Week beginning 29th October
Monday- Nice day slight wind, on the river not me. 2’2” 42 degs and squeaky clean but only 5 landed and didn’t see all that many expected more given the conditions. Tuesday 2’0” and looking good slow start in the morning till mid day when Nick Smith got a hold of a cracking 23lb cock in the top of the back of the wall, had him out to the backing and more 4 times and he gives them some stick as well, it has to be the best condition fish I’ve seen this Autumn, 36” long which would normally give 18lb he was fat as a pig and is now being smoked, Nick normally puts them back but this was as good as you get this time of year. A surprise sight this morning there are still 5 Swallows down at the bottom of the beat, doubt if they’ll make it to Africa. Wednesday- dull start bit of wind. Nick Smith of 23lber fame starts in the Cauld and gets seven in quick order plus a few other pulls, he topped off his day with another three from the back of the Wall giving him ten for the day and getting his name on the Lees role of honour. We saw plenty fish in the morning round the beat but I think the fish knew the rise was coming and went right off by 3.30pm the river was up 2” by 4.00pm.
Thursday- New team in and long faces looking at a brown river going past, sorted out some new lines for them discussed tomorrows chances at length it will fish but will still be carrying a bit of colour, set 18 traps to catch one bloody mole that’s been evading me for a while in very soft ground full of roots so we will see tomorrow. Friday- That’s the Mole sorted out! River 2’9” and rising very slowly with a touch of colour coming in, very few fish seen but we did manage three for the day with one of them giving us a run from the slap to Learmouth stream and was only 12lb but once it got into the hard water it wouldn’t stop and the further down it went the harder it got to stop it. Saturday- Nice frosty morning with rain by the time we got onto the river but it soon cleared up, 2’7” 40 degs and clean a good height for the Temple which produced 6 out of the 12 we had for the day, 5 from the Cauld and 1 from the back of the wall. Mark Beatty having the best of the sport with 6 for the day, there were quite a few wee fish today 2lb-3lb but they were fresh. It’s all looking good for Monday with a dry day tomorrow it should be a great height for us, so I’m expecting great things if the fish are in the mood. On the gloomy side my hens have gone off the lay!