THE top-flight angler after whom one of the most lethal of all artificial salmon flies was named - Willie Gunn - has died at the age of 85.
Gunn, latterly of Golspie, Sutherland, died in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. He is survived by his wife.
Back in the early 1960s, when salmon were plentiful in Scotland's rivers, and he was major domo at Uppat House, home of the Countess of Sutherland, he was invited by master fishing rodmaker Rob Wilson of Brora to select an artificial fly from 25 new patterns designed by RAF navigator Flt-Lt ``Dusty'' Miller of Kinloss.
``He had been a gamekeeper earlier in his career and was a superb angler,'' said 82-year-old Wilson. ``He chose a mixed three-colour hair-wing pattern, based on the old Thunder and Lightning style of fly.
``He went straight out on to the River Brora that day and caught six salmon with the fly. Next day he caught four more. By the third day everybody was clamouring for the fly that Willie Gunn was catching all the fish with.''
Since then the Willie Gunn fly became world-famous.
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