Week beginning 10 August 2015
Monday 10th August I’m back! Did you miss me? Slightly less than toothache I hear you shout. Civic week over, sweating 100% alcohol today as it was a tad humid and bloody windy, so not a great first day back. Anyway 1’3” and 60 degs so with the humidity not great conditions for salmon fishing. The Henderson’s of Burts Hotel fame are here for three days along with the Rooney party and Graham Henderson was soon into a 6lb Grilse in the Cauld, James Henderson had a pull on a #8 Tosh in the back of the wall then lost a fish on a fast striped Sunray along with two fat Brown Trout that was the action for the morning. This afternoon young Tom who’s fished his way round the world had another 6lb Grilse from Learmouth Stream and that made the bag for the day unless any are caught this evening. For all my gardening fans it’s not been a great summer for the veg garden, I’ve yet to see a red tomato and my world record Pumpkin attempt is looking to be on a shooglie peg. Clancy the onions are succumbing to a bit of root rot even though they had a fair dusting of the yellow powder. On the bright side I’ve had a bumper crop of Raspberries and much jam has been made along with enough Rasp Gin to float a boat. It looks like we still need a big cool flood to get things going which might happen this weekend if the rain gets far enough north. Another caught last evening so 3 for the day all 6lbs.
Tuesday 11th August Humid day again but no rain today, young Tom scored again this time a 15lber from the Cauld which was returned, he had two other pulls and lost one in the Slap as it ran back into the Cauld ( you have to keep your rod up or the line gets cut ). James Henderson had a nice 6lb Grilse from the Middle Stream and Stefan Rooney lost a fish in Cornhill bend. Not too many fish showing today but just enough to keep the interest up. 1’3” and 57 degs. We are still on floater with sinking tips of various degrees on the end not heavy one though. The Osprey was with us this morning and had several unsuccessful dives, maybe a young one which hasn’t got it’s eye in yet.
Wednesday 12th August Nice start to the day unless you’re a Grouse I suppose, calm and overcast 1’2” and 56 degs but despite the teams efforts only one pull in Duddo was the result on a Sunray. This afternoon the clouds cleared away and the sun was shining down from a cloudless sky which made it the nicest day this year by a distance, its been a really crap summer up here, very little sunshine but not enough rain to give us the big flood we need. There were fish showing in the Slap and Duddo along with a few old things in the Temple but hot, sunny and flat calm didn’t help us this afternoon and we ended the day with a blank. There’s been a murder at the Lees, last night one of the hens was late for bed and now there’s just a pile of feathers to mark the spot where it met its demise, Fox it’s going to get shot, somebody’s dog, its arse kicking time. Another sunny day tomorrow then big rain is forecast so here’s hoping. One caught in Duddo last night 5lbs returned.
Thursday 13th August Call off the police and tell Sherlock Holmes to stand down the hen came running home tonight minus a few feathers so all well with the Lees flock. Anyway the fishing, 1’2” and 56 degs nice and clean with a cloudless sky, this didn’t deter Douglas Forbes who hooked and landed a fresh 14lb hen in Duddo which was safely returned so that was his new rod christened. Queen of the Slap Trish Burgon was here for the day and was onto the Slap Croy faster than Lewis Hamilton on speed but today she was trying too hard and the casting wasn’t landing like the feather it normally is, that’s what happens when your too excited, anyway into the Cauld with a wee bottle tube on and we had a good pull below the top Croy and the fish was on, lots of head shaking and it was off again! We are still seeing the odd fish here and there but no fresh ones and when the sun is splitting the trees you need fresh fish. I was at the dentist this afternoon and lying on the chair looking up at the computer screen I noticed they had me down as an alcoholic!!!!!!!!!! I drink on occasions more than 21 units a week they said, almost everyone I know drinks 21 units a week or more with some of them, last week I reckon I managed about 500 units, anyway I’ve not had a drink since Sunday. The weather is heading this way and it looks like we are going to get the flood after all I’ve even had a flood warning from SEPA and there’s not been a drop yet. Still on floating lines with wee intermediate sink tips #10 trebles and doubles, hopefully that’ll change next week. Clancy about ¼ the onions have root rot, not the ones in the high raised bed but the lower ones it must have heavier soil and is staying damper. The meteor shower was good last night and I only saw two Swifts last evening so they are on their way south. Once this flood goes through there should be some fish to write about as I’m sure you’re all fed up of my drivel.
Friday 14th August It rained all day and my leaky waders have now been joined by my leaky coat. 1’1” and 60 degs. We had three fish today the first came from the Bags of all places and was a 4lb fresh Grilse, next up was an11lber from the Back of the wall caught by Mark Clarfelt on a “Clarfelt” #8 dressed treble photo attached, last of all was an 11lb old Springer from the Temple. We did have other action with one lost in Cornhill bend and other pulls and follows/boils. The real disappointment is all that rain and no flood.
Saturday 15th August. So no flood, in fact it was quite a nice day 1’5” up 4” on yesterday. I was looking after Max today and we started in Learmouth Stream and lost a fish on a wee bottle tube, then off down to Iron Gate and the Glide, blanked in the Iron Gate but had a good pull in the Glide and just below the point on the 45 deg angle we managed a wee fresh Grilse. The river was quiet today with very few fish showing perhaps all the crap out of the road drains has put them down/off but I expected to see more. One fish lost in the Ledges first thing was all the action up the top end, after a long lunch I took Max into the Cauld and fished it down with a Skimmer first then a Sunray and last of all a Monkey, we didn’t see or touch a thing and the Cauld was looking good I have to say. I’m sure it’ll all come right on Monday once the river has settled but we will then be running out of water. Photo this week is Marks fish on the “Clarfelt”
©M Campbell 2015
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