Week beginning 18 March 2013
Monday 18th Snow bitter east wind and a rising river was our Monday morning, had fish on in the first hour in the tail of the Cauld but after that it was a lost cause with the river starting to colour and a fair bit of rubbish starting to come down, the lads stuck at it all day more in hope than anything else but really they were just filling in time. The other option was to spend the day in the pub but the hangover tomorrow would be of biblical proportion. Last year on this day we had the first Sandmartins here but they need to hold back this year as there’s nothing for them to eat at the moment, water temperature 38 degs this morning this time last year it was 44 degs. Tuesday 19th What amiserable dreich day, cold wind from the east and rain/sleet/snow all day, river still very coloured and 2’8” on the Lees gauge, the rods fished all day again but not a touch just proving that old adage “if your fly/baits not in the water you won’t catch anything “is a lot of bollocks! Not much wildlife about today, the Otter gave us a visit this afternoon and the Ducks are getting a bit frisky and will be nesting soon if they can find somewhere to nest. Wednesday 20th The Spring equinox, so what happened to spring? Another cold day, slightly less windy but the river at 2’9” and coffee coloured, the lads had seen enough and headed for home. That as they keep saying is fishing, when really it’s not fishing! Thursday 21st Still fairly milky in colour and 36 degs a couple of the lads fished through the Temple and down through the Cauld the biggest bit of excitement was finding an 18 gram Toby spoon in the ledges, with the wind building as the morning went by they opted for an early bath and headed for home. Looks like we are going to miss the worst of the weather tomorrow apart from a south east wind up to 30 miles per hour and that’s the worst wind we can have on the Lees. Friday 22nd I’m going to run out of superlatives to describe the weather of late and today was no exception gales from the east/south east, bloody cold, snow showers and no fish for us. 2’2” and 38 degs which is a good height for most of the beat, not such a good temperature and a wee touch of grey snow melt in the river, total for the day was 2 Salmon Kelts and 1 Seatrout Kelt we stuck with the spinner all day as chances of getting a fly across the stream were slim and none. Heavy snow forecast tonight and more east winds tomorrow so not looking forward to it. Saturday 23rd Well we missed the snow but not the wind chill; it felt like minus 12 out there today. All 4 rods had phoned to say they weren’t coming due to snow where they lived a wise decision having seen the news. I went along to the hut to feed hens and check boats. I had a 20 minute cast at the Cauld but my hands were so cold I gave up. Colin a local fisher arrived to deliver me some fly tying kit so I told him he could fish the whole beat, never thinking he would be daft enough, he went straight home got his kit sorted and waded the tail of the Cauld getting a liced 12lb Springer and losing another, he gets this seasons medal for sticking it out in such atrocious conditions and on the fly at that. The forecast for next week is the wind to stay in the east I just hope it drops in strength.
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