Week beginning 16 September 2013
Monday 16th September. A bit of a gale blowing this morning and the river up to 2’0” on the Lees gauge, still clean at 9.30 but the colour was on it’s way, Patrick had a wee 5lber from the ledges first thing but that was it for the day, lots of blanket weed and the colour was with us by 10.00am. We did see a lot of fish moving this morning, just wee head and tails so when it clears tomorrow there should be some good catches on the river, fly only from now so that make the choice a lot easier. Tuesday 17th 1’8” and 50 degs but very dark beery colour, John Mitchell the demon of the Test managed 3 from the Cauld in the morning, Patrick had one from Learmouth stream which was the biggest of the day at 18lbs and that was it for the morning, not a touch from the Temple all day but we did get a brace from the Ledges, and so excited was Edward.C.Bruce at getting them that he broke his rod in the process. The fish came on a bit in the afternoon as the water started to clear a bit and Julian landed 4 from the Cauld all in the teens of pounds, the dark beery water doesn’t suit the deep slow pools and only the thinner water was producing a fish or two. There were plenty showing but again mostly old and in fact we only had one with lice, but 11 and 3 Seatrout for the day is a good enough score, better tomorrow. Wednesday 18th Water cleaner, down 4” and dropped back to 46degs. Edward arrived with his new rod and promptly caught a wee grilse in the Back of the wall so he was a happy bunny. I was down the bottom end this morning and only saw 2 fish in Duddo so wasn’t so happy neither was Julian who was doing the fishing but he made good in the afternoon as he had a 9lb fish from Learmouth along with a 4lb Seatrout which was covered in lice. Not to be outdone was John Mitchell who had a 21lb hen from the Temple in the afternoon piping Edward who had a 19lber which was fresh while wading the Ledges. John and Clarisa had a busy morning in the Cauld landing 3 but being a bit careless and losing 5. Still mostly older fish but some new ones about. We ended the day with 17 so no complaints apart from the wind. Thursday 19th A dreich sort of day, dull, cold and wet, but we ended the day with 23 fish. The best going to Lorna Cumming Bruce a 17lb cock from the Cauld. Candy Banyet had 1 from the Slap which was a nice fresh fish lost another which was also fresh and had a wee one from the Cauld. Rowallen had a lovely 15lb liced cock from the top of the Bags and another tide licer from the Middle Stream, the bottom of the beat is still proving to be a bit of a challenge but will change as soon as we get a cleaning flood through it. Edward picked up 5 today and Julian 6 so everybody was happy with their lot apart from being soaked. I saw the first skein of geese going over last night another sign of autumn but there are still a good few Martins and the odd Swallow flying about. The top gauges were rising at lunchtime and looking tonight there is a wee bit of water coming down but it’s not going to do much apart from keeping the levels up which is better than going down anymore. It’s a bit strange at the moment as some pools have plenty fish in them and others which should be producing the goods aren’t! Friday 20th Nice sunny morning water temp up to 50degs, river rising very slowly which took the edge of the catches a wee bit, but Edward Cumming Bruce covered himself in glory by managing to get 10 for the day one of them a cracking 19lb liced cock from the back of the wall plus two more there then 7 from the Temple this afternoon. Now the Temple when it is low is not everyone’s favourite spot, but when it’s low and full of fish it’s good fun either waded or fished down with a floater wee sink tip and a long cast it can produce the goods. The river went up to 1’6” by lunchtime and a wee tinge of colour, road washings sort of colour, but I did see a lot of fish in Learmouth stream in the afternoon late on, lots of little silver things but couldn’t get a hold of any of them. Again if you were in the right pool you were in luck, otherwise you had to really hunt them out. Big day tomorrow I think/hope! Saturday 21st Well there you go! What do I know? Not as much as the fish it appears, you would think that after a rise of water to move things around a bit we would of bagged up today, 10 this morning was good but it fell flat on its face this afternoon with only 2(pre Babyhouse fish) and a wee Seatroot, the best being a 20lbplus fish from the Temple while wading. Candy (not of runt fame) lost 3 in the Cauld this morning landing one other and one from the Slap, Antonia thrashed one into submission in the Cauld, Rowallen (I know its spelt wrong) had one from the Middle stream and lost another. The cigar goes to Andrew who had 3 wading the Babyhouse this evening. So 15 fish but it took 10 pools to get them. So 15 is a good day but when you expected 16-18 for the morning it was a reality check. 84 for the week is a good as you can expect if not better taking in the conditions, if we get the same next week I’ll be delighted as will the rods no doubt. Garden news, Sally is busy turning the garden into Chutney and Relish which is available to the regulars, Pumpkin has now grown to biblical size and still growing, Guinea fowl are now living in polytunnel and loving it perching on the tomato plants, they will be feathered up in a few weeks and ready to go to Lees. Photos are of
A liced Seatroot and the wee dug is called kincan who spent most of the week in our hut looking for snacks and trying to stare me out with the odd grunt and the occasional strange smell or was that Bruce’s waders.
Forecast is for a dry warmer week ahead so the fishing is going to be challenging, back to floaters with wee sink tips and wee flies, and the skimmer of course.
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