7 December 04
Caithness Sea Angling Assoc. Annual Shore Championship competition held on Saturday 27th November 2004 on the old Ola Pier Scrabster.
On a calm but very wet evening shore anglers battled it out with local boat angling regulars, in what was to be a hard fought competition right up to the final whistle.
Early leader was Derek Yuille from Thurso, one of the boat angling contingent, Derek had a mixed catch of Whiting, Dabs, Colefish and Flounders and had the lead for most of the match and ended up with a total of 8 fish. But it was not to be Dereks day as he was piped at the post by shore angling regular Graham Finn from Freswick who managed one more fish than Derek, this gave Graham the honours and first prize.
Close behind the leaders in 3rd place was shore angling regular John Hilton from Castletown, showing how close the competition was John was just 2 fish behind the overall winner. On equal amount of fish but of a slightly smaller size was club sec. and keen boat angler David Proudfoot giving David 4th place.
Steve Nicholas from Occumster had a bad night , he watched a dogfish fall off his hook just as he was about to land it, this would have made him the clear winner of the longest fish pool, but instead the pool went to Thurso's Andy Quinn with a good size Dab of 33cm.
overall results--
1st Graham Finn 9 fish for 273cm
2nd Derek Yuille 8 fish for 240cm
3rd John Hilton 7fish for 213cm
4th David Proudfoot 7 fish for 193cm
5th Paul Moffett 4fish for 123cm
6th Alistair McPhie 4 fish for 113cm
Next match is the Caithness SAA Annual Boat Championships on the 11th December out of Scabster any entries to club sec. David Proudfoot, or phone Graham Finn on 01955 611496,

14 November 04
Shore Angling Championship
Caithness sea angling assoc. annual shore championship match is to be held on Saturday 27th November on the old Ola pier at Scrabster, meet at the pier head for the draw at 3pm fishing time will be 4pm-8pm.  It will be on a catch and release basis with the overall length being the winner.  Entry fee is £10 for seniors and this will include pools for the longest fish, and £3 for juniors. Anyone can enter but do it early as spaces may be limited so don't be disappointed if you turn up on the day and all the places are gone.  There will be a guaranteed first prize of £100. along with cash for 2nd and 3rd.   Entry forms are available from Harpers tackle shop in Thurso and Hugo Ross tackle shop in Wick.  For further info call graham on 01955 611496

30 August 04
Loch Watten Produces Another Great Trout Day
For Ruthven Anglers
Ruthven Anglers from Inverness held their annual competition on Watten Loch on Saturday 28th August, local anglers were invited to take part resulting in 34 anglers participating. The competition was organised by Pat Nicol, Wick.
The weather was close to ideal in comparison to the previous day when we had winds gusting to 60 mph.
Apart from the normal rules a 12" fish limit was imposed resulting in quality trout being landed, out of the 34 anglers taking part 17 managed to register fish at the weigh in - 53 trout for 58 lbs 10 oz.
Fishing tackle vouchers were awarded as prizes to the following
1st £60 Jimmy Craib, Inverness, 6 trout for 7lbs 8oz
2nd £40 John Blake, Thurso, 5 trout for 5lbs 13oz
3rd £30 Alan Porteous, Thurso, 5 trout for 5lbs 3oz
4th £20 Kevin Porteous, Thurso, 4 trout for 4lbs 10oz
Heaviest fish £20 Jimmy Craib, Inverness, 2lbs 4oz.
The competition was so successful it will be held annually on the last Saturday of August and will be open to Ruthven and Caithness anglers.

