Week beginning 29 May 2017
Monday 29th May. An overcast day with the odd shower. The Lees is now on summer lets so the reports might be a bit sketchy, also it’s sometimes a day late when you find out about a capture. Today up to time of me writing this we’ve had 3 salmon, I use we as I wasn’t there, 1 from Duddo and 2 from Cornhill Bend, best 13lb but none liced. The water was clean this morning but I saw a photo from Upper Floors and it has a fair bit of colour which will be from the biblical downpour on Saturday night. This morning it was reading 1’0” and 66 degrees at the Lees gauge but did have a fair bit of weed through the water column. Just back from a walk up the Annay and Bags, thought I’d try for a trout but when I got there the wind was in the north, it was cold also the colour has reached us which no doubt put things off, the dug enjoyed the walk though.
Tuesday 30th May. The colour was still in the water this morning, 10” and 60 degrees. Sandy Scott was the lucky lad this morning getting a nice fresh 9lber from the Glide on a #6 Golden Cascade thing; he also had another fish chasing his Sunray. I got on with some strimming and gave the mower a run round in front of the hut. Went up to the wood yard for some posts to find all the gates locked. Men working inside but I couldn’t get their attention plus they were wearing ear defenders, tried the phone number but it wouldn’t connect, seems like they don’t want any trade. Went out for a cast tonight but went too early as the wind was really blowing but I gave it a go anyway, the weed was a real pest catching the line. Sat at the bench at Cornhill bend until the sun dropped and the wind dropped with it, ran the skimmer through the bend and Duddo but no action so I thought I’d try the Bags for a change, driving down I thought I saw a fish head and tail in the stream but when I got there it was 3 otters, home for a dram.
Wednesday 31st May. Another lovely day on Tweedside and I managed to get my post, boards etc also screws, paint, tarry stuff for the bottom of the boats so that’ll keep me busy for a while. Took the tractor down the beat and cut all the paths and the same time looking out for any hogweed I might have missed but didn’t see any. I debated strimming for a while but as the mercury was rising quickly I opted for painting the bottom half of the posts. Sandy Scott turned up this afternoon and took himself off down the beat with his new switch rod; I received a text from him later to say he had a fresh 7lber from Cornhill bend on a #8 gold flashy thing. 8” on the gauge and 62 degrees this morning.
Thursday 1st June. That's May kicked into touch, another month where a decent flood would have helped no end. 16 fish for the month all fresh which is a good sign I suppose. New rods on today, Duncan Brymer and his laddies Cameron and James. I took Cameron into the Cauld as he was a complete beginner but the line didn’t suit him and the backwaters didn’t help him either so we headed for shore just in time to get a photo of Duncan’s fish which he’d hooked off the Slap croy, it was a river fish and about 9lbs in weight, it took a #8 cascade double on a full floater, Duncan went on to get a fresh 15lber from the Cornhill bend before lunch. It was overcast today but warm enough in fact a bit too warm as I was strimming the Bags which is one of my least pleasant jobs, apart from the Anny which is also bloody dodgy. 8.00pm and there is light rain, not enough to help the river but good for the garden, there’ll be a slug hunt later on tonight at Nesby place, a bamboo cane with a very large needle taped to the end works wonders and a handful of salt for those hard to reach places.
Friday 2nd June. Overcast start but the sun was soon out. 6” and 61 degrees this morning. Took young James into the Cauld this morning, tried it with a #8 cascade first and not a touch, then the skimmer came out and we had a lovely boil at it as the fish came half out of the water lunging at it but sadly didn’t stick on. That was all the action this morning, the lads fished on this afternoon and I haven’t heard anything from them so far so I presume they’ve blanked, I’ll pop along later and might have a chuck for a seatrout as it’s a lovely night. I had two bow waves in the tail of the Glide and lined a couple all to a #10 single silver stoat.
Saturday 3rd June. A nice sunny day and warm as well. Young James Brymer was an early bird and nearly got the worm when he had two fish at his fly in Cornhill bend but neither stuck on. Graham Hogg who’d travelled all the way from Kelso for his day had a big seatrout attack his skimmer in the Cauld but again it didn’t get a hold, he made up for it later in the morning getting a fresh 3lber seatrout from Learmouth stream. Meanwhile James had gone back to Cornhill bend this time armed with a sunray and this time the fish stayed on which turned out to be an 11lb fresh fish. The weed is becoming a problem now, it’s that blanket weed sort of stuff that covers the hook completely and doesn’t flick off. Weatherman is telling me now that there is some heavy rain for Monday/Tuesday which will be great if we get it as the river really needs a clean out. Going out later if wind drops.
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