Week beginning 6 July 2020
Monday 6th July. 3’0” and 56 degrees with a lot of beery colour, Howard Dixon was the only rod to turn up and he gave it a good go for the conditions but didn’t manage a pull, he get one next time. It was just too beery today but tomorrow it’ll have less colour and we should manage a fish or two. Christian Bryce came down this evening rather than fishing through the day so maybe I’ll get a text later to say he’s had some luck. We put one of the old wooden boats on today for the slap when we are allowed to use them again but we discovered that it had developed a serious leak, on removing the front boards after taking it back off again I could see the grass through the bottom of the boat, a bit of cloth jammed in a lick of tar and a sheet of zinc and we’ll find out tomorrow if its repaired.
Tuesday 7th July. 2’1” and 54 degrees still beery but much improved on yesterday. Team Black here for 2 days and being fishable is a bit of a novelty when Michael Black is here as he normally brings a flood with him, D Foreman was first into action getting 3 from Learmouth Stream and losing another, Sandy Lang had a nice fresh fish from the Iron gate, up in the Ledges Michael Black had 3 pulls and connected with none. This afternoon Michael was at it again having another 3 pulls and failing to connect, His son Ian fared better getting 2 from the Iron Gate and David Foreman getting one from the Glide and the Back of the wall, 8 for the day is more like it and hopefully better tomorrow with cleaner water and an inch or two lower.
Wednesday 8th July. 1’9” and 56 degrees slight ginger tinge. David Foreman was first into action getting a 5lb seatrout that was almost sparkling when it came to the net, he followed this with a liced 14lber and another pull all up in the ledges, Sandy Lang had an 11lber from the Iron Gate and Andrew had an old 10lber from the Annay. David also had a very old cock fish wading the Lower Cauld just before lunch. This afternoon Michael Black had to leave early so I wading the Lower cauld with the sunray and had a 3lb Seatrout and lost something else which I never saw, I also hooked and lost a heavier fish at the Otter stones also on the Sunray, that the great thing about the sunray you can cover a lot of water very quickly and if they are on it its instant, no mucking about, they don’t always grab it of course. New team on tomorrow so will be busy showing them where to be and what to do.
Thursday 9th July. Peter Markham and pals here for three days sharing the fishing with South Wark as there are 6 of them. 1’6” and 56 degrees and clean again, it always takes longer for these summer rises to clear its something to do with the warmer water holding the colour. Peter had a nice 12lber from Learmouth Stream on his second run through it, Andrew had a 8lber from the Annay and a 12lber from the Temple whilst wading which is not easy at this height as you have to know your way about and it helps to be well over six foot. The fish were keeping their heads down today as I saw very few all day, a few old ones in the Temple and Paul saw a couple of fresh wee grilse heading through the Slap this morning, I saw whilst strimming Cornhill get a nice silver fish from the Duddo this morning so there are enough about to keep it interesting. Floating lines with intermediate or short fast sinktips are the order of the day teamed with a #8 or wee tube. I was going to back along for a cast but as I write this at 8.00pm it has started to chuck it down so I might have a dram instead.
Friday 10th July. There were a good few fish showing first thing this morning but it took us till 12.00 before Peter got one on his second run down learmouth stream. The Slap was busy but they would look at nothing on their way through. Peter Markham got a brand new 8lber from the Glide this afternoon which came as a surprise as we never saw a scale, the fish seem to be coming in wee pulses which is fine as long as you are on the water when a pulse comes through. Took my son along for a cast this evening for a wee bit of father son bonding as I’ve not seen him since last year as he’s in the polis in London, jammy wee bugger had a 8lb seatrout on his 4th cast. There were a few fish moving but it started to chuck it down and we didn’t have a jacket on so rain stopped play. 1’5” this morning and 1’7” this evening with a temp of 58 degrees and a slight ginger tinge.
Saturday 11th July. Only the one fish today so a lot quieter, I wasn’t there today so not sure what was going on.
As ever see instagram for photos clips. © M Campbell 2020
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