Week beginning 21 July 2014
Monday 21st July Following all the weather warnings over the last few days the Lees gauge this morning is showing 11” so hardly a flood situation, James Long with us for a couple of days, he couldn’t make it today so sent Dan to have a thrash at the water and despite his best efforts he managed to catch the same as everyone else of late, nowt! I put the two wooden boats onto the water today, slowly getting the fleet assembled for the huge run of Grilse that is going to be here any day now, gave the paths down to the Back of the wall a cut and gave Bob on the other side a cheery wave as I went past who was looking a bit sweaty as well cutting his path.
Tuesday 22nd July Where do the days go? They all seem to blend into one when its hot sunny and no fish about. Anyway today was a mirror image of yesterday, hot sunny, no fish. I got some new signs put up to deflect the walkers from the fishing hut, lifted the mole traps from around the hut, I’m not keen on putting them round the beat as they get pinched or vandalised but there are a good few moles down there, mind you they aren’t our moles, its just a pest trying to cut the grass over the top of the hills.
Wednesday 23rd July Team Burgon here today, and Trish (Queen of the Slap) had her waders on quicker than a rat up a drain pipe and was onto the Croy but to no avail. 7” on the gauge and 66 degs this morning, an overcast start but the sun was beating down by 11.00 and that was the day over. I strimmed round the Cauld bank and Cobble point, makes it look nice even if there’s no fish to be had. There was a fair bit of weed coming down today which is fine as the last two weeks of July are the agreed weed cutting months. Onions are loving the heat as is the Pumpkin but I fear some things are going to be ready long before the show in September.
Thursday 24th July A cloudy overcast start so I nipped down to Learmouth stream and got all the landing areas strimmed before the sun broke through, by 11.00am it was through and the heat soared again. The rods decided not to fish until tonight which was a wise move. Its about 6” on the gauge now and the far side of the Cauld is starting to dry, I did see a couple of old Seatrout throwing themselves out of the water at the Cobble point but no Salmon were showing, the catches downstream are disappointing to say the least with only one fish at Ladykirk yesterday and that was the only one off the whole river. Langholm common riding tomorrow so its an early start have to be up at 4.00am but its a great day out.
Friday 25th July Another scorcher and we’re off to Langholm for the common riding and Langholm fair, anyway a great was had with much drinking and merry making, no reports of any fish off the whole river today.
Saturday 26th July Clear blue skies and hot again the river temp at 12.00 was 72 degs which is too hot for fishing, not for the rods but for the fish, any fish that did take a fly would likely die during the fight. It’s to get a bit cooler over the weekend with a wee drop of rain but not enough to affect the river I would think. So the long wait continues for a flood until then I can’t see any change, sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that’s the way it is.
Photos are of Langholm and a couple of the garden for Clancy.
© M Campbell 2012
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