Week beginning 6 March 2017
Monday 6th March. It looks like we are going to have another frustrating week ahead of us with fluctuating water levels. 3’0” at the Lees this morning with a tinge of colour, it wasn’t the colour but the sheer volume of water and the unsettled nature, it stops us getting into the pools, any fish can be spread far and wide and you need luck not skill when it’s like this, this was reflected in the catches as nothing has been reported on either website today. We had a heavy shower at lunchtime for an hour or so then the sun came out making it feel spring like. If the levels drop a few inches tonight we might have more of a chance tomorrow then it’s back to rain tomorrow night and a very wet Friday according to Countryfile.
Tuesday 7th March. 2’9” this morning with a wee tinge. The lads set about their duties with a keenness that only a sunny calm morning can bring, I fished the Temple down with Tony Scott while Phil waded the lower cauld, the team was boosted today as Sandy Scott also joined us but sadly even the bold Sandy couldn’t winkle a fish out of the depths and he was in good company as we never had a touch all day. There were some fish caught on the river today, 9 in total the nearest being at Lower North Wark. Rain on the forecast tonight so I’m not too hopeful for tomorrow as the land is wet and it won’t take much to set it away again. I heard reports of a seal downstream this morning but thankfully no sign of it at the Lees. At this rate it’ll take it to the end of the month before the levels settle to what I think are perfect for us, but we’ll keep plugging away at them.
Wednesday 8th March. Blowing a bit of a hoolie this morning but the levels down to 2’6” and clean so you’d sort of think we have a bit of a wee chance to get a hold of a fish maybe. Sandy, Phil and Tony gave it their best all morning battling against the wind but it was the wind and rising water that won. After lunch it was only Paul and myself that were left we thought about having a cast ourselves then thought again and decided we wouldn’t, so it was off to Kelso to get some supplies to put up a few more benches round the beat. These benches are important places on any beat, they are navigational aids (start/stop 20 yards above the bench) or (leave your bag at the bench).They are somewhere for a midmorning coffee/dram whilst waiting to see a fish moving into the pool and they stop you getting an arse full of thorns when you sit down. The river will likely have more colour tomorrow with the rise but Friday’s rain looks less likely now so hopefully it will settle down for a month now and give us a chance.
Thursday 9th March. It was a lovely day with blue skies and much less wind, the gauge was sitting at 2’6” 42 degrees with just a wee tinge of colour. A new team on today comprising of Hillary and Steve Drury along with Dan Curtis and Tim, Hillary was the first to score with a small seatrout kelt from the back of the wall whilst Dan lost a fish of some kind in Learmouth stream, he also had a hold of something in the Glide this afternoon, it could also of been anything as both were only on for a couple of seconds. We did see a fish in the lower cauld which showed once this morning and a couple of times this afternoon always in the same place. Three fish reported off the river today, I would have expected more although there was a wee rise with some colour coming down this afternoon. The first of the daffodils now have their heads opened and the willows are just starting to bud and if this weather keeps up will be green in a couple of weeks or so.
Friday 10th March. A nice day, no wind, cloudy but the waters murky grey colour, 2’6” and 42 degrees. Hillary, Steve and Quentin fished the whole beat and a wee brown trout was all we had to show for our efforts. There were fish caught upstream and in fact it was one of the better days with 12 or so fish being reported, the nearest to us was at Birgham Dub. Hopefully it’ll be our turn tomorrow. We have a full team on tomorrow so they’ll all be keen as mustard, Hillary and Steve were keen as mustard today but the murk and height beat them. There was a wee hatch of fly today a sort of blue winged olive and the odd trout was taking advantage of them which was nice to see. It’s to be mostly dry over the weekend so by Monday Tuesday it should be about spot on for us and I hope it is as it’s getting a bit tedious now.
Saturday 11th March. 2’3” 44 degrees and nice and clean, the river was looking good and we thought we’d have a fish today but we thought wrong. There were some good catches upstream at Junction and Upper Floors so fish are at least in the system and if it keeps dropping one of these days it’ll be our turn. The lads all finished by the back of 4.00pm to watch the rugby and I should think like me they now wished they hadn’t bothered, there’s aye next year.
©M Campbell 2017
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