Week beginning 25 April 2022
Monday 25th April. Grey skies and a cold north light wind, height on the Lees gauge 1’0” and 48 degrees. Jonathon Reddin finishing off his 3 day trip was into action in no time getting a 7lb licer out of Learmouth stream on his wee black n yellow tube he also had 4 other pulls which is bordering on careless. Jonathan Pearce who is a long time Lees fisher was back today after a 2 year covid gap, he didn’t connect today but I’m sure he will tomorrow. Stuart and Geoff had one pull between them. We now have fish in most of the pools or at least seeing them as they go through, the Slap was fairly busy for a spell but none would look at a fly. Some good catches on the river today with Birgham dub getting 6 and I heard of a beat below us getting 7 this morning. I’d really like it to warm up and these fish might start holding with us plus it would be good for my garden and my soul. Lots of sandpipers now and they are all in full courtship mode, they don’t hang about those wee birds. Floating lines and sinktips of varying sink rates were order of the day and your favourite fly or a black n yellow if in any doubt.
Tuesday 26th April. I think I’m gonna bugger off back to the Bahamas as the weather here is bloody awful, grey skies for day after day and a north east wind just to cool it down even more. 1’0” on the gauge and 48 degrees, squeaky clean but stones covered in slime and dirt. A good few fish showing, well enough to keep up the interest and encourage more casting and the odd change of fly. Joe Dawson was here for the day to show Dad Stuart how to catch a fish, given the choice of the Back of the wall or the Slap and Cauld he very sensibly chose the latter, a few casts later he was into a lovely fresh fish of around the 7lb mark which took a #8 shitey whitey double, what a name for a fly! Dad had a pull off a fish in the Glide this afternoon and that was the total action. Paul Collinson fishing Learmouth stream this afternoon had a good few fish jumping but always upstream of him. I saw my first swallow of the season on the river; I saw one the other day coming out of a neighbour’s garage but today it was on the river. A wee hatch of olives had the odd trout up to the surface to take them but no proper rise. We could do with a rise of water to clean up the riverbed and hopefully from the west so it bloody well warms up.
Wednesday 27th April. It was cold this morning again with that bloody east wind, not a strong wind but it had plenty chill factor to it. 11” on the gauge and 48 degrees. Team Brymer here for 3 days to join Jonathon Pearce and make up the 4 rods. Rodger was on the Slap and Cauld but sadly failed to rise a fish, Jonathon was on Learmouth and saw a few but again no pulls, Duncan down on the Iron gate and Glide saw a fish covered it and had it on all too briefly and Tim down the bottom saw a fish in the Bags show twice covered it but no pulls. This afternoon Tim using one of my ridiculously large sunrays in the Slap had a large boil at it then a few casts later one had 3 goes at it on the same cast getting hold of the tail on the last attempt but not hooking itself, far better when they grab the head of the fly sideways on. Catches were well down on yesterday, David Foreman (back from looking at all things Egyptian) fishing down at Horncliffe had 2 first thing before the tide put him off. I heard the Junction had 7 yesterday all on very small flies for the time of year, but why not it’s almost summer level and squeaky clean just a bit on the cold side. Went out hunting Goosanders and the like but there were none to be seen, there is one less carrion though.
Thursday 28th April. A nice day at last it was almost warm this afternoon so I’ve cancelled my ticket to the Bahamas for now at least. 10” but a nippy 44 degrees which is a 4 degree drop on yesterday. Rodger Ward was soon into action getting a liced 12lber from the Glide, he was fishing a floater with a short sinktip and a wee orange tube. Up on the Cauld and Slap Duncan covered a few fish that showed in the Slap but none had the slightest interest in what he threw at them but just before lunch one did, he had it on for a minute on a #10 silver stoat then a shake of the head and it was off, the Cauld seems to be devoid of fish at this height, we see the odd one going through but none are hanging about. This afternoon Tim Young fishing at the Iron Gate saw a fish show at the ripple he moved down covered it and it took straight away, the fish ran back up towards the point jumped and was away which tested Tim’s used of the English language. This evening Andrew on what must be his first foray this spring popped down to Learmouth as we’d seen a few there this afternoon and landed a fresh 10lber on a #cascade the fish had obviously had a tussle with a seal fairly recently as it was well scratched don its flanks. David Foreman text me mid morning to say he’d had 3 down at Tweedhill and there were plenty fish there, all very encouraging going ahead.
Friday 29th April. It was a lovely day today almost flat calm with sunshine, a perfect spring day really; it was frosty first thing as my birdbath was frozen over. 10” and 46 degrees. Tim continued with his losing streak in the Cornhill bend this time with a decent fish shaking itself off after 20 seconds. Duncan did better getting two from the Iron Gate 12lb and 9kbs both liced, there were a few fish showing there this morning. Jonathon just couldn’t get a pull from anything despite covering fish in Learmouth stream. There were some belting trout rising today to the olives that were coming down and a clutch of newly hatched ducklings were making the most of them as well. Every fish I saw today was brand new and sparkling in the sun it’s just a pity that more of them wouldn’t take the fly but it was great to see lots of fish, I don’t mean “hunners” (any number between 2 and 1000) but enough to keep it interesting. It’ll be better tomorrow but then again Michael Black is coming with his lurcher Crumble so something will go wrong.
Saturday 30th April. Well Michael Black didn’t come as he was on babysitting duties so his guests had a decent day apart from the fact they didn’t manage to catch a fish. A nice start to the day which turned to light rain by 4.00pm. We saw fish in every pool, again not loads but enough to keep us going. New rod to the Lees Tom Gladwin, I think I have the surname right sorry if I haven’t had a hold of a fish in the Glide and that was the only pull of the day. John Marshall filling in for Crumble had fish above him and below him in Learmouth but couldn’t get a pull and Sandy Lang followed suit with a blank. The catches were well down on yesterday but fish were seen so there is hope for next week. Today’s rain is hardly enough to wet the stones here so it won’t help with the levels. Forecast is for another dry week but cooler with winds to go back into the north for a few days.
If anyone is looking for accommodation in the area check out The Bothy on airbnb in Coldstream or ring 07786598475 it would suit a couple or a single rod.
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©M Campbell 2022
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