Week beginning 14 June 2021
Monday 14th June. Well it’s supposed to be summer but it’s not warm and it’s windy yet again, perfect fishing conditions you’d think except there were no fish to be seen this morning. Team Harper here for the week, Graham Scott sporting his lockdown hair cut with added extensions started early down the bottom but it made no difference as he didn’t see a fish, the rest of the team had a more leisurely start coffees look at the paper sort out tackle etc. 8” and 60 f clean. We fished all the bits where fish should be but they weren’t we did see one in the Iron Gate, well Richard thought it was a fish but then said it might have been the otter, a nice lunch with some slabs of beef on buns then it was back to work. Graham was on the Slap and cauld which was a challenge in the wind and the backwater in the cauld do not help with the rowing or the fly coming round. Ken Brown was in the Glide and on his return reported seeing 4 fish there, this pricked up Graham’s lugs which are well hidden under his hair extensions and off he went to have a go at them; he managed to hook one which got round a rock and cut the leader. I see on the websites that a few were caught below us so “it’ll be better tomorrow”.
Tuesday 15th June. An overcast start but much less wind thankfully, apart from Terry who always has wind. 8” and 60 degrees. Terry was up top first thing and covered the Slap but despite there being 2 fish there we couldn’t tempt either of them, in to the Cauld and on second run through it we hooked a fish on a large sunray but it was off again almost as quick. Richard Harrison hooked one of the stubborn Slap fish this afternoon but it wasn’t keen to play and was soon offski. The lads fishing over at learmouth had more luck getting 3 fish to take today and all 3 staying on, they were clean fish but not fresh. Colin Bell gleefully text this evening to tell me they had 3 landed and one lost at Upper Floors and carrying tidelice, the bloody things should be down here at these heights and river temps not running some 30 odd miles from the sea. Ken Brown had more good casts than bad casts today so was pleased with that, next thing you know he’ll be catching fish.
Wednesday 16th June. Another day with very little to show for our efforts, 8” and 60 degrees and overcast all day with a south west wind. Graham spent the morning trying to tempt the fish that keeps showing in the Glide, it is around 14lb but has been there for a while and I think it will be there a lot longer, it is starting to colour a bit so unlikely to grab a fly unless conditions change dramatically in which case it’ll bugger off. There are a couple in the Slap but both old and that is it. Upper Floors had two today one of which was liced, it is becoming a bit tedious now that what few fish are coming in are belting straight up river. I did have what looked like a seatrout in the very tail of the glide follow a sunray right across the river but not touch it and I managed to get one of the Carrion Crows that have been taking the eggs off the Oyster Catchers. I’m going out this evening to see if that seatrout will be more in the mood when there is less light.
Thursday 17th June. We had fish on the beat today, we couldn’t catch them but at least we saw them. On the Slap this morning as Richard was casting over it 5 maybe 6 fish went through and they were silver, one of them boiled at the #12 Ally shrimp Richard had on but it didn’t pull it, later I chucked a sunray at them at 2 of them follow it but again wouldn’t take it. This afternoon down on the Back of the wall and Iron Gate Graham Scott was pleased to see a couple of fish but again no pulls, Richard fishing the Iron Gate had 4 or 5 fish splashing as they went past and even though his fly was right among them no pulls. Terry fished Learmouth this morning and not a scale was seen so he retired out of the heat to read the paper and check the whisky stocks. Colin Bell (Head Ghillie Upper Floors) again gleefully text to say they’d had another tide licer this morning so well done them. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Friday 18th June. A nice warm day but overcast, 7” and 60 degrees with a north wind. Graham Scott was up top in the pound seats but all he could muster was a boil at his fly in the Slap, there were a few fish showing there but no others wanted to play. The rest of the beat was quiet with nothing showing. Top dogs today were West Learmouth who had 4 for the day, 1 from the stream this morning, 1 from the back of the wall and 2 from the Iron Gate on a spinner so well done them; it’s a great catch as there were only 4 off the whole river yesterday. Scotland V England tonight so I’m off for a beer or two and if Scotland wins I might not make work tomorrow.
Saturday 19th June. What a game! Scotland expected to be beaten got a draw which was a bit like winning the cup. Anyway the fishing, Team Harper pulled stumps this morning and headed home not before Graham had a few casts at the Slap, he had a couple follow the sunray but no pulls, later this morning Paul went down to Learmouth and caught a fresh 9lber just off the point. I tried Duddo and the Glide but it was a tad busy with everyone trying to fish the same bits due to river level. Andrew and a guest are having a cast this evening so scores might increase.
I’m having a couple of days off next week for my son’s wedding so it’ll be a shorter report next week but hopefully more fish to write about. No proper rain in the forecast which is good for Monday as that's wedding day, after that we could do with an inch or more to give the river a flush and shuffle the pack a bit also to encourage any in that might be in the bay waiting to come in.
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©M Campbell 2021
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