Week beginning 2 May 2022
Monday 2nd May. A cold and cloudy day with the east wind back again, 11” and 52 degrees with a very slimy riverbed. Team Harper here for the week, the week always begins with the usual whisky drinking competition held on a Sunday afternoon, no one can ever remember who won. Monday morning get the rods put together and do the draw and off we go. Ken Brown was on the Slap where a couple of older fish were showing but he couldn’t tempt either of them, Richard Harrison and Frank Smith fished the middle bit of the beat, it was Back of the wall this morning but again no action, we did see three fish in the Glide but they were also a shade of pink and not fresh run. A very convivial lunch was had then Richard tried the Cauld were we nearly had some success as he was lifting to recast a fish came for the fly which was just leaving the water, unfortunately the fly was faster than the fish, that was the only action of the day unless you include the snooker on the telly where Terry and Ken sneaked off to this afternoon. Where did those bars of silver from last week go, we saw good numbers late last week so they have to be somewhere out there. It’s to be colder tomorrow then to warm up.
Tuesday 3rd May. A bit better day but still an east light wind and full cloud cover, 10” and 50 degrees. Frank Smith was on the Slap first thing and we saw a couple of fresh fish as he was building up his strength for the first cast, he lengthened his line with each cast and eventually reached the fish which took the fly straight away, after a good fight in the gin clear water (see instagram) a liced 12lber was in the net, tagged and released, the other fish must have buggered off as we never had another pull. Frank had quiet a morning as when fishing the Cauld we had an osprey fishing along with us, it had three dives but was unsuccessful, we also had a roe buck swimming across the cauld. The rest of the team didn’t fare so well as not another nibble was had for the rest of the day. There are a number of fish in the Iron Gate and Glide but not looking brand new, if this water warms up a bit they might come on to the take. We all had a dram at midday to toast the memory of Graeme Whitty who was taken from us this day two years ago; if he’d been here I’m sure the catches would be higher.
Wednesday 4th May. A milder day with a North West breeze, Richard was on the Slap and Cauld but only saw a couple of fish, Frank and Ken were on the back of the wall downwards, there were plenty fish showing in the Iron Gate and Glide which they both covered but no pulls to be had, Frank then went down to Duddo and there were fish showing in the stream but again no action. This afternoon Richard was in Learmouth and saw a couple of coloured fish, Frank set off early for home so I tried a skimmer in the Cauld and a fish had a go at it but didn’t stick on. Catches are low across the websites given the water levels it’s not surprising. Busy night in the garden Kelsae onions in, tomatoes all in place in polytunnel and greenhouse and chillis also into pots in greenhouse, been playing catch up with my dahlias as they are all sprouting. No proper rain on the forecast but we did have one heavy shower this morning.
Thursday 5th May. Another overcast day with a light North West wind, 9” and 52 degrees very slimy riverbed. Richard Fisher joined the team today for his first ever go at fishing, well he’s been chasing marlin on holiday but that doesn’t count. I took him into the lower cauld off the right bank to get the casting started which he soon got as there was a wind to help as well, after a while perfecting his cast we moved into the Slap popped on a bottle tube with a wee sink tip and a fish took, what ensued can only be described as chaotic but luckily the fish had really chewed the fly and was never coming off, an 8lb licer was the result and a very happy first timer. The same old fish were showing in the same old places round the beat but again none would pull, Ken Brown had a pull in the Slap this afternoon. I finally saw some more swallows today down on the Glide, they are still scarce though. Fish still running through as Colin Bell text to say he had two this morning covered in lice.
Friday 6th May. Another day with grey skies, 9” and 54 degrees. The team spread out round the beat and fished the fishy bits but no pulls were to be had, the only action was a couple of boils at the sunray in the Slap. Richard Fisher now realises how lucky he was yesterday getting that fish out of the Slap. I’ve only seen one fish in the Temple this season not that I’ve been here all season but still! The cauldstream is bloody useless at this height, we had a hold of one on the 1st April and one a week later but thats been it and we fish it at least twice a day every day, Learmouth has decent water at least with a bit of stream and a few fish in it, best at the moment is Iron Gate downwards to the Bags. I saw a Magpie today thats only the second I’ve ever seen at the Lees, thin edge of the wedge no doubt , it was been harried by a Carrion crow which is some sort of Irony. I’ll give it harried if it sits still long enough. Catches were low as to be expected but three reported below us so room for optimism. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Saturday 7th May. The team went home this morning as Terry suffered a heart attack last night, he is now in hospital and we all hope he makes a full recovery and will be back with us in June as he still has a few salmon to catch before he shuffles off. Not wanting to waste the beat Paul fished Learmouth this morning but drew a blank, I did a bit of hogweed spraying then had a cast at the Slap where I had a pull first cast but it didn’t stick. Much warmer today with light winds, still no sign of any serious rain which is now badly needed. The river at or below summer level smaller flies are required the problem with this is hooking smolts which will grab at anything small enough to get down their throats. I popped along tonight to walk the dogs and had another couple of casts at the Slap, despite seeing a couple of silver fish neither pulled, it was colder now as the skies have at last cleared but the east wind is back with us.
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©M Campbell 2022
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