Week beginning 31 July 2017
Monday 31st July. A breezy day down at the Lees today. Team Onslow here for two days and they were all keen as Ferrets at a rabbit hole. Jamie and Uncle Denzil were on the Slap and Cauld and although we saw a couple of fish we couldn’t get a pull from them, young Rory was in Learmouth stream and got a wee bit closer getting a good pull from a fish. The cat that got the cream was Richard Onslow himself getting a lovely fresh 11lber from the Glide. This afternoon Rory putting out a good line was soon into a fish, it was one of those ones that showed its self, we covered it and it was on, sadly after a good fight we parted company. There is a wee bit of water coming down the Teviot tonight so that’ll give us more to play with tomorrow, just hope there’s no colour to spoil things. That's July out of the way now and as far as the weather goes it was a pretty crap month, very few sunny days and even cold sometimes, good for the fishing but bad for my garden. On my July inspection of my estate I have root rot in my onions, root fly in my carrots and powdery mildew on my tomatoes, it’s a disaster.
Tuesday 1st August. Showery start and a brighter but windy afternoon. Giles was in the Cauld and slap first this morning and had a pull from a fish that turned the reel a couple of times then let go. Richard Onslow got on a bit better in Learmouth stream as his fish stayed on and pulled the scales down to 10lbs, that was the only action for the day. Fish were seen in the Glide and Iron Gate but they wouldn’t play. Tonight the Teviot is putting in a bit of water so it’ll be up a few inches tomorrow and maybe a bit more colour as well, that’s all it takes to put the fish off but it might bring more up to us. The combines were cutting the rape in the Lees tonight it took them about an hour and it was all gone. I lifted my show onions and they all have root rot bar 3 so that is a disaster. There’s no modern cure/spray for root rot so its back to the old ways of Jayes Fluid and garlic, Jayes fluid now and several times through the winter then garlic liquid next spring.
Wednesday 2nd August. A humid day with showers later on. 1’6” and very dark water which the fish don’t seem to like to play in. Ed Marshall here with pals for four days and after a degree of confusion about lines etc we got fishing. Simon a beginner was soon casting across the Slap and cauld but the only action we had was a boil at the Collie Dug which didn’t stick, I gave him a wee demonstration on casting and promptly broke his rod, Oops! The other lads arrived back at the hut at lunchtime having seen fish in the Iron Gate and Glide but no pulls. This afternoon I left them to it and got some grass cut between the showers. It’ll be better tomorrow when the water clears a bit I’m sure.
Thursday 3rd August. A very wet morning with torrential showers. John Leese was on the Slap and had a boil at his cascade almost straight away, then into the Cauld a few tweaks to his casting unique style and he had an 11lb licer to the net. After lunch Ed Marshall was in the Cauld and we had another 11lb licer a twin of the first one, (I know it wasn’t the same fish as the first one was in the box). We had a pull on the collie dug as well. The river was rising at the Lees by 3.00pm and checking the gauge at 7.00 it was reading 2’9” so no doubt it’ll be a filthy colour tomorrow. Howard didn’t fare as well today as he stuck his rod out of the tail gate of his range rover and whilst driving round the beat he hit a pothole and the tail gate shut on his rod.
Friday 4th August. The river was a feared very mucky. 2’1” and 60 degrees, the lads had a look at it and decided that a game of golf would be a better option. Birgham Dub, Sprouston and Junction had a good go at them today but an orange rappala was the weapon of choice. South Wark fished the Temple all day but never had a pull. At 8.30 pm it was reading 1’8” and the Lees and it was the colour of very dark beer so should be worth fishing tomorrow with the fly.
Saturday 5th August. 1’6” and 60 degrees with a beery stain to the water. Howard was in the Cauld with me and had a pull on a #6 gold cascade on the first run down, we then changed to a black and yellow tube which did the trick getting Howard a 13lb hen which he returned. Ed Marshall lost a fish in Learmouth stream and Howard lost another in the Iron Gate this afternoon. John Leese had a good pull at the Collie dug in the cauld and that was the action for the day. The rain keeps coming in heavy showers adding to my misery as it looks like there’s not going to be a summer this year(I hate this country). There were far more fish showing today most of them older ones that must have moved up the river on yesterday's water. I’m on holiday next week so no report, and don’t phone me either.
©M Campbell 2017
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