Week beginning 11 April 2016
Monday 11th April. It was like going back a month this morning, going back into winter. 2’3” 44 degs and cold with a north east wind blowing and grey skies, full winter clothing back on and a reluctance to do any sort of wading. A mixed team on today, one who has been before and 3 new lads, its always a shame when new rods arrive and its out of sorts, the water had that grey colour this morning, a wee bit unsettled. Anyway we fished our way round the beat as best we could, the Glide was a challenge with the wind blowing the fly back at your face, The Temple was 10 degs warmer being out of the wind, John Sevior was on the Temple this morning and had a Salmon Kelt which puts the Kelt score at 4 for the spring which will be one of the reasons the springers are going straight through they have no friends down here. There was a wee hatch of olives this afternoon and the odd trout sipping them down. I’d like to say it’ll be better tomorrow but it’s going to rain.
Tuesday 12th April. That was about as miserable a day as you can get, the sort of day you wouldn’t even put a wheely bin out let alone go fishing. 2’0” and 40 degs with a strong north east wind and rain. I opted to hide in the Temple for most of the morning firstly in was sheltered and secondly we saw 4-5 fish at the high bit of the wall, sadly we didn’t get a pull from them. David Chantler fishing the Glide had more luck though, chucking a 20g Toby as you couldn’t get a fly out there he managed to hook and land a fresh 8lber which made the day a bit brighter. The rain/showers continued for the whole day and the gauges are showing a bit of water coming down so it’ll be bigger tomorrow and is bound to have some colour as all 3 Teviot gauges are rising. In a warmer spring this would be good news for the rods that are prepared to pick up a trout rod as there would have been a lot of trout which would be easy to catch which is a nice break from casting to a salmon thats maybe not there. To continue on the gloomy note the forecast is for a similar day tomorrow then it’s to get colder!!!And what really gets my gloomiest gloom going is the smug weatherman telling me it’s 18degrees down south while showing pictures of people walking about in “T-shirts slapping on the sun cream while munching a 99 cone, I dare say by Friday it’ll be bloody well snowing, and even worse I put my show onions out into the bed on Sunday. I’m off to tie a Sunray and dream of better days.
Wednesday 13th April. It’s still grey cold and wet although not as cold as yesterday as the wind has dropped a bit. River is 2’9” and 42 degs with a milky coffee colour to it mostly from the Teviot I should think. The lads decided not to fish today, a very wise decision. I took myself off to Kelso this afternoon and never saw a single rod on the river so most had made the same decision, but not all, as at Upper Floors not to be put off by a bit of colour at 4.30pm had a fish from the top of the beat so well done them, they must have really good waterproofs as it rained all day, not really heavy but persistent, the sort that finds any weak spot in your kit. The big dog Otter was munching Eels on the Slap croy this morning and Ronald Campbell Tweed foundation biologist was walking down the far bank on a Goosander count. Flipper (West Learmouth Ghillie) came round for a coffee and to sort the world out which we did so you can all sleep easy in your beds. The gauges tonight are steady with Sprouston showing 2’5” so it should fish tomorrow but will still have some colour.
Thursday 14th April. Jim Fleming and pals here today and were faced with a coloured river running at 2’8” on the Lees gauge and 42 degrees so hopes were not high. The weather at least was better and the rain had stopped at last, as there were only three rods we elected to stay at the top of the beat but despite their best efforts and enthusiasm not a pull was had, not even a trout. The dog otter was doing fine munching away at little fish every time he came up and the Osprey had an aborted dive at something in the cauld. There was a big hatch of March Browns this afternoon but no trout were taking them as its too unsettled, in fact I was surprised to see the flies hatching. There was a bit of high drama when a family with three terriers came up the beat and one of the dogs attacked the hens, it’s lucky for the dog that my drop kick missed it as it would have cleared the log shed, anyway a few words of wisdom were given and the reply was “you should have the warning signs further down the path”. Reply- Cornhill or Wooler perhaps maybe Newcastle? Eight fish reported across the websites. The forecast is for wind into the north at 22 miles an hour and rain tomorrow so I’m really looking forward to that along with snow on high ground some to lower levels followed by a frost, now a frost means lots of plants being brought into house overnight which results in much tutting from the management but its cheaper than having to heat the greenhouse.
Friday 15th April. The day started off well enough with a south wind to start with and milder, quiet nice in fact. Two new teams on for the day, I took Sherry and James down to the Glide area and gave it a run through which was very pleasant until mid morning when the wind turned to the north the rain started and it was back to the usual crapy weather, Sherry was spinning as it was her first ever days fishing and James was thrashing away with the fly, neither method produced a pull. Michael Black up on the Temple had the catch of the day though getting stuck into a kelt which would have pulled the scale down to a good 5lbs soaking wet. After lunch I had a paddle up the Temple with Sherry which was the nicest place on the beat as it was completely sheltered, Michael and team mate Bruce arrived back from the bottom end at about 3.30pm being driven off by the cold and driving rain. So there we go another blank but I was pleased to see lots of liced fish being caught from Sprouston upwards, they all swam past here is the usual statement, but they have to bloody well stop here, one day they will. The Otter was with us all day in the Temple and Cauld 3 Otters in fact, we also had the Kingfisher flitting about and if the Osprey had turned up today we’d of had the grand slam. 2’4” and 44 degs touch beery. The two top Teviot gauges are rising again tonight it won’t be a flood but will add some colour. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Saturday 16th April. Well it was better today as the sun finally came out, we didn’t catch any fish apart from a couple of trout but that’s what I’d expect in water that colour. 2.6” and 42 degs this morning with a milky brown hue to the water from the Teviot effect. The wind was still blowing from the north but it was dry for the first time this week. The Osprey gave us a fine demonstration of how to do it getting a nice fish just above the Cauld then plonking it’s self on a fence post on the far bank to eat it. There was the odd olive coming down but not a trout was seen taking them. I have to say I’m glad this week is over (nothing to do with the company) it’s seems to have been a very long week. Mid April and its still cold, too cold and no resident salmon on the beat that I know of, it really is starting to wear us down hearing about all the liced fish getting caught at Kelso and above, we’re fishing the beat hard enough but the fish just pile straight through. Forecast is for a dry week coming up but still cold. It’ll be better tomorrow (its Sunday and its log shed construction)
©M Campbell 2016
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