Week beginning 8 May 2023
Monday 8th May. A much milder day today warm even, 1’5” 54 degrees and murky, you struggled to see your feet when wading up to your groin. Team Merrell here for three days, the lads all know the beat which makes things a bit easier. Mark Orton was up top this morning and had a couple of fresh seatrout out of the Cauld but that was the only action and they didn’t see anything else, round the beat it was busy with trout fishers as it’s a bank holiday, I had to have a word with them as they were all starting to bottle neck at the Duddo and Middle stream area plus wading up to their armpits. This afternoon Gordon hooked a decent fish in the Slap but it decided to head down through the Slap a bit too much pressure and it was away. I saw a splash or two in the Cauld but nothing was pulling. Middle Mertoun were top beat getting 5 which was almost half the river total. A lovely sight today was two swifts over the Cauld this afternoon summers not far off.
Tuesday 9th May. A much better day weather wise I nearly didn’t bother with a jacket but took it in case of a shower. 1’6” and 54 degrees but still fairly murky, Teviot had put a wee flush down through last night. Jonathon Maddox was up top and had a wee silver seatrout out of the Cauld about 2lbs in weight, the Slap was busy but nothing would pull. Down at the Iron gate Mark Orton was the lucky boy getting a liced 8lber this morning. Ian Merrell still to get off the mark despite trying harder than anyone, just shows you’re better being lucky. This afternoon Jonathon had a fresh 7lber again from the Iron gate. The water is taking a long time to clear and the stones are still covered in dirt. Lots of little ducklings on the Temple and the otter is never far away, the mother ducks are doing their best to keep it away but the otter will get some if not all of them in the end.
Wednesday 10th May. Nothing to report for the morning session but this afternoon Ian managed a 10lber from Cornhill bend and Jonathon a 9lber from the Bags, short report as I was off this afternoon.
Thursday 11th May. A wee rise on its way down which spoiled things after lunch with a lot of the stone dirt lifting and floating down it was also colouring up a bit. Steve Robins managed a 7lber out of the Slap on a #6 double and lost another, ha had a pull in the Cauld and a boil at the sunray so a good morning for Steve. The rest of the team blanked but I’m sure once the river settles overnight they’ll catch up tomorrow.
Friday 12th May. It was a grey dreich start and in fact it was grey and dreich all day with an east wind again. John McLeod couldn’t make it today so Ian one of his pals filled in, he was up top this morning and after fishing it all until 12.30 he said to Paul, here show me how it’s done, a couple of casts later in the Slap and Paul hooked and landed a cracking 14lber, consider yourself shown Ian,(see instagram for photos ), the fish took a orange conehead tube fished on a fast sinktip. Elsewhere it was all quite for our rods, Cornhill had one out of the Duddo. Steve saw a couple in the Iron Gate and one in the Glide. This afternoon Colin Hewitt covered a few fish in the Slap but none would pull and he saw one right up in the neck of the Cauld looking like it was ready to pop through the Slap. Lots of beats are saying this week they are seeing fish running, well there must be a big black hole up the river somewhere where they all hide as they are never seen again. Beery water again today and 1’6” and the Lees 52f.
Saturday 13th May. A misty start and a wee bit cool but by mid morning the sun was peeking between the gaps and soon had the mist burnt off. 1’4” and 50 f but still with a beery tinge to the water. Jonathon Reddin was on the Slap and managed to shake a good fish off his trusty black and yellow, he came good by getting a 3lb seatrout on a sunray shortly after. Down at the bottom of the beat David Walker had a hold of a fish in the Bags but it too came off, Colin Hewitt was also in the losing team as he lost a seatrout in Learmouth stream, it wasn’t until after lunch that we had a fish on the scoreboard with David getting a liced 10lber from the Cauld, another beat getting liced fish was Lower Pavilion who had two licers today which is some 30 odd miles from the sea nearly 40 I’d think. I saw two fish in the Duddo this afternoon and Paul said the Slap was fairly busy for a while. I took Jonathon up the Temple with a large sunray this morning as he can put a line out which is required and thought we’d get a bow wave at the very least but nothing stirred. Catches are thin on the ground but with more beats not reporting now you don’t get a true picture, I know Floors had one and Junction along with Sprouston so you can add 3 to the scoreboard. We ended up with 7 and a few lost so not a bad week given the conditions and lack of fish, there are more seatrout about so they will make up the shortfall in salmon for those that wish to target them. Forecast going into next week looks like sunshine and showers but not enough to give a flood. For latest pics and clips follow tweedbeatsfishing on instagram.
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