Week beginning 19 August 2019
Monday 19th August. 26 56 degrees and very very beery, it was also blowing a hoolie. The team decided after some advice to use a spinner (yes we do spin in high coloured water) due to water colour and wind. This turned out to be a good choice as we ended the day with 7 salmon and 3 seatrout all fresh bar 1. The fish came from the Temple down to the Glide. Veronica Holland getting one on her first cast of the day, Carl Holland getting a fresh 14lber from the Glide to mention two. This afternoon I was in the Temple with Graeme Hogg and despite seeing more fish than I have seen for a long time we couldnt tempt any of them, did I mention it was bloody windy today. Hopefully the showers that were about today will not affect the river and we can get it down to 20 on our gauge and a bit cleaner so we can get at it properly tomorrow.
Tuesday 20th August. 21 and 56 degrees with a strong beery tinge, I thought wed bag up today with improving conditions but not quiet. Graeme Hogg started up the Ledges and despite casting to the far bank nothing would look at his fly. Veronica Holland had more success in the Glide getting a 12lber on the fly whilst Mike Kemeny had a 12lber from the slap he also lost a decent fish in the Temple. This afternoon fishing in biblical rainfall Paul Holland had two fish in the teens from Learmouth stream on a small tube whilst Graeme Hogg saved his blank getting a fish about the 9lb mark from the Glide. We ended the day with 6 landed. There were fish showing, not loads but enough to keep it interesting and it looks like the mega showers have missed the Teviot as there is nothing rising at the moment 8.00pm. Tomorrows rain is a worry as still not sure if its going to hit us, I hope not as Ive had enough rain now thank you. Just looked at gauges again and Teviot head rising, Bugger.
Wednesday 21st August. 111 and 56 degrees with just a tinge of beery colour, perfect conditions for the Lees normally. The day started off with a wee bit of a breeze which turned into a near bloody gale by afternoon, Ive I mentioned I hate the bloody wind. Julian Britton joined us for the day and got going down the Iron Gate with a single hooked barbless Ally shrimp, he came back at lunchtime saying hed lost two, Hmmm! Carl Holland had one from Learmouth but wife Lou takes the cup by catching her first fish on a fly this afternoon from Cornhill Bend, Mike Kemeny had a 5lber from the Slap and Andrew had one from the Annay, 4 was the score for the day it seems again the better the conditions the fewer we catch, I didnt see a fish in the Cauld all day, a year or two back youd have given your eye teeth to wade the tail of the Cauld at 111 in late August. More heavy rain in the west tonight so we might have more water and colour yet again tomorrow.
Thursday 22nd August. We were joined today by Christopher Scott and James Aird who were here for the day, I was optimistic that wed get the morning in and get a few fish, the gauge was sitting at 19 and 56 degrees with a beery tinge, Id looked at the levels at 7.30 am and only Peebles was rising by the time we got to the back of the wall I looked again and Roxburgh was rising and had been for 4 hours so it was rising at the Lees as we stepped into the water. This put the fish down and the only one landed was a 5lber from the Slap which Mike Kemeny caught with his second cast of the day. I never saw a fish all day until 4.30pm when one jumped right beside us in the Cauld. On the first rise this morning it made 24 then this afternoon it rose again to 27 and it was windy yet again. Hopefully thats the end of the rain now and we can get down to some fishing in settled water.
Friday 23rd August. 22 and 58 degrees sunny and windy but the wind was out the south so not to bad for the rowing. The family has the bank holiday so Andrew and guest Mark Clarfelt were having a go. We tried the Cauld first and crept down it with a black and yellow tube on an intermediate line with a fast sink tip but didnt see or touch a thing. Mark fared better in Learmouth getting a fresh 7lber without having to resort to the world famous Clarfelt fly, that was all the action for the day. The Cauld is really surprising me, its 4 days without a touch in there and its been a perfect height some days and we just dont see or touch anything, maybe tomorrow. Well have a full team out tomorrow plus reserves so were bound to bag up.
Saturday 24th August. A proper late summer morning and NO bloody wind at last. 111 and 60 degrees with just a hint of ginger colour to it. Richard D Home had a 12lber from the Slap and lost another in the Cauld, Mark Clarfelt had a good pull in the top of the Back of the wall and lost a fish at the Iron Gate, Nick D Home had a pull in the Glide and Andrew had a 4lb Seatrout in the Lower Cauld. By lunchtime the sun was beating down and the temperature was in the mid twenties so the team decided to give the afternoon a miss and come back out this evening. Fish wise there are enough about to keep it interesting but not loads. The Spey had a very good week last week with fresh grilse coming in so Im hoping that in 2-3 weeks they will be with us as thats sort of the way it use to go back in the day.
M Campbell 2019
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