Week beginning 29 August 2016
Monday 29th August. A bright sunny warm day (why wasn’t it like this in June/July?). 1’1” and 58 degrees with clean water at last. It was always going to be a difficult day but Rory Douglas Home was up to the challenge and with a few technical changes to the terminal tackle we had a 8lb fresh hen out of Learmouth stream on a wee black frances, there were a good few showing down the stream but we could only manage the one pull, another one at 5lb was caught off the bank at the cobble point which earned Andrew double brownie points. The forecast for most of the week is warm and dry with a bit of a stiff westerly breeze getting up which will help.
Tuesday 30th August. Well the wind didn’t help us any, all it did was make it a bugger to cast and row the boat. There are still numbers of fish showing in the Learmouth stream down to the Glide but we couldn’t interest them in anything, a few showing in the Bags which is one of the nicer streams we have at the moment. Not really a lot to say tonight about the fishing as nothing happened. The Ghillies meeting was held at Kelso tonight and went fine, no fighting, and a few subjects were covered, none of the lads are seeing any numbers of fish yet so it’s still a case of waiting for the first flood.
Wednesday 31st August. Another warm sunny day with the odd shower and that bloody wind again.11” and 60 degs nice and clean. We thrashed the beat all morning for nothing with all sorts of flies, we did see fish in most of the pools some more than others. Ian Black was the lucky boy this afternoon getting two from the Cauld 3lbs and 5lbs both clean/fresh which is a big achievement as that put the Cauld score up to 4 since the end of June. The wind from Cornhill bend down was a real challenge pushing waves up the river along with the line. The weatherman is now saying we are going to get rain on Saturday but I’ll wait and see.
Thursday 1st September. Thats August out of the way now and we can look forward to the back end if we ever get a flood. The day started off badly for Ronald Gardner anyway as Lucy (dug) sneaked into his car as the door was open and ate his lunch, he did catch a fish this afternoon so that would lessen the pain. Michael Black also had one today from the Cauld and Paul Holland had one from Cornhill bend on a hitched sunray. There were enough fish showing today to make it interesting but the wind returned this afternoon making it a challenge again. 10” and 58 degrees nice and clean. The Osprey was here this afternoon and was busy fishing the Cauld, the two young otters didn’t show up at the Glide today which is unusual as they have been there for weeks now but the kingfishers were busy flitting up and down.
Friday 2nd September. Another warm windy day down on the Lees. 10”and 60 degs nice and clean. The team spread out round the beat as best they could and I was heartened to see some fish in the Cauld, I took Veronica Holland out in the boat but the only ones to catch a fish were the Osprey and the Kingfisher, the fish were all coloured and spent their time trying to keep out of the boats way. Carl Holland had more success at the Iron Gate getting a 6lb cock fish and that was the total catch for the day. I’ve lifted my onions now and drying them off a bit pre show, I will not be winning any cups this year with my produce I doubt but its taking part that counts I’m told.
Saturday 3rd September. Overcast today but much less wind, Paul Holland was the lucky lad today getting an 8lb hen from the Iron Gate, which sadly was the only fish of the day despite the others rods best efforts. I’ve just received a text from SEPA giving a flood alert but “I hae ma doots” I checked the river levels page and it shows the top of the Teviot rising but thats all. I hope they are right as we really need a flood but I just can’t see it. Plenty fish in the Glide this morning all old ones but Bruce tells me he saw a good few clean/fresh grilse in Duddo this afternoon but didn’t catch any or even get a pull.