Week beginning 14 October 2019
Monday 14th October. It was a lovely day on the river with the sun shining down keeping temperatures on the pleasant side. 2’7” and 50 degrees which is a bit higher than I’d like it especially as it was the top of the rise that was going on this morning. Team Harper here for the week under the captainship of Terry Harper who gracefully opted not to fish today letting his chums have the best spots. We got the rods set up all apart from graham Scott who’d bought a new rod only to find his reel didn’t fit on the rod, Oops! A few fish were seem moving in/through the Temple but it took us until 3.30pm before we landed one, it was a wee grilse of around the 4lb mark but at least we were on the scoreboard. Hopefully it’ll lose a few inches tonight and let us get spread around the beat a bit. It must be more than 2 weeks since we fished Learmouth stream.
Tuesday 15th October. Terry never has a go until he thinks it right, or it’s nice enough weather and it was both most of today so off he went down to Learmouth stream and came back with a liced 6lb cock. A photo went on to social media and the comments came in both for and against, 5 weeks fishing this year one 6lber kept, has that depleted the stocks? Is it now wrong to kill a cock grilse in today’s climate? Perhaps. Out of 263 fish to date we’ve kept 32 and some of them bled to death so the decision was made for us, until the scientists or the commission tell us its 100% catch and release or the beat owners make their beats 100% CnR then a rod taking one wee grilse will happen. Personally I think it is maybe the way to go, I don’t know what the spawning escapement is thats required but I’m sure we’ll all be told in the near future. Graeme Whitty was the top rod today getting 3 fish out of the Temple 2@6lb and 1@14lbs, prize for the biggest fish of the day goes to Graham Scott getting a 15lber from the Ledges, we also had another from the Annay and a seatrout from the Otter stones. 2’3” and 48 degrees this morning with no wind, the height is now getting back to somewhere near what we like so I’m hoping that tomorrow its down another 3”-4” so more of the beat comes into play and the rain stays away and in fact stays away for the rest of the month.
Wednesday 16th October. A dull damp calm morning with the gauge sitting at 2’1” and 48 degrees now nice clean. Ian was in the Temple with Paul and they had a fish almost into the net when it fell off, he lost another this afternoon, more of a pull really than a loss. Ian has lost one or two fish everyday and landed nothing, that’s just the way it goes sometimes. Graham Scott was busy all day casting miles and not a touch for his efforts; Terry fished the Cauld this afternoon then stoked the fire after lunch. Graeme Whitty was the lucky boy getting two fresh grilse at the Iron Gate, and Andrew had a fresh 5lber from the Leet point. There were fewer fish showing today but the beat is now getting to the height we like as we can get spread round a bit more, we’ve been stuck up the Temple and Cauld for 2 weeks now apart from the odd visit to the Glide and Iron Gate as levels allowed. Lines will be a bit lighter tomorrow as we can get onto slower sinkers and smaller flies. The rain that was forecast seems to have missed us.
Thursday 17th October. It was so fogy this morning that we nearly had to switch on the Foghorn outside the hut to let the boats know where they were. 1’11” and 46 degrees and very clean. Terry and Ken Brown up the top this morning where Ken lost a fish in the Slap straight away stopping it from running down into the Cauld, there usually only one result. Terry fished the Temple and the Cauld but not a touch was had, the sun was through the fog by 10.30 and it warmed up a lot. Graeme Whitty was busy in Learmouth stream getting a 14lb old hen, Graham Scott still getting used to the concept of casting a long line had a 4lb grilse from the Glide. This afternoon in near flat calm Graeme Whitty phoned to say he was into a lump of a fish in the Back of the wall, I was in the Glide with Ken so started to run up, the run slowed to a jog rather quickly then a fast walk but I reached him in time to assist with the landing of the lump. I had my phone out on video setting but didn’t press the button hard enough as the phone is now in a waterproof case, (See 4 weeks ago). The lump when finally beached turned out to be around the 23lb mark and was a very angry cock. Meanwhile Graham Scott wading the Lower Cauld shook a fish off and now knows how Ian feels as he shook off every fish he hooked Monday- Wednesday, Karma comes to mind as there was a fair bit of banter going on. Conditions are looking good for tomorrow as long as there are some fish on the beat.
Friday 18th October. A very wet morning was what greeted us today, 1’10” and 48 degrees. Graham Scott was first into action in the Back of the wall getting a liced 5lb cock grilse he followed that up with a clean hen from the Iron Gate around the 11lb mark then getting the hat trick by catching a 10lb old cock fish from the Glide. Ken had a pull in the Cauld and that was all the action this morning. After lunch the rain had stopped and things were looking better but it was blank all round from the team. At 5.00pm I was about to take my wee rod down for the season when I thought I’d have one last cast with a sunray over the Slap and caught a 4lb Grilse on the first cast, this was followed by two more taking a hold and dropping off plus another two bow wave/follows, it was great to see as I’ve not used a sunray for ages due to the height. Forecast is for a wet day again tomorrow and its to come from the north so will be a bit on the cold side.
Saturday 19th October. It was wet very wet this morning and in fact most of the day, I was liking the lower water but it’s rising fast tonight and it’s buggered again. Anyway 1’10” and 46 degrees with a grey tinge to it from the roads and drains no doubt. Team Harper all soaked to the skin as were Paul and myself headed for home, not a pull was had this morning but Perry fishing this afternoon managed a wee grilse from the Back of the wall. It’ll be better next week once the height drops and the colour goes and a huge run of fresh fish comes in. See tweedbeats on instagram for latest clips and photos, worth looking. ©M Campbell 2019
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