Week beginning 13 June 2022
Monday 13th June. A cloudy start and in fact it stayed cloudy all day, much less wind than last week which is a great relief. Team Harper here for the week and Richard Harrison wasted no time in getting into a fish in Learmouth stream and not just the one but two, both licers and weighing in at 9lb and 11lb, both on a #12 cascade. David casting like a demon failed to catch but I’m sure he’ll make up for it tomorrow. Graham Scott who was up earlier than the birds to get first crack at Duddo managed a wee pull and a boil at a sunray in the Slap just after lunch. Terry was taking it easy as he’s not up to speed yet.
Tuesday 14th June. A cloudy day again with the Lees gauge showing 5” and 56 degrees. Richard Harrison was on form again getting two fish from the Slap on a wee bottle tube, both fish were clean and 8lbs and 12lbs, further down the beat Graham Scott hooked everything apart from a salmon, me, himself and Jock the ginger dug. David Sanderson fished the Duddo and Cornhill bend a couple of times but no pulls were had, he made up for it this afternoon down in Learmouth stream were he landed a 12lber on a wee conehead fly. A large otter was also successful, it swam though the Slap this afternoon with a decent sized fish in its mouth and down into the Cauld where it disappeared, it was amazing how it vanished as we were all watching it go through the waves. Reports of lots of fish below us in the lower river and I watched a clip of dolphins at the river mouth chasing fish so hopefully some will push up.
Wednesday 15th June. A sunny start and it was nice to see the sun, just a tiny breeze on the water here and there, 5” and 56 degrees this morning but by lunchtime it was cloudy and humid so I imagine the water temp will be closer to 60 by 5.00pm. David headed off home this morning to be replaced by Ken Brown. The lads spread round the beat and covered the resident fish hoping to find a fresh one which would be keener to take a fly, none were found. The other side were throwing condoms all over the place as usual but were having the same success. Graham Scott decided to keep his powder dry until this evening which is a wise move; there is every chance of a seatrout or two later on, smaller flies will be the order of the day and in fact a trouty dry fly as good as anything. This afternoon I took the chance to repair a couple of benches round the beat and cut and sprayed a few hogweeds that have popped up.
Thursday 16th June. A warm humid day, the Lees gauge reading 4” (well it would read 4” but the water is below the gauge), water temp up to 60f. Richard Harrison was at it again and landed a 10lb river fish from the Glide on a #10 Ally, that was the only pull we had all day, there is now a good number of fish showing at the Iron gate and Glide but they are getting a bit coloured now so will be harder to tempt as each day goes by. Graham Scott who has yet to have a pull is going out again this evening with strict instructions not to return unless he’s had a salmon or seatrout, Ken Brown armed with new flies has decided a nice pint or two is a better idea. The Learmouth rods had a busy morning landing two and losing two plus landing a 9lb seatrout.
Friday 17th June. It was a warmer day and humid, nothing like the 33C of down south more like 20C here with a strong wind which I wasn’t expecting but we are on the top of the high pressure so the wind is going round the edge. The freshet had arrived, in fact it arrived last night when I was having my first proper cast of the season, it only went up 4” at most but it put the fish right down, well I’m blaming the freshet as there was hardly a thing showing, Graham fished Learmouth stream were there had been loads of fish showing in the afternoon but this evening it also was very quiet. Plenty fish showing today, well enough to keep the rods going but the lads have woken up to the fact that these fish are anything but keen to take. Down on the Glide Richard gave it a good go this afternoon, Ken carefully went through the Duddo but no pulls, I tried a sunray and a skimmer whilst Ken had a break but not a nose broke the surface to look at them. Still no rain on the forecast so it’s not going to get any easier as the days go by.
Saturday 18th June. The freshet has been and gone and the river is back down to 3 or 4 inch at the Lees, the temp has dropped as well from 60 yesterday to 56 today, the water is remarkably clean at the moment although the bottom still has a fair bit of slime on it. The wind was blowing again from the north west a bit of sunshine peeking through the clouds but the lads had had enough and three went home without wetting a line this morning, Richard stayed until lunchtime then also headed down the road. With no rain on the forecast things are going to get tough.
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