Week beginning 8 April 2013
Monday 8th Back to east winds and even worse there’s a touch of south in it, so it’s blowing right up the Temple and Cauld, 1’9” 39 degs and clean. It’s just as well that there was a lot of snow as no rain for weeks would have the river on its bare bones by now. Not as many fish showing as last week but we had two for the day 1@11lbs from the Bags and 1@5lbs from the Tail of the Cauld. The first Sandmartins turned up today but they are going to have a lean time until it warms up as there is hardly a fly to be seen on the water. Tuesday 9th A lovely sunny start and calm when I looked out of the bedroom window but by the time I got along to the hut the east wind was with us and it had clouded over yet again. Not a touch all morning but did see a few fish splashing about. The afternoon proved to be more successful certainly for Lees stalwart Ron Charlton 84 years, who had a hold of 3 fish in the Cauld landing 2 of them the best being 18lbs covered in long tailed lice. Up in the Temple however John Wilkinson 88 years (of Wilkinson’s wasp fame) had the company of one of the young Otters who followed us up the pool causing us to stop fishing for a while in case we hooked it or it took the spinner, we also had the Osprey diving on some fish then the Kingfisher darting out of one of the willows beside us all in the space of a few minutes. There were a good number of fish showing in the tail of the Cauld late on let’s hope they are still there tomorrow. And let’s get rid of that bloody east wind. Wednesday 10th Another very cold day, weather girl keeps saying it’s going to get warmer and less wind, When??? Anyway 4 fish today and lost another 3 all good fish and liced the best was a 24lb fish from the Glide on a sink tip just shows you don’t have to be scraping the bottom, still no proper hatch of fly and no Trout to be seen, water temp was up to a dizzy 40 degs and very clean. There are now fish showing in every pool not loads but enough to keep you interested.
Thursday 11th Another very cold day poor old John was visibly shivering in the boat this afternoon, it’s only the fact that we are catching plenty fish that makes it tolerable the east wind just never gives up, I know I keep on about it but when you are out in it all day it starts to get you down, the lads above Kelso must be in despair. Anyway another 6 fish today all fresh bar one and plenty showing it makes you think that there’s load of fish about but most of the spring run is below Kelso so we have to be realistic. Fish today were mostly on intermediate lines and light flies #6 dressed trebles, no need to be fishing anything heavier, I hear some are still using wet 4 lines at this height! One bold Sandmartin today and a very small hatch of olives, our too friendly Otter was with us again in the Temple. Friday 12th Still cold and from the east but another good day with 4 Salmon and 2 Seatrout. Both the Seatrout were taken on spinners 1@6lb and 1@3lb and both liced not as fat as June/July fish but still good fish. Saturday 13th I’m having a day off, I have a hangover that would kill a Tiger as my laddie was installed as Coldstreamer for the 2013 common riding season last night and that involves drinking copious amounts of whisky. There were 3 salmon caught for the day, so another great week for April, it was only 3/4 years ago we didn’t catch a fish for the whole of April. Sunday 14th The river is risingvery fastand with is 7 feet at Peebles6 feet in Teviot and Ettrick we will not be fishing tomorrow, at least this should get some fish to move up river to the beats above Kelso and give them some sport. Loads of Sandmartins here today and a Swallow seen on Saturday morning, they must of come with the warm front that is now with us, what a difference it’s gone from 3 degrees to 15 overnight and about time that has to of been the coldest March and start of April I’ve ever been out in.
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