Week beginning 29 July 2019
Monday 29th July. A very warm humid morning with black tea coloured water, the Lees gauge was reading 1’8” and 63 degrees. These conditions are not what the fish or angler wants. Peter London was in the Cauld with me this morning and had a brand new 3lb seatrout from the lower half, he had a boil at a Collie dug in the Slap but that was all the action at the top end. John Leigh fishing the Glide had a hold of a fish in the Glide on a Sunray but it didn’t stick. This water obviously affected catches on the fly and I’d imagine the lads having a go with the spinner would be the ones that were doing the business.
Tuesday 30th July. 1’5” and 63 degrees, still a bit on the dark side for my liking but it is what it is. Rex Dawson had a hold of a fresh looking fish in the cauld this morning, I had the boat to the side and net in hand when it came off, he recovered some ground getting a seatrout on a sunray wading the lower cauld. John Leigh also had a hold of a seatrout in the tail of the glide but it didn’t stick. There were very few fish to be seen, 3-4 in the slap but the cauld seemed empty. Heavy thunder showers forecast so more water possibly on the way.
Wednesday 31st July. Ed Marshall and team here for four days. 1’3” and 62 degrees. Well we missed the rain yet again it fell in Yorkshire and flooded the place out. Ed was first into action getting a 6lb fresh grilse from the Cauld followed by Howard who had an 8lber from Learmouth stream, John joined the lucky lads getting a 4lb fresh grilse also from the Cauld on a wee bottle tube. Not many fish showing but it was good to see a good number of fish caught below us at Tillmouth and Pedwell; hopefully some will push forward overnight.
Thursday 1st August. Scary that’s us onto the eight month of the year already. Anyway 1’6” and 62 degrees with as much colour as yesterday and a wee bit more coming in from the Teviot. Howard or Ed was at it again getting a 10lb river fish from the Glide, I think that’s only the second older fish we’ve had this year. Simon had a brief hold of one in the Cauld and that’s as much as I know at the moment, the lads are going for an evening cast so scores might increase. Watching the news I see people being flooded out of their homes and dams about to collapse whilst we had three inches, not that I want to be flooded out of my house.
Friday 2nd August. A damp humid morning produced no fish at the Lees despite the lads casting for miles. Ed Marshall was casting further than ever having learned a snap ‘T’. We saw 3 different fish in the Slap but couldn’t move any of them. After lunch I gave John Leese a quick run through the Cauld then back to the Slap where I tied on a 6” Collie dug which produced a bow wave on the first cast then a couple of casts later John hooked and landed a nice fresh 4lb grilse which he returned. I have been expecting to see more fish but at least the beats below us are picking some up so they could soon move forward. Andrew was the lucky boy getting a fresh 6lb from the Annay of all places this evening.
Saturday 3rd August. 1’1” and 62 degrees with just a tinge of colour. John Leese was the lucky boy today getting a lovely fresh 15lber from Learmouth stream which he returned (guid lad). He also landed a small seatrout and had another two pulls. Simon Scargill is now casting to the far bank with his new all singing and dancing line, in fact the ducks were running for cover. Howard continues to have problems with his range rover, knocking over bollards and then last night locking himself out of it as the key failed so he had to leave it at the Glide. More rain forecast for tomorrow and flood warning issued but I’m not holding my breath.
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