It seems scarcely believable that we are only six days away from a new fishing season. Although I have recently enjoyed another birthday, my anticipation for what the new season has to bring has not waned one little bit in the past sixty years. I was fortunate enough to have been brought up at the feet of some of the finest men ever to grace the banks of the Thurso river. Their only concern was for the river and the only talk that I ever used to hear was of Loch More, the river and Hatchery etc.etc. As ever, we have the usual suspects wittering on about the disastrous year that lies ahead! If it does turn out to be a poor year, it can never be laid at the doorstep of the internal husbandry on the Thurso. It has to be remembered that a huge part of the life of the salmon is outwith the control of their rivers of origin. There is little doubt that changes are ( and have been for some time) taking place at sea----- there are Bluefin Tuna off our coastlines once again. Instead of interfering in rivers, it might be best if those that seem to have the need to be heard at all times, took the monies that we donate and do some work at sea, as myself and many others have been advocating for forty to fifty years.