Week beginning 13 May 2013

Monday 13th Well there’s no need for me to attend the gym tonight as I had enough exercise today to last me a month, blowing a hoolie all day with rain, hail showers every half hour. We had a 3lb Seatrout from the Cauld on fly first thing but that was it as far as any action went. Found a Salmon on the bank half eaten by an Otter this morning, it had a fair bit of fungus on its head so would likely have died anyway so as least something benefited from it, also had another one swim past us this morning with its fins sticking out of the water. I see from the website that a few fish were caught below us so room for a bit of optimism for tomorrow, just need to get rid of that wind. Tuesday 14th Well the bloody wind is still here, so will give the gym a miss again tonight! 1’10” 47 degs and not warm this morning both fire roaring in the huts and it’s the middle of May. Lost one in the Cauld on a fly then lost one in the Slap on a Toby, one boil at the Toby in the Temple which was right under the rod tip which is like a Seatrout sort of thing. Great hatch of fly this afternoon but no Trout to be seen rising to them. The Otter had been back and finished off his fish last night as there was just the head and tail left. For all my onion fans, the wind has battered the outside ones but I’m sure they’ll recover unlike one in my polytunnel which had the misfortune of having one of my hanging baskets fall on it after the wind shook it off the peg. (Baskets in tunnel to bring them on out of wind) As I say I HATE THE WIND! ANY WIND! Wednesday 15th Right calm down! 1’9” 47degs clean, but it’s raining and there’s a north wind and its bloody cold, it’s more like February than the middle of May. I hid up the Temple foe the first hour keeping out of the wind but eventually had to fish the Cauld as it should be the banker so in we went up and down fly, spinner and not a touch, we did at least see a couple of fish and another couple in the Slap but couldn’t get a pull. Edward Evans came back up from Learmouth to warm up as he could hardly hold his rod his hands were so cold. I spoke to Mick at Lower Pavilion and they hadn’t had a drop of rain so it was all east coast. Anyway Edward went back to Learmouth after a warm up and managed to lose one in the stream but that was it for the day. We had the Osprey with us a couple of times and of course the Otter, 3.00pm there was a great hatch of Olives but no Trout to be seen only the few ducks we have this year eating them. The Ducks had a terrible breeding season last year with the cold early on and then the floods all summer then what there was left being shot at all winter. I’m not against shooting ducks, but last year I would have left them alone. Back to the fishing, a few fresh fish caught above us so some must have squeaked through, all to play for tomorrow. Thursday 16th Calm start but the east wind soon caught up with us, 46 degs and 1’8” saw a couple in the Slap but the Cauld strangely quiet, fished all the usual hot spots but nothing doing. Osprey was here a couple of times and a great hatch of fly but again very few trout to be seen. Friday 17th A lovely warm day so set Colin off to fish all the hot spots round the beat while I tackled the Hogweed and grass as rain forecast tomorrow. We had a go at the Cauld in the afternoon and did see some fresh fish going through but couldn’t get a pull from them. Had another four fish covered in fungus in front of the Cauld too badly covered to recover. We really need a warm flood to sort things out. There was a massive hatch of fly on the river today but again no trout seen taking advantage of them, no young ducklings yet but I did come across a couple of nests while spraying.
Saturday 18th Well it certainly rained, all day, Colin gave it a go but eventually packed in due to the cold and wet, I was at a wedding, the service was fine but the reception was in a garden in a large gazebo which I have to say was a tad on the cold side but once the drink got flowing we soon warmed up. Anyway a warm flood just what we need. The river is very brown today (Sunday) but hopefully that is going to bring some more fresh fish in and the Seatrout should be making an appearance.