Week beginning 7 July 2015
Monday 7th July I’m writing this on Tuesday night as I deleted the original which is bloody annoying and I can’t find it in the recycle bin which is more annoying. Anyway 1’2” and 61 degs with a fair bit of colour. Team Harper here for three days, only two in the team though, Graham Whitty had a nice 6lb Seatrout from Iron gate and a 12lb old Springer from Learmouth this afternoon, the top end of the beat (Cauld and temple ) were very quiet. This evening I went back along for a cast and had a nice fresh 6lb Seatrout and lost one in the tail of the cauld on a #12 Stoats tail, Grant (son) had a brief hold of one in the Learmouth which made him jump. The club lads fishing the bottom part of the beat had some good luck as well getting a 15lb fresh Salmon from Duddo along with a 4lb Seatrout. The big surprise of the day was lunchtime when all three of us had a salad box from the local bakers, I always thought that Terry was allergic to salad!
Tuesday 8th July 1’0” and 62 degs. Graham (butterfingers) Whitty manages to lose two in Learmouth stream, I have a good pull in the Glide on a wee Sunray and Terry has a big boil at a Skimmer in the Cauld, at lunchtime (salad again!) Mick from Pavilion tells me that they are not fishing as the river has gone up two feet and is manky, very heavy showers this afternoon which puts paid to the fishing, so it’s home to tie some wee doubles using Kelsae’s tail hair. Gauge showing 2’2” at 8.00pm so no evening fishing.
Wednesday 9th July 1’10” and 60 degs but very beery even so we managed two Seatrout from the tail of the cauld on intermediate tips and a jazzed up sunray, this afternoon there were a number of fish showing in the Temple and we had a hold of one for a few seconds on a Toby plus a couple followed it right to the boat with a big swirl as they turned away which is typical Seatrout. The water had dropped back to 1’8” by 3.00pm and cleared a bit so this evening could be good apart from the fact its going to be cold very cold in fact for July. I’m hoping for better things tomorrow as I’ve had reports of fish moving up from the lower beats today and I get the strimmer back tomorrow so I can get stuck into the paths and landing areas as the grass is growing at a rate of knots.
Thursday 10th July Edward Marshall and friends here for three days so after a whistle stop tour of the beat we got the rods put together and set about the fishing. I took Nigel onto the slap Croy and he raised two fish neither which he connected with, Nigel is a Trout fisher it seems and a lighting fast strike is the order of the day! Into the Cauld and we hook one and lose it at the bottom end, down with a Sunray and two big boils and two more lighting strikes, skimmer next tow fish trying to grab it but Nigel manages to pull the fly away just in time before the fish bites it! It’s difficult sometimes when you are a dry fly man and you see a fish taking the fly to do nothing but it helps. This afternoon I was away to pick up the strimmer and then put it to good use so I haven’t seen the rods this afternoon to find out if they have caught anything. The lift of water has certainly moved some fish about as the catches on the web sites are much improved. It’s been a nice warm afternoon so I could be tempted to have a cast tonight. 1’7” and 57 degs, strong beery tinge to the water. Just remembered Paul had a 5lb Seatrout from the Glide this morning.
Friday 10th July Nothing doing last night in fact in fact it was very quiet, hardly any trout rising either. Today the gauge is showing 1’5” and 60 degs beery tinge, a cooler morning but the heat building as the day went on. Edward on the Slap and Cauld first thing but we didn’t trouble the fish, not a thing was seen, even the sunray and skimmer failed to get a rise. I spent the rest of the day strimming the cauld bank and right down to the Back of the wall and gave up at 4.30 pm when I could hardly see for sweat running into my eyes and being pestered by flies. Thunder and lightning forecast for tonight so I think its a glass or three of wine and maybe a dram and watch the light show if it happens. The lads are saying they are going to fish tonight so I mentioned the forecast and gave them the old health and safety talk about waving 15’ lightning conductors about.
Saturday 11th July 1’2” and 61 degs bit of a westerly breeze, Howard onto the Slap and Cauld, nothing in the Slap although we did see one, fished the Cauld up and down with different flies and managed a boil at the Sunray but no pull. I left the lads at 12.00 as off to a wedding, thats two weddings this year which makes a pleasant change as I tend to go to more funerals nowadays. Clancy your onions are coming on now that it’s warmed up and I’m looking forward to see how you come on with your pumpkin, anything less than 100lbs is a failure! No Photos this week.
©M Campbell 2015