Week beginning 21 November 2016
Monday 21st November. A bit of a shock this morning when I looked out the front door as everything was white over with frost and a hard frost at that. Team Baker on the Lees this week and the conditions were more or less perfect this morning apart from the ice in the rod rings, 1’9” and 34 degrees but nice and clean after last week’s murky water. Mike Firth was down in Learmouth stream and was top dog getting a 17lb hen which was carefully returned, that sadly was the only action for the day and in fact I didn’t see a fish all day, the water temp being down at 34 tends to keep their heads down anyway apart from the fact there’s almost nothing there. SEPA have issued a flood alert for the Scottish borders and at 8.30pm it’s started raining so fishing looks unlikely tomorrow.
Tuesday 22nd November. Rained all night and blew a hoolie, I was up at 5.30am as worried about Learmouth boat as if river gets over five foot you can’t get to it and if it get bigger than that you have a lost boat, so it was along to Learmouth with jeep in dark and rain to pull boat off. At the time of writing this it’s over 6’0” and still rising, I took the opportunity to pop up to Borders Gunroom to pick up some supplies for my fishing trip and the Tweed is red up there so fishing tomorrow is very doubtful unless there’s a freeze tonight of ice age proportions. The gauges tonight are showing the Lees gauge to be running around eight and a half feet, that’s is if could see it as it only goes up to six foot six inch.
Wednesday 23rd November. Back to frost this morning and the river running at 4’6” and filthy so no fishing again today. Mike Firth decided he’d had/seen enough and headed for home, he’s not going to miss much as there’s not going to be a big rush of silver fish coming up the river anytime soon. So it was check and bail out the boats and pulled one of the wooden boats off and got it turned over on the hard standing when there are 4 of us here to do it as it weighs a bloody ton and I’m not getting any younger or supple. I see from the websites there were 2 fish caught today 1 at the Yair and 1 at Traquair making the nearest fish to us about some 40 miles away! Anyway the forecast is for a sunny day tomorrow with a hard frost again which is settling in as I write this, will we get any fish? I have my doubts, we could hardly catch any when it was in good order so... but it’ll be a nice day out.
Thursday 24th November. 3’0” and 34 degrees and still a bit too murky for me but it was a lovely calm sunny morning with a hard frost on the ground. The lads were keen to be on as they haven’t fished since Monday so on we went. At 3’0” the only bits worth fishing are the Temple and Cauld and even then the Cauld at 3’0” is still too big and the Temple this year has been dire but we have to fish somewhere. The height necessitated a change of line and this caused a degree of confusion and a bit of Hmmm I’ve never used a wet 4 type, I don’t own one, is it legal? We paddled round the pools but it was Edward who came up trumps getting a 14lb cock fish from the ledges, which figures really as its thin water where the fish can see a fly, anyway he was chuffed to bits and it’s encouragement for the rest of the team not that Stewart needs any as he’s going to get a fish every cast, you have to admire his optimism. Another frost tonight so that should drop and clear the river again.
Friday 25th November. Perfect conditions for the Lees today, clean water, cold and a spot on height for the Temple it was also flat calm and a numbers game was on the cards unfortunately the number was naught, zero, bugger all but we did get a salmon kelt which ironically was the cleanest fish I’ve landed in weeks in fact since September. This team are not put off by slim chances and it was a lovely day out on the river, Stewart took the opportunity to brush up on his circle”c” and Sarah and myself had a grand bleather this morning in the Temple, Rodger was in charge of stoking the fire and keeping general order whilst Phillip and Steven discussed what pub they would be in tonight to sample an ale or two. 2’6” and 36 degrees so we were on wet 2 type lines teamed up with a tube fly of any kind you like really just use your favourite it’ll be fine. On the wildlife front the Otters are still about as are the kingfishers, there are still some golden plover here and one solitary whooper swan down the back of the wall which is honking or whooping really for its pals. Another frost forecast for tonight so that’ll help and who knows we might catch a fish.
Saturday 26th November, Another cold day but less frost, it was one of those damp grey mornings where the cold gets right through you. 2’3” and clean 34 degrees. The lads and Sarah set off about their duties but Richard was the cat that got the cream getting a 6lber from the Back of the wall, not only did he get the only fish of the day it was nearly fresh and a cock so was kept for Xmas. I saw one other fish in the Cauld and Steven Morgan briefly had a hold of one in the lower cauld but it was hooked amidships and thankfully came off after a few seconds. Rodger Baker who has fished with us for many years and kept the team under control has decided to pass captaincy over to Stewart Andrew who will do a sterling job, but Rodger will still be coming up for a visit to make sure everything is as it should be. Conditions were perfect again today but theses just no fish. It’ll be alright in the end and if it’s not alright it’s not the end. Log onto instagram for photos.
© M Campbell 2016
our twitter feed