Week beginning 7 July 2014
Monday 7th July Team Harper here for three days (well two of them) and despite their best efforts we blanked again, we did see a Seatrout in the Slap and maybe a Salmon but couldn’t move them, best catch of the day was a Squirrel (shot actually) but it was a long way off. Cut the weed round the Cobble point in the unlikely event that we need to land a fish there in the near future. Big news on the Lees is “There’s been a murder”! Either a wee fox or maybe an Otter has been in the hen house and made off with my broody bantam which was sitting on 10 Maran eggs which cost me £20 so if I catch it its arse kicking time.
Tuesday 8th July. Raining hard this morning, weatherman said it was going to be showers but they all joined up and it became one big shower. 8” and 61degs clean. A few fish were showing in the Slap and after the usual couple of bow waves I put on a copper tube Sunray and hooked a fish on the far corner which left the water as it took the fly but a couple of head shakes later it was off, so long faces all round in fact we looked like a bunch of Giraffes our faces were so long. In the afternoon Graham Whitty a man who can plough a field quicker and straighter than a mole on steroids took himself off to Learmouth stream and ½ an hour later he managed to phone us saying he had a fish on. Now in the back end the reply would be “get on with it” but wanting to boost the figures we shot off in the car to lend a hand, we got there with a couple of mins to spare and landed a nice fresh 12lb hen which was returned. It took a #12 cascade double on a floater with a wee intermediate tip so well done Graham. I’m off to Dundee tomorrow to sort out the agents of my sons flat and then to attend his graduation so it will be two very proud parents on Thursday, followed by a mad weekend of common riding, Friday at Jedburgh festival day and ball till 5.00am Saturday then a foot race round the town until 6.00am followed by a mad dash home to change from kilt into riding gear and get to Duns for their main rideout to Whitchester at 9.00am followed by lots of drinking and singing out of tune, so the report might be a bit sparse after today. Wednesday 9th July Off to Dundee for son’s graduation tomorrow, bugger all caught, in fact only 6 caught on whole system.
Thursday 10th July. Two very proud parents watching their son graduating today, looking braw in his robes. It took place in the Caird hall in Dundee which I have to say is a splendid setting not unlike something in Paris or Rome. So that’s him with an honours degree in criminology so anyone who has a well paid job going you know where to get in touch. Only one fish off the system so nothing to report from the Lees.
Friday 11th July Another scorcher today and an early start at Jedburgh for festival day, a great day out with loads of tradition and colour, writing this at 6.30pm and in a bit of a rush as back up to Jed for the ball until 5.00am tomorrow then Grant tries to win foot race round town (he was second in 2012) then Duns all day Saturday. As far as I can see there was only one fish off the river which was caught at Tillmouth. 8” on the gauge and 63 degs this morning still clean.
Saturday 12th July Nothing caught on the Lees and in fact only 3 off the whole river so not great reading for you, Saturday was another hot sunny day which was great if you didn’t want to fish. Picked up son at Jed at 6.00am he came 3rd in the race and I nearly jumped out of my skin when they set the cannon off, 4 times they set it off then the band plays round the town just to make sure everyone’s awake, then off to Duns for the rideout there. It rained heavily during the night but the river has not moved an Inch but it might have dropped the temperature a wee bit which would help. There are 1000’s of Seatrout off the coast so many that the price has dropped out the bottom of the market and the fishmonger don’t want them as they can’t get rid of them, so stop netting them I would think is the answer, less fish on the market worth more, so more money for less work its a no brainer.
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