go once and never return . Its a bit like marmite but I suppose there are a lot of rivers like that I am sure that you will enjoy your stay if you you go Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@nicktheflybradley]

Well done Iain. Decades ago I had similar sights of abundant jumping fish, hard work to get a take! Nick from York

[@IainSB]

The salmon always have the last word Nick There are a lot of different flies and it doesn't matter how many different tactics you try if the salmon don't want to play you just have to go through the motions until you get the odd silly one Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@burniemaurins2382]

A well deserved fish for you there Iain, well done.

[@IainSB]

A lot of effort Burnie If it was easy it would become boring . I think that's why we keep trying ........ the challenge and the effort keeps us coming back and then on the odd occasion we hit a red letter day I have quite a few videos to edit of trips 😉 Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@chriswright2135]

Great as always Iain, looks a good beat 🥃

[@IainSB]

Beat 2 and 4 are my favourite beats in the summer Chris and if the weather had been a lot cooler we may have stood a chance of doing a bit more catching Cheers Iain 🥃

[@johnmcguirk6234]

Super video again Ian 🙏

[@IainSB]

Thanks John I have a few to edit but seem to be a bit busy with other things at the moment there is not enough hours in the day Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@johnsutherland6322]

Nice to get one for the table Iain lovely piece of water m8

[@IainSB]

It cold smoked nicely John. Very tasty on brown bread with a small amount of soft cheese Cheers Ian. 🥃

[@highlandfishingdiary8818]

It must be so difficult seeing so many fish in a pool that won’t have a go at the fly. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to see numbers of fish but I bet it’s frustrating too - maybe sometimes it’s better not seeing them 😆 well done on the fish though, worked hard for that. Tight lines.

[@IainSB]

you have probably seen it yourself, when trout are breaking the surface everywhere you have a good chance at a hook up. salmon splashing everywhere. there is no guarantee of getting a pull even when you keep changing tactics I do think that instead of calling it fishing sometimes it should be called frustration 🤔 cheers Iain. 🥃

[@mazo2267]

Nice to see quite a few and even better to see you pull one Iain! Also enjoyed the interlude....didn't know you strummed the strings as well 😅. 👍👍

[@IainSB]

lots of fish Mr Mazo. Just so difficult with the water temps being so high it removes the oxygen and puts the fish off. I am truly useless really, I can cast a bit and the only musical noises I can make is when I hum and even that no one would guess that tune in 10 . I had recorded the noise of the wind and water flowing but when I down loaded it it disappeared somewhere into the depths of my computer and I couldn't find it Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@moeshields7493]

Great to see abit of action they have been tough work as past days got hopefully cooler ramps will help

[@IainSB]

The cooler temp has helped I have a few to edit ........... If only I spent more time of the water and played a bit more on the computer Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@jamesgreig4805]

Looks full of fish nice clean fish by the look of it.

[@IainSB]

There were a lot of Clean fish but very few takers James It wasn't just us that struggled most of the anglers had it difficult Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@blondie853]

well done Ian.

[@IainSB]

It took a wee while for the fish to realise that it was hooked Stevie Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@Jim610]

Mill Stream looks like its had a lot of bank re-enforcing since I last fished it! Those fish looked to be running hard.

[@IainSB]

Sooner must have worked hard to reinforce the bank Jim. I think that it must have been done over the last winter months the Mill stream was stuffed with fish as usual Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@Barry287]

Well done Iain!!

[@IainSB]

Thanks Barry It was a good trip we enjoyed the company and the staff at the Ulster Arms Hotel looked after us well Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@petervanderbeek9518]

Hardy Marquis reel one of the best well done Iain

[@IainSB]

Hi Peter it's a no 2 but the sound is the same when you have fish on. 👌. Cheers Ian. 🥃

[@clivebevan]

Hi Iain if you had to buy a new switch rod what or witch one would you recommend or buy your self Thanks.

[@IainSB]

The rod depends on the money I have in my pocket Clive . I think that the best value for money switch rod I have is my Bloke switch 7 weight, its very forgiving easy to use and I can send out a distance cast with it. I use to go see Mick before he retired and he would let me try a few rods and let me tie up some blanks that he had . I have a 6 weight that is as light as a feather but it took me a while to find a line that suited it. Its always better if you can try before you buy Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@wappietamtam6546]

Thanks for sharing, like to see you catch some, is that Marquis nr 3 reel ? I am wondering if they are easy to find in the UK, I am looking for one in absolute mint condition, one with the bras reel feet.

[@IainSB]

It's a number Two Tam. Try Douglas Aitken at Middle Pavilion on the river Tweed. If you can't find his number give me a shout and I'll search for it Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@davidsammels2124]

Well done Iain , nice fish , I thought it was going to be an easy reel in at first , and then boom . Cheers 🥃

[@IainSB]

It did take a while Master. for it to realise that it was hooked and as you say boom. Cheers Iain. 🥃. Maybe stay awake for the next beer 😜

[@Michael-k1o3q]

Ah beat2. Once had 8 fish in an afternoon from fenced. 1970s I think

[@IainSB]

There were a lot of fish back then and the water temperature never seemed to be as high Michael . I remember getting seven in a day so you are 1 up on me Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@MFMc75]

😂 that came up for that like Dry

[@IainSB]

The fly hardly hit the water Mark I think that it would have taken a sausage if I had flicked it in front of it Cheers Iain 🥃

[@stommac5517]

What rod size and line weight is that Iain?

[@IainSB]

its a sage R8 switch rod for an7 weight line Mac and I am using a Rio Scandi Short Multi tip with the floating tip and then a 5ft pollytip I am fortunate to have a few rods that I have matched up with lines that suit and this is one that works for me. Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@Michael-k1o3q]

Isthat beat 9?

[@Jim610]

2

[@IainSB]

Jim has obviously fished the Thurso before Michael he is right in saying that its beat 2 Cheers Iain. 🥃

[@Jim610]

@@IainSB Many many times. I grew up in Thurso but now fish mainly in NE England and Scottish borders.