Week beginning 22 August 2016
Monday 22nd August.
A cloudy humid start to the day with the Lees gauge showing 1’7” and 58 degs also very beery. James long Lees regular and candle maker to the Pope was in the Cauldstream with Paul and soon had a large fish on the end of his line, so large in fact that James was no match for it and it was soon off the hook and back into the depths without anyone seeing it. Graham Hogg a Kelsonian and myself fished the Slap and backed the Temple up without any success apart from a couple of sharp tugs which could have been anything from a salmon to an angry Trout. Alan Clarke and Gunther Wimmer fished round the rest of the beat but fared no better, we did see enough fish to keep the interest up but they didn’t want to play. To have a blank day on the 22nd August at 1’7” and following a rise over the weekend it’s disappointing to say the least, there is more rain coming tonight but not enough for that 5’-6’ flood that we need I doubt. Latest- Gunther Austria’s finest fisher saves the day getting a fish around 7lb from the Glide.
Tuesday 23rd August. Another cloudy start to the day with the gauge showing 1’3” at the Lees and 58 degs, the water still has a bit of a beery tinge to it and the river bed being black makes it look even worse. I was in Learmouth stream this morning with Ron Horan where he managed an 11lb clean fish and that on his first ever trip to the Lees, he’s fished the other side many times and always wanted to give it a go from our bank so it paid off for Ron. David Houldsworth also on his first trip here had a 4lb clean grilse from the bottom end of the back of the wall so another happy punter. James Long and Gunther Wimmer failed today but Gunther is having a cast this evening so might still score. The sun broke through the cloud this afternoon and it was hot and humid so an evening cast could be the way to go. We are on floating lines with short inter tips and fly sizes from #10 to 1” tubes along with my favourite sunrays which David managed a boil at in the Slap this afternoon, it wasn’t one of those piffy little things but a good 7” single hook affair but the hook fixed with braid right at the back rather than a tube. The middle of the beat is still the place that’s holding the fish, the Cauld still not seeming to be able to pull them in, Temple has plenty in it but all old things, the other side backed it up with a spinner this morning and never had a touch. So at the moment that’s 4 for the day which is fair enough in these conditions.
Wednesday 24th August. Last nights heavy rain was a bit of a surprise and the bottom of the Teviot was rising this morning it reached us by lunchtime and added 6” to the Lees gauge along with more colour and weed etc in the water column, all was quiet until around 4.00pm when numbers of fish started to show in Learmouth stream we didn’t get a pull from them but it was nice to see them and hopefully they will still be there tomorrow. It wasn’t a wasted afternoon though as Alison Blaydon is now putting out a very nice circle “c” cast. Forecast for tomorrow is for a bit of cloud and maybe a wee shower.
Thursday 25th August. Well the bit of cloud turned into rain all day!!! 1’5” and 60 degs with a horrible colour and the chances of a fish being greatly reduced. The team fished for most of the day with a variety of flies but not a pull was had. There were fish showing from the Temple down to the Glide and possibly below that but I never had a look at the river below the Duddo. Alison perfected her circle “c” husband John and myself talked about fish, dogs more fish and the weather and it continued to rain, not enough to affect the river though just making it a dreich day. Friday and Saturday are to be nice and sunny, I’ll wait and see what’s there when I have my morning check out of the bedroom window.
Friday 26th August. 1’3” and 58 degs still with a dark beery tinge. There are more fish showing now but they just do not want to grab a fly apart from one which Paul caught in the ripples below the Iron Gate point and broke his rod playing the fish and it was all of 5lbs. There was a stiff south west wind blowing putting a nice ripple on the river but it made no difference apart from making it a bugger to row the boat. I had one splash at a hitched sunray in Cornhill bend this afternoon, but action was hard to find. There is no useful rain over the catchment that I can see so the best hope is a drop in water temp.
Saturday 27th August. Another lovely day out on the river with enough fish showing to keep me interested but we couldn’t get a pull from them apart from one in the Glide which was on for a few seconds then off again. 1’2” and 58 degs clean enough at last. There were plenty showing in Learmouth stream this morning and we threw everything at them from wee flees to big sunrays and skimmers but not so much as a boil was had. One of these days they’ll switch on and we’ll have a beano.
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