Week beginning 20 August 2018
Monday 20th August. A warm humid day with the water temp back up to 60 degrees, it was a little bit murky, a sort of road washings colour but we’ve caught fish in a lot worse. I was with James Long in Learmouth stream and we managed to get a 3lb grilse that had been in the river for a while, we didn’t see many fish either. Francis Sanderson up on the Cauld also had a fish a wee bit bigger though coming in around 11lb, Graeme Hogg managed a 10lber from the Back of the wall and that was this morning’s score. This afternoon James Long had another fish from the Back of the wall and that’s where the scores ended. I expected to see more fish today but perhaps they have their heads down in this smelly water, It’ll be better tomorrow.
Tuesday 21st August. Another warm humid day, 1’3” and 60 degrees and black. Not many fish showing today, enough to keep it interesting and hopeful but very few takers. James Long had a 14lber from Cornhill bend which had it been a cock he might have kept it but it was a hen so back it went. Mike Kemeny had a fish take a large collie dug in the cauld but it didn’t stick on, wading the tail end later on he landed a 4lb seatrout, Graeme Hogg had a 4lb grilse from Learmouth stream this morning, Graeme who fished on this evening has just text to say no more action but lots of fish showing in the back of the wall. The catches up and down the river were lower today, I’ll put it down to running out of water again and the colour and temp, it can’t be the Ghillies fault. The promised rain for tomorrow looks like it’s going to miss us yet again and head more north, we are going to have a damp drizzly sort of day.
Wednesday 22nd August. A damp start to the day and thats all it was damp. Not enough to wet the ground under the trees, the team flogged away all morning but the only action was James Long losing a fresh wee Grilse in the Cauld which was very careless when they are hard to come by. Down in Learmouth there were plenty showing, I say plenty but it was really just enough to keep it interesting. The sun came out this afternoon which didn’t help but this didn’t deter Mike Kemeny who had a 7lber from Cornhill bend and a 4lber from Duddo. The cheery weathergirl tells me that its to cool down a lot in the next few days, so that will help things a bit as these humid days are no good. The Lees gauge was showing 1’0” this morning and 60 degrees, my hens are still laying and my Kelsae onions are looking braw so its not all bad.
Thursday 23rd August. A much fresher day with a light west wind blowing down the river. 1’0” and 58 degrees. I was in the cauld this morning with Andy Iles and despite covering the place with several flies we didn’t get a touch and in fact only saw the one old fish. Down at the Middle stream Mike Kemeny kept up the good work getting a 5lber, whilst in Learmouth stream Duncan Brymer had 4 pulls none of which stuck on. This afternoon Andy was in Cornhill bend and after a 14 year wait, yes 14 years!!!! He hooked and landed an 11lb fresh hen fish, a quick photo and back it went. Alex Faber out for a cast this evening had a 5lber from Learmouth stream making it 3 for the day. Now its getting a bit colder and fresher things might pick up a bit, we still need more water but its not looking likely.
Friday 24th August. A fresh morning with a North West wind blowing down the Temple and Cauld and blowing straight up the Bags and Duddo. Alex Faber was straight into action in the Slap on his 4th cast of the day getting a cleanish 10lb hen which he returned, Nick Douglas Home was first to congratulate him albeit through gritted teeth. Alex went on to get a 16lb liced cock fish at the Iron Gate to give him a brace for the day. Down on the Glide this afternoon Nick had a fish up twice to the skimmer but it wouldn’t open its mouth and grab it. It is much colder tonight so that should drop the river temps even more, 58 degrees this morning and 1’1” nice and clean although the river bed is still very mucky. The cheery weathergirl is now saying we are going to get some proper rain on Sunday, to me it looks like we are going to miss the worst of it, we’ll find out on Sunday.
Saturday 25th August. 1’0” and 54 degrees which is much more like it. Robert Fellows had a couple of fresh Grilse from Learmouth stream whilst Jane had a brief hold of two in the Slap but they wouldn’t stick on. Down on the Back of the Wall Mark Clarfelt had a 10lb hen (not sure if it was on a “Clarfelt” fly) and this afternoon Robert lost a fish in Cornhill bend, so the score was three for the day, had they all stuck on we could have doubled that but that’s fishing. The latest forecast shows a wet day tomorrow but not wet enough for a decent flood I fear.
©M Campbell 2018
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