Week beginning 12 April 2021
Monday 12th April. A hard frost again this morning but it was soon away as there was not a cloud in the sky and the sun was doing its best to warm things up. 1’2” and a chilly 38 degrees. 3 rods on today so a bit more water covered and for one rod it paid off big style. We haven’t landed a fish since the 9th of March, had a few pulls and lost a couple but this afternoon James who was in Learmouth hooked and landed a 20lb brand new fish on a wee gold conehead cascade and hasn’t stopped smiling since. We saw other fish in the Glide and 4 going through the Slap this morning. No hatch today that I saw and no trout rising, plenty swans fighting over territory and 5 otters, mum and 2 young and 2 single ones in the Cauld this morning. Catches low again on the river with just 4 reported across the websites, but we got one of them so all is well.
Tuesday 13th April. Another frosty start followed by mostly blue skies. 1’2” and 40 degrees and as clean as you’ll ever get it. There were fish about today and fresh as paint but we couldn’t get a pull from them. The Slap was fairly busy and in the Cauld some were throwing themselves out of the water doing summersaults, great to see them but better if they would have a go at a fly. Forecast to warm up from tomorrow so if water temp lifts that might “bring them on”.
Wednesday 14th April. A cold start to the day but once the sun burnt back the clouds it was a lovely day. 1’1” and 41 degrees. The lads fished all the likely spots and a few less likely but not a touch to be had, the only spot we saw fish was in the Slap and we tried every fly in the box over them. Nothing caught above Tillmouth today and only 3 reported off the river. An unusual thing today the lad fishing the Bags from the Cornhill side managed to hook an oyster catcher as it flew past, he soon had it to hand and on release it flew away none the worse for its adventure. The Osprey had a wee look in the Cauld but didn’t have a dive, first clutch of ducklings seen, all 13 of them, she must have started laying in late February, 13 eggs at one a day then 27 days incubation amazing, how many will survive the frost tonight -4 then the crows/herons and otters.
Thursday 15th April. Another cracker of a day unless you were trying to catch a salmon, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day which of course points to another frosty night ahead. 1’0” and 42 degrees. Three lads fished round the beat with David Foreman having the only success with a 3lb liced seatrout from the Bags. There are a few fish in the Slap and I saw one in the Lower cauld but they will not look at a thing, not even a big Sunray could get a pull. The wee sandpipers have arrived back from Africa and straight away they were flitting about the beat getting potential territories sorted out and mates by the look of it. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Friday 16th April. For today see yesterday re heights weather and temps except the difference today was we caught a fish. Ross Jones was sharing a rod with his dad down the Back of the wall, Dad Ian handed the rod over to Ross at the Iron Gate and in a few casts Ross was in to a fish, a fresh 8lber which took a #10 green butt silver stoat sort of thing, a fish like that on a day like this will stay in his memory for a long time. Steve Robins will also remember the fish he hooked in the Slap this afternoon as it was almost into the net when the hook just fell out, with the water being so clear I could see the fish away down in the water, it looked about 11lbs maybe 12lbs and I could see the white tails of the sea lice on its back and the orange wing of the fly in its mouth until it wasn’t. Ross had another good pull from a fish in the Duddo this afternoon and a good fish was seen throwing itself out in the Bags, Alan Mowitt who was also here today didn’t manage a pull off anything but at least he knew he was covering a fish or two. Another frost tonight so I’m off to light the burners in my polytunnel and greenhouse.
Saturday 17th April. Another cracking day once the chilly breeze in the morning settled down. 11” and 44f squeaky clean still. There were a couple of fish showing in the Slap this morning but not a nibble was to be had from them and we tried everything from wee cascades to bottle tubes and even the sunray had a swim. With not a cloud in the sky and the sun beating down it was always going to be a challenge but Alex Scott wasn’t worried about all that, this afternoon he tied on a conehead cascade chucked it into the Slap and was rewarded with an 8lb fresh fish (see tweedbeats on instagram), that was the only fish of the day but they all count. No rain on the forecast so it’s not going to get any easier any time soon. So, 3 and a Seatrout for the week that’ll have to do.
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©M Campbell 2021
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