Week beginning 18 October 2021
Monday 18th October. A mild day with a bit of a westerly breeze, 1’11” and 50 degrees with a smidge of colour from road and drain washings, this seemed to put the fish right off with us today, or thats what we thought until tonight when you see that Tillmouth had 5 and Ladykirk had 7 and Horncliffe at the bottom had 3. I can only think the rise hadn’t reached them yet. Even stranger or not is the fact that between the Lees and Boleside there were only 7 fish reported caught, it’s like what’s came up has bolted for the top of the river, I’m sure the same thing happened last year. We had a hold of one fish today down at the iron gate point where Stuart said he had a hold of a big fish, Malcolm Dutchman Smith who is due a fish as he hasn’t had one this year due to drought and covid wherever he went didn’t manage a pull nor could Mike Hornsby or Peter Corkhill despite covering the water well. We’ll see tomorrow what happens as the water settles from this wee rise.
Tuesday 19th October. A very mild day for October warm even. 1’7” and 54 degrees, this water temperature even prompted me to put on a big sunray in the cauldstream for Mike’s second run through it, it didn’t make any difference. There was a busy spell mid morning in the slap and it looked like the fish had a purpose about them and were on the move. Malcolm Dutchman Smith had a pull in the iron gate this morning and that I’m afraid made up the days action. The water is too warm for the time of year but it’s to turn much colder by weekend so that might bring on what’s left to have a nibble at a fly. The catches across the websites are dismal tonight and the middle Tweed looks to be devoid of fish, they might still be there and this temp has their heads down, we’ll know by this weekend.
Wednesday 20th October. Much colder today with a bit of wind from the west, 1’10” and a wee rise going on, 52 degrees with a tinge of beer. Mike lost a fish on the inside lane in the glide on a red frances, Stuart had a wee pull from something in the back of the wall but Malcolm Dutchman Smith was top banana getting a 12lb cock fish out of Learmouth this afternoon. Malcolm left it to the wire this year as today was his last day of the season and he’s fished a fair few days on different rivers all affected by drought when he’s been there, so well done Malcolm. Very few fish seen today, they’ve either all buggered off or they had their heads down, I fear the former. The catches across the websites were awful tonight with something like 12 fish reported by 7.30pm it might increase a wee bit.
Thursday 21st October. 1’9” and 46 degrees with a bit of a beery tinge. Team Springham here for three days, the last time the lads were here was in July so it’s a bit different now, fast sinktips rather than full floaters. Nick was onto the scoreboard this morning getting a 16lb croc from learmouth and that was the score for the day until Tim had a 5lb old grilse from the back of the wall. A bit of a stiff westerly got up at lunchtime which took the edge of the sun as it tried to warm things up. Catches were a bit better with some of middle river beats getting a fish, it still looks like a slow down and the end of the season is coming. I’m not being pessimistic here just what we see on a daily basis, I’d like to be proved wrong as there are still a few weeks to go.
Friday 22nd October. A lovely autumn day with warm sunshine. 1’6” and 46 degrees and clean. Phil Lazell was the man on form today getting 1 from the cauld, 2 from the slap and a fresh 2lb seatrout. Tim Springham not to be outdone got an 8lb fish from the bags and gets double points for that. The beat was fairly quiet today and it is showing up on the websites where the fish are which is now not in the lower river, they are heading west to do what they are here to do.
Saturday 23rd October. 1’5” and 46 degrees nice and clean. Much milder with the wind going into the south. Tim Springham was into action in the cauld after we switched to a black frances 1” tube sadly the first one fell of causing Tim to question my hooks which put me in a huff for the rest of the day. Over to the other side of the cauld on our second run through it and a grumpy 16lber grabbed the Frances and this time stayed on, thanks to Tim’s hooks he reckoned. Andrew waded the top of the temple and had a 15lb old hen on a #8 dressed treble red of course to tempt the old cocks but in this case it was an old hen maybe a cross gender. This afternoon Time was at it again getting a 20lb old cock from the back of the wall and followed this up with a 6lber and lost one trying to beach it, all on a conehead with the dressing tied in front of the cone. Nick Charter caught up with a 7lber from the glide but top slot today goes to Duncan Mcnair getting a 25lb cock from the cobble point , Paul had seen fish showing at the point and due to the wind took Duncan to the far side and fished it sort of in reverse. Andrew had another from the temple this afternoon making it 7 for the day so no complaints in these conditions. Again today the numbers apart from the Lees are being caught upstream with Traquair getting 14 today.
A flood alert from SEPA today for tomorrow, I hope they are wrong as it could be the death of the season down here.
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©M Campbell 2021
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