Week beginning 12 October 2020
Monday 12th October. It was raining when we started and raining when we finished, not really heavy rain just wet rain. 1’8” and 46 degrees. Team Harper here for the week, a slightly reduced team as one called off. Graham Scott keen as mustard and still sporting his lockdown haircut was first onto the scoreboard getting a 7lber from the Glide and losing one in the Back of the wall, Andrew making up the numbers had a fish from the Bags. This was more or less repeated this afternoon with Graham getting a fish from Learmouth and Andrew getting another one from the Bags. Terry had a brief hold of a fish in the Cauld and landed a Grayling. Not so many fish showing in the Temple today and the Cauld was quiet. There are a few inches on some of the gauges this evening so that’ll be with us tomorrow, as long as it is just a few inches I don’t mind.
Tuesday 13th October. It was up 8” this morning and raining there was also a near gale blowing from the North east which was filling the Temple with leaves. Terry and Ken Brown fished this morning at the top while Graham set off down to the Iron Gate and Glide, he wasn’t down there too long as the wind and driving rain beat him into submission. The colour was creeping into the river as the day went along, not brown but a grey road/drain washings sort of colour. There were enough fish showing to keep it interesting but none pulling. A very welcome lunchtime was had out of the rain then it was back at it. Graham eventually got a fish in the Ledges all of 2lbs soaking wet, it looked more like a kelt than not but it was a unspent fish. That was the only fish of the day so well done Graham. Ken was busy most of the day mastering his spey cast so it was time well spent for the future. Terry as ever made sure the fire was stoked up and the paper was well read. The catches on the river tonight are predictably poor. The Leader and Gala water are rising tonight so we will have to wait and see what we have to work with tomorrow.
Wednesday 14th October. Another day with the weather from the North plus the river was rising slowly all day a sort of mission creep. Despite everything going the wrong way there was a triumph on the beat and that was in the shape of Ken Brown catching his first salmon, not only did he get his first fish he got his second, both from the top of the Temple, both a bit coloured and 5lb and 6lbs but as I said last week your first is always going to be your first. At the bottom of the Temple we were plagued with leaves which were blowing into the river from all the Beech and Oak trees growing in the estate. By lunchtime the gauge was reading 3’0” and the colour was coming in. This effectively stopped all useful fishing. Hopefully it’ll run through tonight and be back to 2’8” or so tomorrow. Catches reflected the state of the river and I should imagine Ken will be top rod on the river today.
Thursday 15th October. 2’11” this morning which means it’s gone the wrong way plus a very black colour. Ken decided to take some time out and popped up to Fin and Game to buy some new waders, Graham tried wading the Ledges and Terry stoked the fire. Beef buns all round for lunch and then onto the river, too big for the Cauld so it was both boats out onto the Temple, Graham perfected his left hand double spey whilst ken wondered why he needed new waders as he was sat in a boat. Not a pull was had but we did see enough fish to keep it interesting. South Wark had a fish but Lower North Wark beat them with 4, Tillmouth were the top dog in the lower river getting 5 which gives hope that there must be a good few fish below for them to get 5 at this height. Looking at the gauges tonight it’s 2’9” at Sprouston and nothing rising so--- It’ll be better tomorrow!
Friday 16th October. 2’6” and 48 degrees but still very dark. I’ll keep this short; one pull which was held onto a tad hard resulted in no fish. The Temple was the only pool worth fishing at this height but the trouble is black water and old fish in the Temple is never a good combination, the one pull Ken had was it for the day, South Wark gave it a good thrashing as well but fared no better. There were fish showing but not anything like the numbers of yesterday or pre flood. Looking at the websites there are still numbers of fish below us so perhaps tomorrow.
Saturday 17th October. Best conditions since Monday but things didn’t really work out for us, it was a case of nearly for Graham Scott who had a hold of 4 in Learmouth but lost them all, careless comes to mind, Terry Harper dragged away from his favourite bench and into the Cauld boat got a 13lb old cock, whilst Ken Brown had a pull in the Lower Temple. The Temple fished well for South Wark with one of their rods getting 5 this morning , it fished better for us this afternoon with Nick Douglas Home who landed a 25lber, it was likely more but Andrew who was rowing is always conservative with his weights. Tillmouth 9 and Ladykirk 6 today is a surprise, a pleasant surprise for them no doubt that were fishing there but showing there are still fish below us hopefully to come up, perhaps they are never going to move and might spawn down there. 2’3” and 46 degrees this morning and at last clean.
Forecast ahead is for Monday to be dry but rain Tuesday/ Wednesday which I really don’t want.
As ever see tweedbeats on instagram for latest pics and clips
©M Campbell 2020
our twitter feed