Week beginning 2 October 2017
Monday 2nd October. It blew a hoolie today and the catches on the river reflected the strength of the wind, it was a north west which blows straight down the Temple and Cauld and straight up the Bags and Babyhouse/Duddo, this along with the Sprouston gauge showing a wee rise coming in made the decision for two of the rods to leave it until tomorrow, the rest of the team decided to give it a go down by the Glide which was the only sheltered bit on the beat, Francis Sidoli and his two sons Dom and Chris lead the charge and Chris was rewarded with a 12lb hen from the Iron Gate. After lunch the wind had lessened just a wee bit and it was possible to wade the lower cauld and get a line across between gusts, Dom Sidoli had a 5lb coloured cock fish and lost another and Francis had a 3lb wee Grilse which was fresh, thats the first fresh fish I’ve seen in two weeks and only the fourth since August so it was a very welcome sight. David Flux brought Ian Parker with him who’s never fished before and despite the wind he caught a 4lb Seatrout in the Glide, much to the surprise of both Ian and the Seatrout. It was 2’4” and 50 degrees on the Lees gauge this morning with a tinge of colour made worse by the waves washing the banksides, looking at the gauges tonight I see the top of the Tweed is rising again, that should be through us by tomorrow morning. We were on intermediate lines with fast sinktips today teamed up with a tube fly. It’ll be better tomorrow.
Tuesday 3rd October. I cancelled my appointment at the gym for tonight as rowing all day in the wind is as good as any gym. 2’3” this morning and 49 degrees with a beery tinge. Neil Andrews and Ian Thorpe were the lucky lads this morning with Neil getting two fish 1@20lb from the Slap and 1@2lb from the Temple, Ian had a 4lber from the Glide. Lunch was had then things really took off with another 13 landed, only one fresh but they were all very welcome. 16 for the day with the fish coming mostly from the middle of the beat, Back of the Wall(Iron Gate) and the Glide being the hot spots. The Sidoli brothers and Ian Parker getting the bulk of the fish. We were fishing intermediate lines with fast sinktips with a tube on the end (any colour you like really). More of the same tomorrow would be good as a lot of rain on the forecast for tomorrow night.
Wednesday 4th October. 1’10” and 50 degrees with a beery tinge, on the bright side the wind had dropped to a breeze. First into action was Ian Thorpe who landed a 12lb fresh hen from the Temple on his 5th cast of the morning the Sidoli laddies had one each from the Cauld and David Flux had a couple from the Iron Gate/Glide, Neil Andrews managed to break his rod beaching a fish in the Back of the Wall but he always brings a spare. We ended the day with a very respectable 13, just the one fresh and all 13 returned. Thats 29 fish in two days which is a lot more like it used to be, it makes it more than half the September total in two days. The top gauges are rising tonight so tomorrow it’ll be mucky/black water again and marginal fishing at best no doubt.. Kevin Wright down at Milen Graden text today to say he’d seen more fish moving today than he had in weeks, he didn’t mention the word fresh though. Will our run of good luck continue? I’ve no idea but I hope so.
Thursday 5th October. 2’3” this morning but the gauges showed a big rise on it’s way down so speed was of the essence. Puffing Pete was straight up to the top of the Temple with Paul and had a couple before the water got here, the rest of the Team didn’t fare so well and blanked, Andrew did have a pull in the Cauld but it came to nothing. By mid morning the rise was with us and the colour was coming in along with all the bits of weed and leaves so fishing was hopeless. On the bright side I got a lot done this afternoon, grain for chickens, new dustbin, ordered contact lenses all things you can’t do unless you order online then you have to pay the postage, also had time to lift and wash all my dahlia tubers which are now hanging up to dry before winter storage. There were two other fish reported today from South Wark, will it fish tomorrow? It might but will still be carrying a lot of colour, Saturday will be better as long as there’s no more rain. Checked the gauge at 4.00pm and it was reading 4’0”and very dirty.
Friday 6th October. Very beery water so the suggestion was given that we concentrate on the thin water so the fish can actually see the fly, this paid off in the Lower cauld with Francis Sidoli getting two and Andrew getting one from the right bank, the lads fishing further down never had a touch or saw a fish. This afternoon things were reversed as we never had a touch up the top and that man Sidoli had 3 at the Iron Gate. 2’8” and 46 degrees this morning dropping to 2’5” by close of play, we saw a good number of fish moving this morning in the Cauld, none of them coming right out just heads and tails looking like they were on the move and this afternoon it seemed they had moved as the Cauld was very quiet and we didn’t have a pull. I’m hoping it’ll be down to 2’2” and clearer tomorrow which should bring in some of the lower pools. Looking at the websites tonight there are 35 fish reported, I’m a bit surprised not to see more being caught further up the river, maybe tomorrow. We have been on sinking lines and tubes today proper autumn fishing kit for a change.
Saturday 7th October. 2’3” 50 degrees with just a bit of a tinge. Douglas Aitken was here for the day and started well getting 2 from the Iron Gate point, both old hens, Neil Andrews and Guest Andrew Geery had one each from the cauld this morning the best being a 16lb licer. Francis not to be outdone managed an 11lb old cock from Learmouth stream on his last cast of the morning. This afternoon Ian Thorpe had a 3lb liced grilse also from the Cauld and there were two from the Temple at 10lb and 14lb. Francis was fishing on and at the time of writing I’ve not heard from him so I presume thats today’s total. So 48 for the week 3 of them fresh, that’s a bloody good week considering we had 47 for the whole of September, will it continue? I’ve no idea but I hope so. Looking at the websites the rest of the river didn’t fare so well and the catches above Kelso are on the poor side. I have to say I’m pleased it’s Saturday night as it’s been a long week, the company has been good but rowing in that wind all week is no fun, I’m maybe getting older but it seems a lot harder this backend or maybe I’m just not used to it yet. The pools were quieter today with less fish showing than of late but late afternoon I did see a few wee fresh grilse showing. It’ll soon be Monday morning and we’ll be at them again unless I win the Lotto tonight or all my horses come in at Kelso races tomorrow in which case you’ll never see me again. As ever see instagram for photos or film clips of the weeks action. Latest Francis 1@16lb Lower cauld so 49 for the week.
©M Campbell 2017
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