Dozens of anglers made their way to the north over the weekend to mark the start of the new fishing season.
Around 40 fisherman braved the bleak wintry conditions to gather on the banks of the River Thurso to make their first casts of the season as part of the community’s traditional annual ceremony.
The ceremonial toast was given by keen angler Peter Duncan from Rutherglen as retired landscape gardener Freddie Sutherland from Uddingston made the first cast, following nine years of dedicated fishing on the banks.
Despite forecasts of heavy wind and rain, river Thurso fishery manager Geordie Doull said the long-anticipated event had gone “swimmingly well.”
He said: “Originally, it looked as though it was going to be a pretty wet and windy morning and we were all a bit nervous about heading down the river on what would have been a horrible winter’s morning, but thankfully everything seemed to clear about an hour before the ceremony.
“The river was rising after a lot of rain that fell through the night and earlier in the morning, but it wasn’t out of condition from a fishing point of view on the first day of the season. It was actually in very good condition.”
Reduction in rainfall led to a poor season for the community in 2018, followed by a successful season last year.
Mr Doull added: “If we get sensible water conditions and weather conditions throughout the season, we will still do well and catch fish.”