We have had the great privilege of fishing with some of the best gillies in Scotland. Johnny Hardy on the River Helmsdale, Dan Dowell on Commonty, River Dee, David Bain and Keith Cromer at Park, River Dee and Charlie Wright at Balmoral, River Dee are some in addition to many others. All are great gillies and have become good friends. Like a good single malt whisky, the final product is a unique blend of special qualities, but each has an individual character.

The late Norman Stone deserves a special mention. He was a devoted gillie who really understood the River Spey, it's pools and the behaviour of it's Salmon. He created and successfully modified pools on his beloved Kincardine beat on the upper Spey. He turned this stretch of water into a very productive fishery which could easily compete with more famous beats on the middle and lower river and used to say that his beat's statistics were very reasonable for one that is not even on most fishing maps of the Spey. Ok, fishing is not about numbers, it is about much more than this. Norman had an understanding of fishing and fishermen and had a great sense of humour. He would often return to the beat in the evening with his family to see how we were getting on. He would stay through the night with Sea Trout fishers and then be up bright and early for the Salmon anglers next morning. Gillieing to him was not his job, it was his passion. He died desperately young and Speyside will never be quite the same without him.

The following is a short resume of the qualities of other gillies we have encountered.

"The best and the worst"

At best, the gillie is a friend for life.
At worst, he is best forgotten.

At best, he is appropriately optimistic.
At worst, the prospects are rotten.

At best, he will show you special lies to cover.
At worst, he will leave you in one pool for most of the day.

At best, he will appear when needed.
At worst, he will natter relentless and not go away.

At best, he will attend to those in need.
At worst, he will pamper the rich and those in the know.

At best, he will join you for lunch and share in the stories.
At worst, he will reflect on huge catches from aeons ago.

At best, he will enjoy seeing a good fish returned.
At worst, he will insist on killing your prize.

At best, he might reappear in the evening.
At worst, you only see him on Saturday, at five minutes to five.