Week beginning 21 August 2017
Monday 21st August. A lovely day out on the river, one of the nicest days this summer in fact. That said it didn’t help the fishing being warm, flat calm almost humid. The Temple had a good number of fish showing so I suggested to Graeme Hogg that we’d give it a go which we did and never had so much as a pull, it gets like that, dark water and warm the Temple is not much use but we had to give it a go. The Slap was no better so we dropped into the Cauld where in no time we had a decent fish on, it would have tipped the scales at 14lb but was a hen so we slipped her back, by lunch Graeme had another 3 onto the bank, 3 from the boat and one wading the lower cauld and losing another. Down at Learmouth stream Mike Kemeny had 4 pulls but none stuck on. This afternoon James Long of candle fame had a skinny grilse from the back of the wall whilst Francis Sandison had a nice 7lber from the Cauld. I thought I’d see more today but I have to remember its still August so 6 plus all the other pulls isn’t a bad day. All the team were on intermediate lines and a cascade seemed to be the killer fly, even the faithful Sunray/Collie let me down today with not a bow wave to it. No seals today which is a plus (mind you I was ready for them) but we did have the otter, kingfisher and a family of Dippers down at the Duddo. Kevin down at Milen Graden text me to say there were loads of fish running past him this morning so I’m expecting great things tomorrow, then again loads of fish to Kevin is a dozen. Flipper over at Learmouth had a good morning getting 4 to 17lb whilst Birgham Dub were top bananas with 8 getting 7 of them this morning.
Tuesday 22nd August. Another humid morning which didn’t help the fishing, they must be a bit like humans when its hot and humid, we just want to sit on a beach in the shade with a cold beer and do nothing. Jeremy Grace was the only rod to connect with a fish which fell off as quickly as it was on. This afternoon a wee breeze picked up which cooled things down a bit and brought the fish on. John Kelly just here for the day had 3 from Learmouth stream the best being 20lbs, he returned them all. Mike Kemeny with me on the cauld managed to pull the skimmer away from the fish just in time before it bit it, he made up for it later when wading the lower cauld he landed a liced grilse. Down the Back of the wall to the Glide there were plenty fish showing this morning but they were not in the mood to play no matter what fly we showed them, James Long persisted down there this afternoon and had a 9lber for his efforts. There is some rain forecast for tonight but it will likely just give us a nuisance rise from the Teviot no doubt, dark water again putting the fish right off. 1’7” and 56 degrees which is a good height for most of the beat we just need the fish to switch on. Floating lines with inter tips covers most situations #8 doubles or trebles or give a Collie Dug a blast across them.
Wednesday 23rd August. Overcast but still humid. 1’6” and 60 degrees and clean. Tim joined me in the Cauld this morning and it took a while but we eventually got a nice 9lber right in the tail end from the right bank, we also used the skimmer the whole way down but not even a nose came up to look at it. Meanwhile down in Learmouth Mike fishing with Paul were discussing the merits of fluorocarbon leader material, Paul saying it was crap and Mike saying he’s never had a problem with it, he’d no sooner uttered the words and he was into a big fish, then he wasn’t as the leader had gone this happens too often so consider it banned from the Lees. James Long fishing Cornhill bend hooked into a decent fish which ran down into Duddo stream and had the line wrapped round a rock on the other side, fearing the worst the day was saved by the Boatman form the other side coming to his rescue, the result being a 17lb cock fish and a very happy James. The catches on the river were a bit disappointing apart from us and Birgham Dub who had 6 a piece. Mike of fluorocarbon fame recovered some face by getting a grilse from the Babyhouse this afternoon but he’s still on a yellow card. Last fish of the day that I know of went to Duncan Bremer getting a 12lber from the Cauld this afternoon on a Dee Monkey plastic tube which took the fish right on the surface which is a great sight. The top gauges are rising and it looks like tomorrow will be an unsettled river yet again but at least the Teviot’s not away.
Thursday 24th August. 2’0” and 58 degrees and a wee bit of dirt in the water. Duncan was first into action in the back of the wall landing a cracking 16lber and managing to break his rod in the process, he snapped the top section in half, perhaps not keeping it far enough away when beaching, difficult in the heat of the moment, the fish was liced and to his credit safely returned. Just downstream Mike had a 15lber at the Iron Gate which was returned as well, this spurred Duncan into more action and he then had a 9lber which was also returned. Jeremy on the Cauld where I was expecting him to bag up surprisingly blanked. At lunchtime my round robin of texts told me that the catches up river were very poor due to black water coming down and sure enough it was with us in the afternoon and we never had so much as a pull. There were some really good fish showing, big and silver so perhaps tomorrow when its settled down again we could be amongst them. All the fish were on floaters with fast sink tips and either a black and yellow or a cascade tube around the inch and a bit length.
Friday 25th August. 1’6” and 59 degrees but still black water. There were fish jumping all over the place and I thought it would be harder not to catch one than catch one. I took Sissy into the Cauld and we gave it a selection of flies from #6 trebles to tubes then skimmers and a large sunray but not a sniff did we have. Nick down at Learmouth reported the same thing, fish all around but no action, some of the fish were silver and in the teens of pounds but they were just not interested. That black water just kills it, I don’t know if it’s the PH level or the taste but there’s certainly something they don’t like. The beats above Kelso seemed to be catching one or two so I presume the water was clearing up there, closest beat to us to score was Lower North wark with two. I hope they come on tomorrow as we could have a really good day. Duncan you left your bag on the table yesterday containing some butter, bread, apples and a couple of tins of salmon. The hens have had the bread and I’ve eaten the salmon, the bag and knife are safe and you can get them next visit. Forecast looks fair over the weekend so we are bound to catch up with these fish sometime. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Saturday 26th August. Still a beery tinge to the colour of the river and not so many fish showing today in the Cauld, Sissy and myself gave the cauld a good going over this morning but never had a touch, Richard down on the Glide did a bit better getting a 10lb licer and a pull off something else. This afternoon I was with mark on Learmouth stream and he had a fish second cast, a 7lb older thing but very welcome when they are hard to tempt. There were plenty fish showing in the stream and some of them well up the stream towards the Cauld. The catches are not stunning by any standards but we have to remember it’s still August and combine that with black water and we can’t expect boatloads. The team are going out this evening so there’s every chance the score will increase.
As always see instagram for latest photos.
©M Campbell 2017
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