Week beginning 19 November 2018
Monday 19th November. A dull morning with an east wind starting to blow up the river, 1’11” and 44 degrees. David Easty here for three days and he is the only rod on so he is spoilt for choice as to where to fish. David fished the Cauld this morning and Learmouth this afternoon until it was getting too dark to see the fly, it’s been a while since I fished by moonlight but David was enjoying himself and at 86 why not. I didn’t see a fish move today and conditions are perfect apart from the wind.
Tuesday 20th November. It was officially dreich today with some heavy showers and a strong east wind, this did nothing to improve the fishing as it made casting for David difficult to say the least, but David is made of stern stuff and he stuck it out until dark with only a trout to show for it. The catches on the river were dismal to say the least with one at south wark which was an old hen, the next fish reported was at Glenormiston which is a bloody long way from the Lees. I didn’t see any fish again today but did see the Egret, Eurasian Crane and the Otter and a rather lovely double rainbow being chased across the fields by a heavy squall. The bird feeders are getting busy outside the hut being used by a selection of tits and a pair of nuthatch, a grey squirrel had a look as well but 40gram of number 4 has stopped it. Forecast for tomorrow are heavy showers merging into rain and a south east gale, it doesn’t get any better.
Wednesday 21st November. It was an awful morning with driving rain and sleet from the east and very dark skies, the gauge was showing 1’9” and 40 degrees but was rising at Sprouston. This wasn’t going to put David Easty off and off into the Cauld he went with Paul, by 11.30 a wet David came back in and decided he’d had enough and at 86 year old I should think so, no good dying of hypothermia when there’s not a fish to be seen. The only fish reported across the websites tonight was a 3lb seatrout from Upper Hendersyde. Two of our rods have called off for tomorrow very wisely as it is just shy of 4’0” at 7.00pm tonight and I suspect it’ll be brown tomorrow. Not much more to say really so I’ll leave it at that.
Thursday 22nd November. I’ve even less to say today. 3’0” and 38 degrees today and carrying a fair bit of colour that along with a very cold wet east wind and a lack of daylight did nothing to encourage me out of the hut. Jonathon Lane phoned to say he wouldn’t be attending today and would leave it until tomorrow. Francis Sidoli and Claire did turn up and spent the morning down the Glide trying out different lines and perfecting the casting. The catches on the river today were as low as they can get being zero, not even the beats at the top of the river had anything to report and the height/colour must have been ok for them, just no fish I suppose. Just two more Fridays to go.
Friday 23rd November. A slightly better day today as in it was a few degrees warmer, there were heavy showers this morning and we never saw the sun all day but it wasn’t windy. 2’5” and 38 degrees with a tinge of colour. We were joined today by Jonathon lane and Douglas Campbell who fished the top of the beat this morning whilst Francis and Claire fished the bottom half, they all blanked. There was great excitement this afternoon as a fish of some kind head and tailed right at the top of the Temple, this prompted Francis to ask how many I’d seen recently, that’s the first since a week past Monday was my reply. The team had two pulls from something, nobody was sure if the pulls were trouty or salmon so they remain unconfirmed. Highlight of the day was my salad roll and mushroom cuppa soup for lunch and a very large Danish pastry from Douglas. 3 fish reported off the river today.
Saturday 24th November. A nice enough morning with not a breath of wind. 2’3” and 38 degrees. The team fished from the Temple to the Glide twice during the day and we had 3 brown trout to show for our efforts, we did see a couple of Kelts in the Cauld this afternoon but as for a fresh fish or an unspawned fish not one. The team fished right till dark and I nearly had to breakout a whitewing. Only 3 fish reported off the river again today the nearest to us being Rutherford. The forecast for next week is looking stormy by midweek so that will close the season for us; some would say that it was over at end of October and with only 2 fish in the book for November I would agree with them this year. As ever see instagram or tweedbeats on facebook for latest photos and clips.
©M Campbell 2018
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