Week beginning 25 February 2019
Monday 25th February. What a glorious day, it was warm sunny calm, an amazing day for February and in fact the warmest February day ever. 1’8” and 45 degrees on the Lees gauge. Colin Hewitt and Jim Gordon here today along with Nigel Turpin and John Laybourne. The lads were soon spread round the beat and at their duties. Nigel was in the Cauld with me and we fished it up and down for a couple of hours without seeing a thing, around noon we both saw a couple of fresh fish and within minutes he had a lice 9lb in the net, this was to be the only fish of the day. Another 11 fish were reported off the river spread as far as Milne Graden to Upper Mertoun. Let’s hope for the same tomorrow.
Tuesday 26th February. A frosty start which turned into another lovely warm sunny blue sky day. Joined today by Adrian Parr, Dean Hilton and Alistair Makinson but sadly all their combined skill couldn’t tempt a fish, I did see a fish half way down the back of the wall and a heavy splash right at the top of the Cauldstream but that was it today, Lower North Wark were the golden boys getting 3 this morning so well done Calum. The birds were singing the Skylarks are paired up, a butterfly flew past and Ladybirds were all over the place, I hope they can go back into hibernation as it’s too be a lot colder come the weekend. “Puppy Jock” today shredded a roll of kitchen towel in the back of the jeep this morning, ate an old dead fish which he then threw up not in the jeep but nearly, I forgot to put a spar into the chicken hut pop hole so he got in again and got the eggs so will likely fart all night again, apart from that he was well behaved.
Wednesday 27th February. A wee bit cooler today but just as sunny. 1’5” and 40 degrees squeaky clean. Ray Anderson joined us today along with Mike Heuck but despite their best efforts they couldn’t get a fish to pull. We did see one in the Cauld both this morning and this afternoon. There was a fish caught right down at Tweedhill today and a fish at Lower Floors with long tailed lice so it really is a story of getting one to stop in your pool and you have a chance, hopefully us tomorrow.
Thursday 28th February. The last day of February which almost every year I’m glad to see the back of but this year with the warm weather and a few fish about I almost enjoyed it, almost. Today was a different day, much cooler and dull all day. Colin Mathieson joined us today and the first thing he did was empty the water out of his leaky waders from his last days fishing then put them on!!!!! Colin waded all the way down the Back of the Wall through the Glide, Duddo and the Middle Stream this morning and this afternoon after running through the Cauld with the boat he waded the tail, he eventually said it was a bit chilly at 4.30pm. I waded for 10 mins yesterday discovered a leak and didn’t go back into water; Colin is made of tough stuff. Only 3 fish off the river today 1 each for Carham, Sprouston and Pedwell. We didn’t see a scale at the Lees all day. 9 for February, 3 Temple, 5 Cauld and 1 Learmouth stream.
Friday 1st March. Only two fish reported across the websites tonight and that marries up exactly with what we saw at the Lees today, at the moment there are very few fish in the system, 1 was at Upper Floors and 1 down at Ladykirk, so a lot of water in between that produced nothing, we managed a Kelt at the Lees. At least the weather is a lot better than last year when we were up to our knicky nacky noos in snow with a wind chill of -2000.
Saturday 2nd March. A calm start but the wind was building as the day went on. Full team of local lads fishing today. 1’3” and 42 degrees. Norman Shankie was the rod on top form getting a 8lb tide licer from the cauld. We did see a couple of other fish head and tailing, one in the Cauld and one in the Middle stream. River is up a foot this morning (Sunday) so that might “bring them in” and at least shuffle the pack a bit. As ever see instagram or facebook tweedbeats for latest photos and clips. ©M Campbell 2019
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