Week beginning 27 July 2015
Monday 27th July It was the kind of morning where staying in bed would be the preferred option with north winds and rain hardly weather for the end of July. Francis Sandison and Vicky Jager fishing today and a little bit of rain wasn’t going to put them off their made of sterner stuff. We put Vicky onto the Slap first off but never had a sniff which is unusual to say the least on a Monday morning, undeterred we launched the Cauld boat and had a run through the Cauld with a wee bottle tube monkey and half way down had a hard tug and a fish was on, I thought it was a Seatrout to start with as the take was so fast and hard but it turned out to be a 14lb hen Salmon with a few lice still on, the double hook was in the roof of the mouth so came out easily and she was soon on her way. By 11.30 we joined Francis down on Learmouth Stream and he had a smile on his face also as he’d landed and returned a nice fresh 6lber. By lunchtime the river was starting to rise and by 2.00pm was showing 1’7” on the lees gauge there was also a lot of weed coming down, all cut stuff as the last two weeks in July are weed cutting time, looking at the gauges it’s the bottom of the Teviot thats got most water in it but even then its not got a lot, it might have a tad of colour tomorrow but hopefully not too much. Latest, Francis landed another Salmon at 9lbs from the Back of the wall.
Tuesday 28th July. Raining again and the gauge showing 2’3” and rising and looking at the website the levels are all over the place. Harry Birbeck here with Mike Edward for two days. I suggested spinning today with the colour of the water and the ledges and Cauld being the spots to concentrate the efforts, Harry tried the ledges first and had two Seatrout landed and two lost along with what he thought was a Salmon all on a 20 gram Toby, Mike had a nice fresh 5lbs Seatrout from the Lower cauld, after lunch the colour was getting worse and there was a heavy shower or two, I was also speaking to someone who had travelled down from Jedburgh and they said the roads were awash with water and it was double wipers when driving so all that has to come this way.
Wednesday 29th July. 3’0” on the gauge this morning and very brown, 53degs which is cold for the time of year. Harry and Mike were beaten before they started today but they were here so they gave it a go anyway but by 2.00pm they decided they were beaten the river had only dropped 1” and the colour was no better. We actually saw a wee bit of sunshine for about an hour today but all it did was make the river look even browner, by this evening it was back to rain. It was the Teviot effect that beat us, looking at the web sites there’s nothing caught below Junction today. I managed to get the paths cut today as there was a bit of wind that dried the grass and got the second temple boat on as the way this summer’s going we might be needing it. The report from now on is going to be a bit sketchy as it’s Langholm Common riding on Friday, Lauder Common riding on Saturday and Coldstream week starts on Sunday so no report next week I’m afraid just one big hangover.
Thursday 30th July 2’3” and 54 degs very beery, 1 salmon and 1 Seatrout, the Seatrout was a 16lber which is a big Seatrout.
Friday 31st July Langholm Common riding which was a great day, 1 Salmon and 1 Seatrout again I’m told.
Saturday 1st August 1 salmon and 2 Seatrout reported, so 27 salmon for July and 42 Seatrout, No report next week remember.