24 August 04
CAITHNESS SAA - OPEN SHORE COMPETITION
AT LONGBERRY WICK - ADULTS ONLY
SUNDAY 29th AUGUST 2004 - FISH 1PM –5PM
MEET 12PM END CAR PARK
ENTRY FOR MEMBERS, £2 SENIORS, ENTRY FOR NON MEMBERS, £3 SENIORS
RESERVE VENUE REISS SANDS - ENQUIRIES TO GRAHAM ON
01955 611496
THE COMPETITION WILL BE ON A CATCH AND RELEASE BASIS EVERY THING TO COUNT - THIS WILL COUNT TOWARDS CLUB LEAGUE CHAMPS. - FISH CAN BE RETAINED FOR THE POT

Wick Angler Keith Webster Recently Showed Why Loch Watten Is One Of the Best Trout Lochs
Loch Watten remains popular with anglers and with good reason as Keith Webster shows. 

Well known angling author Geoffrey Bucknall also rates it as his favourite loch.  He was out with Hugo Ross for a few hours no doubt getting material for one of his many articles

28 July 04
Farquhar Fails Against Finn in Flounder Fishing
It wasn't a fluke that Graham Finn won the latest Caithness sea angling competition, he certainly showed the locals how to fish their own beach.  Way out in front with 19 Flounders for a total of 563cm in second place was local match angler Keith Farquhar with 5 flounders and in third place was Steve Nicholas with 4 flounders. With such a good surf running every one was surprised that no bass were caught. Unusual catch of the day was a small Turbot for Castletown angler Donnie McNicol.

29 June 04
Caithness Sea Angling Association.
The latest competition was fished on Sunday 27 June 2004 at Reiss sands, it was mostly a quiet event with most anglers finding many undersized flatfish including a small Turbot for one angler.
New to the area having recently moved to Occumster all the way up from Dover, southern match angler Steve Nicholas couldn't believe his luck when on his first cast he landed 3 Bass, especially since he had never caught a Bass in his life before.  A little later Steve landed one more Flounder and this was enough to clinch himself first place overall.
The runner up places were hard fought for with Patricia Heath from Freswick in second place with 3 Flounders and close behind in third position was Hugh McGreggor with 2 Flounders.
Fishing hard and beating most of the seniors on the day junior winner was Richard Newlands with 1 Flounder,
Full results-
1st Steve Nicholas 99cm
2nd Patricia Heath 63cm
3rd Hugh McGreggor 43cm
longest roundfish pool
Steve Nicholas Bass 27cm
longest flatfish pool
Graham Finn 28cm.
the next comp will be at Dunnet Bay fishing from the middle car park if anyone wants to get some practice in, date yet to be arranged for July

28 May 04
Caithness Sea Angling Association Competition
Having a walk on draw was great news for local angler Keith Farquhar, he walked to the furthest peg and landed 11 Bass for a total of 382cm making him the clear winner, in 2nd place was Graham Finn with 5 Bass and a Flounder for a total of 214cm and 3rd place went to Mike Bordon with 3 Bass with a total of 111cm.  The junior winner was Scot McKensie with a flounder of 27cm in length. in 2nd place was Karina Gent.
it was another good turnout with 23 anglers fishing nearly all the fish caught were caught on common lugworm so no secret baits for anyone wanting to try the next comp which will be on Reiss Bay date to be arranged for June.

23 April 04
First Salmon In 2004 On The Wick River
The first salmon of the 2004 season on the Wick River was caught by the Wick Angling Club secretary John Mackay on Thursday evening 22 April.  it was caught in the Quarry Hole on a one and three quarter inch cone head tube fly and weighed in at seven and a half pounds.

Recent fishing Competition From St Ola Pier Scrabster

8 March 04
Freeedom Charters for angling, Diving & Sight Seeing
This new venture based in Wick and run by Colin Richard will give folk the opportunity to get involved in activities based from Wick.   The boat can take up to ten people.  The boat is fully equipped with safety equipment, radar and radio.  If you want to see the cliffs of Caithness with a party of friends then this could be worth checking out whether for a day or half day.

15 February 04
First Salmon of 2004 Caught On River Thurso
The first Salmon from the Thurso River. It was caught today 14th Feb from Beat 13 by Thurso angler Steelie Smith. It was caught in the Bridge Pool on a Willie Gunn Waddington. It weighed in at 9lbs.