Week beginning 27 November 2017
Monday 27th November
Well here we are into the final straight at last; this month has lasted two months it seems with each day getting worse than the last. Fully booked for the last four days but today a couple of rods didn’t show, one due to not wanting to fish in these conditions and the other with other reasons, so we were three rods today which was plenty. 2’4” and rising with a river temp of 38 degrees. Liz Macgregor fished the Cauld all morning and we saw a couple of kelts, Roger Wadsworth and his son Tom headed down the beat to cover the rest but neither had a pull. After lunch with the river up to 2’8” Tom got into a fish at the Iron Gate which he successfully landed, it was a hen around the 9lb mark and very coloured but it was his birthday so he was made up as it was also his first fish on the fly, well done Tom. It appears looking at the websites that Tom’s fish was the only fish off the river today. Quite a few beats are not fishing, that and the rising river would have a lot to do with the scores, mind you there were only two fish caught last Saturday.
Tuesday 28th November. It was a bit milder than I was expecting today or should I say it wasn’t as cold. 2’8” and 38 degrees but clean. Two of the team packed up mid morning, one due to leaking waders and one due to the cold and the non existence of fish. Liz Macgregor fished her way down through the Iron Gate and Glide with a left hand cast that would put a good number of our other male rods to shame (and no she’s not left handed) Roger Wadsworth and Tom fished the bottom of the beat and did see a fish, Tom told me and it was alive. Ralph Holmes was the top banana getting a seatrout Kelt from the Cauld. There’s nothing more to add to the day really. Score for the day 1 Seatrout Kelt, 1 rat and 1 mole. On the bright side though one of my pullets has started laying so its glass half full again. No fish reported off the river today.
Wednesday 29th November. The end of the season has sneaked up on us a day early this year. 2’3” and 37 degrees. The team today gave it a go this morning and then started to drop off, the cold and the lack of fish making decisions for them and also Ross breaking his rod. Paul and Kevin managed to get a salmon Kelt out of the Temple and that will be the last fish of the 2017 season as all tomorrows rods have called off. I don’t blame them as the forecast is for snow showers and a bitter cold north wind. So what do I say about the backend? Someone once said to me, wouldn’t it be great if it went back to a spring river. I disagreed as its now perhaps happening and once you get past mid October there’s nothing left. At least when it was a backend river you were expecting each week in the spring to be a wee bit better than the last and looking forward to a big backend run, now there’s nothing to look forward to. It’ll be aright in the end and if it’s not alright it’s not the end. This is a rare statement from me; I’m looking forward to February! I’m looking forward to February as I might see a big silver salmon again. I think there are a few days left next spring (just a few) so if you want them don’t hang about; once they’re gone they’re gone. Only 3 fish off the river today.
Thursday 30th November. The last day of the 2017 seasonand we had no one fishing, all the rods called off due to the weather and the lack of fish. The water conditions were perfect but empty of salmon. The boats were pulled off and placed into their winter anchorage. Then it was off to Kelso to the annual Ghillies end of season bash held in the Contented Vine, and very nice it was too, what I can remember of it. On the bright side the next fish I catch on Tweed will be a tide liced springer.
See you all in 2018 but keep your eye on instagram for winter updates.
©M Campbell 2017
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