Week beginning 1 March 2021
Monday 1st March. It was a glorious start to the month, not only was the weather perfect but a fish was landed at the Lees, it was a fresh 12lber and was caught after a bit of a tussle by Paul who had anchored himself in the Upper Temple to cover that bit at the top of the wall, he had to anchor as its only one person in a boat unless you are from same household but it does make landing a fish a bit of a task. I tried the Lower cauld and very enjoyable it was, that will be the first time I’ve picked up a rod for a cast since September, I blanked. 2’6” and 41f squeaky clean. There were 6 fish reported that I’ve heard of from Lower Floors down to us, I’m not sure how much fishing effort is going on at the moment as it is local rods only.
Tuesday 2nd March. A different day today with a fogy start and a cold air from the east, 2’4” and 40 degrees nice and clean. D Foreman turned up again for a cast and waded the Ledges and Lower Cauld but there was no one at home, he took himself off down the beat this afternoon but as I’ve not heard any reports I presume another blank. I popped home at lunchtime and pressed Sally (wife) into service as she is still recovering from Long Covid and got her into the Cauld boat (allowed as same household), we went through it with a fly then tried a 20g toby as she was getting tired and its allowed at this height, result nothing. Paul on the other hand was wading the Lower cauld and hooked into a decent fish that gave a big pull, it turned out to be a 11lb liced springer which had him smiling. The Makerstoun beats had a couple and I think a couple at Lower Floors although they haven’t posted them at time of writing this. A north east wind from tomorrow which will be a bugger just as the bottom of the beat is coming into play.
Wednesday 3rd March. Another cold grey day but this time it had a bit of mizzle going on as well, I tried the cauld with my getting keener wife Sally but we failed David Foreman waded the Lower Cauld which looked perfect but he also blanked, Paul had a splash about in the Temple but also blanked thats not to say there is nothing there we just didn’t see or catch any. 2’2” and 40 f at the Lees. Lower North Wark the beat above us had one and Birgham Dub had a fish, I popped up to Melrose to Border guns and Tackle for a few bits and bobs and didn’t see many rods out on the river so effort is perhaps dictating caches. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Thursday 4th March. Well, Lady Luck was smiling on the ladies and especially one lady today, Sally getting keen wife had two springers from the Temple this afternoon, we were in the Temple as it was out of the bitter cold north east wind. We were about half way down I was thinking there’s nothing here as it’s a big pool in the spring trying to find one of the few springers that are about, we were enjoying the float down the pool when Sally gave a bit of a squeal and the first was on the hook, I thought it was a kelt at first as it rolled slowly on the surface but soon woke up and headed upstream, it would have turned the scales at 9lbs. 15 minutes later another squeak and another springer 8lbs this time. Sally very pleased, me very surprised, I can’t remember the last time I netted two springers in the Temple in an afternoon. In 2018 we only had 2 fish out of the Temple for the whole season funnily enough both caught by the same man, one in February and one in October. David Foreman fished the Lower cauld and Learmouth but didn’t have any action; Quentin McLaren had a Kelt from the Ledges but was only too please to congratulate Sally through gritted teeth when we met up. 2’1“and 40 degrees squeaky clean.
Friday 5th March. No action for us today even though conditions were more or less perfect, 2’0” and 40 degrees and so clean you can see for yards. The beat is not exactly being heavily fished but we are doing the hot spots so if we found one there is every chance of a pull. Got a couple of keen local lads on tomorrow so hopefully they will find one, I did see a couple of fish head and tail in the Temple this afternoon but they will be at Kelso tomorrow. 13 fish reported off the river today and I heard of one from the Kelso angling part of the Teviot. The wildlife is increasing round the beat with oystercatchers in numbers now, kingfishers on every pool and bloody otters everywhere. Sally was confined to barracks today to give everyone else a chance, she doesn’t read this so no skelp round the lug.
Saturday 6th March. A west wind today but not a lot warmer, 1’11” and 38 degrees. Colin Tait and Calum joined us for the day and we soon had them covering the water, Calum lasted until lunchtime but leaking waders and 38f water are not a good mix so he legged it home. This afternoon Paul hooked and landed a liced 7lber from the Cauldstream which proved to be quite a challenge as he had borrowed Andrews’s rod and reel which it has to be said has seen better days, Paul's comment on the reel was “I’ve chucked better in the bin”. Colin up in the Ledges having switched to a dressed treble also landed a liced 7lber (seeTweedbeats on instagram for photo). There are 10 fish reported on the websites tonight which is respectable with what little effort is going on. The height is coming to where we like it in the spring but rain is on the horizon for next week which is a shame, springers will run at summer level and we can get at them we don’t want any more water thanks at the moment.
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©M Campbell 2021
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