Week beginning 10 September 2018
Monday 10th September. A windy start to the day with the gauge showing 7”, well it would show 7” if it reached the water but it stops at a foot so it guess work or get the tape measure out. Anyway only one rod turned up this morning and he didn’t seem to know where the rest were. At lunchtime Clive said that one of the other rods was on his way so I stayed put in the hut to await his arrival, my phone rang and it was the rod who was on his way, when I asked how long he was going to be he replied he was still in Wales!!!!!!!!!! Anyway Clive caught 2 fish the best being 13lb from the Iron Gate, I pulled a Collie dug through the Glide, Cornhill Bend and Duddo hooking a fish briefly in Duddo. It’s been raining heavily since 8.00pm and to rain until 6.00am tomorrow so we might just see a lift of water.
Tuesday 11th September. Well we did get a lift of water but we got some fishing in before it came. We were joined today by Stephen Marsh Smith a man who has spent half his life trying to sort out the woes of the Wye salmon, Steven was rewarded with a Tweed salmon this afternoon just as the river was lifting and starting to colour. I don’t know who was more surprised the fish or Stephen or me for that matter, it was an 11lb cock with a bit of colour about him but very welcome. By 5.00pm the gauge was reading 2’0” and had plenty colour to it and by 7.30pm it was reading 2’6”. It might fish tomorrow but it’ll be a case of fishing the thin water where the fish have a chance of seeing the fly. It’s not as big a flood as I’d like, I’d like to have seen 5’0” to wash it out but it all helps.
Wednesday 12th September. 1’8” and 54 degrees but very broon so Stephen and Clive headed for home. I sat for a while this afternoon expecting to see a fish or two heading and tailing but didn’t see more than a couple. Took the new arrival at the Lees “Puppy Jock” along to the vets for his first jags and a general check up, he’s a fox red lab. It’ll fish tomorrow and I’m expecting a decent day as it has to have moved some fish up for us, there were some caught today I’d imagine on a Rap or a Blair or big silver toby.
Thursday 13th September. A windy day and beery water, 1’3” and 54 degrees. Team Collinson here for three days. Chris Major was on the Slap and Cauld and despite not getting a pull from the Slap we had 3 in the Cauld one of which stayed on and was landed, it was a 6lb licer, its been a long time since I’ve seen a tide liced fish. Craig Scorer lived up to his name and scored down at the Iron Gate getting a 7lb hen which was a bit on the coloured side. Paul Collinson had a 12lber from Learmouth stream. This afternoon Phil Beal and Paul Hume showed us all how to do it getting 4 from the Cauld and losing a couple more. So it was 7 for the day which produced smiles all round. A short round up of a good day as I’m trying to get stuff ready for the show on Saturday, Sally thinks I’m losing it as I’m wandering round the garden saying things like “Thats a bonnie onion” or “Thats a really pretty beetroot”. Trouble is I’m saying these things out loud and there’s no one else there.
Friday 14th September. 1’1” and 54 degrees with a light beery tinge. Paul Collinson was the cat that got the cream today getting an 18lb fresh fish from Cornhill bend, it was a good hen fish which was returned, it took a Gledswood shrimp on a #6 double. Phil Beal had a couple from Learmouth stream and Chris Major had one from the Glide and one from the Iron Gate. Chris Scorer had a fish from the Cauld as well as a couple of pulls, at the moment I can’t remember where we got the 6th fish of the day as I’ve been in the garden trying to get all my veggies sorted out, anyway it was a good day until 4.15pm when the heavens opened and sent us running for the hut. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Saturday 15th September. A quieter day today with far fewer fish showing round the beat. Chris Major started off the scoring with a 12lb older hen from the Cauld on a wee bottle tube and that was the only fish for the team, the other lads despite fishing it hard never had so much as a pull. It’s dropped back to 1’02 on the gauge and 54 degrees so the pools are getting to be a bit on the small side. Andrew managed a wee grilse from the Annay which earns him a lot of brownie points as getting a fish down there at this height is no mean feat. There is a lot of rain in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow, so we’ll have to wait and see what it does. For my gardening friends the show was ok and I managed 6 first places and 15 second and 4 third which earned me the cup in the Coldstream section. My onions for Clancy’s information were second place in both sections due to a blemish on the sides.
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©M Campbell 2018
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