Week beginning 1 February 2021
Monday 1st February. A nice sunny day with a hard frost. Lockdown measures are still in place due to covid so we have no rods on today as it was “Team Sweden” for the first three days. We have some very local rods who fish the Lees and they will be having a cast when conditions allow as there are no boats due to the 2 meter regulations. Rods will be in short supply for the first part of the spring as no travel allowed and there is nowhere to stay as all hotels closed. The Lees gauge was reading 3’0” this morning with a river temp of 36f in old money. There were one or two rods out for a cast today but with these heights it would be more to get out of the house rather than a realistic hope of a fish at this height on the 1st of February, Carham had a couple of kelts I heard and a seatrout kelt was caught on the Teviot, It’s early days.
Tuesday 2nd February. Wet with snow/sleet/rain all day. 2’9” and 36f, Paul braved the elements and waded the Lower Cauld for 45 minutes before the cold forced him back to the hut to thaw out. The forecast is for rain/snow for next three days then to get even colder from the east.
Wednesday 3rd February. What a bloody awful day with rain, sleet and a stiff east wind. The river was still at 2’9” and 36 degrees but today it was milky grey with the snow melt coming in. Paul and myself looked at it going past for a while then headed for home. One walker I met this afternoon said as we passed it’s the kind of day when the only reason to go out is if you have to walk the dogs or for a packet of fags, we were both walking dogs. It’s a big well done to the Junction Ghillies getting 4 fish, its early days but let’s hope it’s a sign of a spring run. On the wildlife front we have a very tame otter with two young outside the hut on a daily basis, kingfishers are seen every day and on the good news front Cormorants and Goosanders are scarce for the moment, thats more likely due to the high water, the seal has also gone.
Thursday 4th February. Another horrible day with rain and sleet coming in on a stiff easterly wind. The gauge was reading 3’5” and 36 degrees and the colour of milky coffee, if anyone was trying to fish today they need sectioned.
Friday 5th February. For today see yesterday! East winds and heavy driving rain, gauge reading 5’6” this morning but over 6’0” by afternoon, more heavy rain all night and all day tomorrow, I’m pleased I’m not an old ewe standing out in a field all day and night in this. I normally write it’ll be better tomorrow, but it won’t be.
Saturday 6th February. Another atrocious day weather wise with more heavy rain and driving east winds, Tweed was sitting at 7’0” on the Lees gauge but the lower tributaries were big with the Leet forcing itself into the Tweed, normally Tweed backs the Leet up, I have also seen some photos of the Till which looks huge and no doubt the Whiteadder will be the same. It has been a whole week when you can get nothing done as everything is sodden, next week of course everything will be frozen to the ground. The one thing that all this weather will be doing will be lowering the cases of covid as no one will be out and about mixing (hopefully). On the bright side Scotland beat England 11-6 at Twickenham for the first time in years which makes it even better, I didn’t expect to win. Fishing next week? Maybe second half if everything freezes up but there is so much water on the ground and then as soon as the thaw sets in all the snow melt will be in.
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©M Campbell 2021
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