Week beginning 1 July 2019
Monday 1st July. Bit of a wind blowing this morning from the North West but this wasn’t enough to stop Ian Gregson getting a fly across the Slap and hooking a fish on his very first cast of the trip. The fish shook its head the whole time Ian was playing it until it shook itself off the hook; it’s maybe still shaking its head for all we know. The wind picked up even more so I took him in the boat to cast from the right side and another fish obliged, after a bit of a tussle as it ran down through the Slap into the Cauld we landed a liced 7lber, Ian being very noble and conservation minded put the fish back even though we can now keep the odd one. Graeme Whitty had a brief hold of a fish in Learmouth stream which swam straight towards him and dropped the hook. 10” and 62 degrees this morning but running clean.
Tuesday 2nd July. A nice morning still a bit windy but good enough. 9” on the gauge and 60 degrees. Graeme Whitty was up top this morning, we gave the Slap a cast from both sides but couldn’t get a sniff from anything, we didn’t see anything in the Slap either, into the Cauld and we were just beginning to think it was empty as well when a a fish grabbed a hold and set off round the pool, it was out the water four times and gave a hell of a fight for what turned out to be a 9lb liced hen which Graeme put back much to Terry’s horror as he’s on the hunt for a bit of smoky smoky! Ian fished the rest of the beat (well some of it) but didn’t see a scale, I heard that Tweedmill had three fresh fish yesterday and lost another two, Gardo the last remaining net had 8 fish in one shot which of course would all be killed but it shows some fish are nosing in.
Wednesday 3rd July. Terry Harper up top this morning and we gave the Slap a few different flies with no result not even a bow wave to the Collie dug, into the Cauld and the same result so it was back to the paper and a refreshment for Terry, strimming the Annay for me. Ian and Graeme fishing round the rest of the beat fared no better the only thing being caught was suntan. They are off to Middle Pavilion tomorrow so wee flees will be the order of the day. I’m off to catch a trout and see if I can sort out some more of Mr Packham’s Carrions which are making the big mistake of flying over from Englandshire into Scotland.
Thursday 4th July. I went out for a trout last night, I thought I’d try the ledges at the top of the Temple, there were some nice trout sipping away but just as I was sneaking up the water’s edge Jock the wee ginger dug decided that the mallard duck with her family posed an immediate threat to my life and launched into defend mode chasing away the ducks and any trout. Rodger Aston and team joined us for the next three days, it fairly confusing as there are three Rodgers. Paul was looking after them but at lunchtime they had nothing to report apart from seeing one old one in the Slap and a seatrout. I’ve been getting on with some strimming round the beat keeping all the paths open and giving the Bags a cut, also had to take down a willow at the Glide as kids/youths have set all the flood debris that was round the base alight killing the tree. Catches were low again today but Tillmouth and Birgham Dub had 4 apiece. 8” and 60 degrees with a north west wind. Jock the wee ginger dug has been up to no good again today, he got the smell of a bitch in season on the wind and buggered off, following a phone call I found him but he legged it as soon as he saw me and went back to the Glide, so thats it he’s off to vets next week to get his bollocks off.
Friday 5th July. An overcast morning with the gauge showing 7” well it would if it went down that far. Rodger and I were discussing pruning fruit trees in summer when Paul came in to say Steve had a 7lber from the Slap, this spurred Rodger into action and off he went to the Glide. I was busy strimming and sweating (sweating about as much as Jock the ginger dug hearing he’s booked in for Tuesday)so I don’t know if the lads have had any more success. Its raining fairly hard at the moment but its only for a couple of hours so not much help for the river. I’m off again for a trout/seatrout tonight with Jock on close watch in case of more duck attacks. Speaking to other lads there seem to be plenty seatrout about but very few salmon at the moment, I’m sure with a bit of water that’ll all change. At least this afternoon’s rain saves me having to wash the car.
Saturday 6th July. The lads had to leave this morning due to illness so I hope you get better soon. 6” on the gauge and 60 degrees. Paul is off to fish the Glide and Iron Gate, he had a couple of casts at the Slap with a wee fly which produced nothing, after repairing my waders I chucked a sunray over the Slap which produced a very aggressive boil but no pull followed up on the second cast by a long bow wave but again no pull. I went out last night to try one of those gold head nymphs in some of the streams but walking into Learmouth stream the water came straight into my right foot which kind of put me off a bit, I went to the Glide to try the tail end but there were four trout rods there so went home to investigate the source of the leak. Catches were on the low side again yesterday but there were fish caught below us at Tillmouth and Milne Graden which is good news, not such good news was a report of a Pink salmon being caught at Horncliffe, do they interfere with the Atlantic salmon? I don’t know, they breed earlier and push off to sea very soon after hatching I’m told, but they shouldn’t be there in the first place. No sign of heavy rain for next few days so it’s not getting any easier, at least it’s not 80 degrees in blazing sun like last year.
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