Week beginning 9 August 2021
Monday 9th August. Jim Worley and pals here for three days. The river was up about 4 inch and a fair bit of weed was on the move helped off the margins by a south west wind, Water temp was 60f. The lads spread out round the beat saw a fish or two but never had a touch, very heavy showers late afternoon sent us all scurrying back to the hut and that was the day. The big news of the day was Tam over at South Wark texting me to tell me they’d finally caught a fish which puts them on a mighty 10 for the season, it has to be remembered that South Wark is a higher water beat so well done Tam thats a long slow season to go through waiting for fish, it’ll be the same for a lot of beats further up the river. The wait is maybe over though as the Leader is up a couple of feet tonight and the Tweed at Peebles has some water in it, trouble is it’ll be manky tomorrow.
Tuesday 10th August. Well the river was manky but not big enough for a proper flush out, it was the colour of watery pea soup with weed and slime right through the water column, 1’10” and 60 degrees, there were fish moving, possibly trying to find some respite from the storm of crap that was rolling towards them. Jim was surprised to see a boat appear from South Wark, I was amazed and thought Tam buoyed by his success yesterday was trying to get another fish on the scoreboard, the next thing Jim shouts he’s got a fish on as the boat went in and Tam waded out, it was Tam going out to get the 10lb of weed off the line swiftly followed by a boat being locked up. Looking at the photo feed from upstream on instagram (if you don’t follow tweedbeats on instagram you should as it lets you know what’s happening as it happens) the river is brown very brown in fact. The problem now is the river drops too fast and the colour becomes a problem tomorrow as the Tweed didn’t really go up enough to dilute the Leader and Gala water. Two fish caught from the Junction today right at the junction as the Teviot didn’t flood.
Wednesday 11th August. 1’2” and 60f but very beery. The lads spread out round the beat and set about their duties. Mark was up top and we covered a fish or two in the slap but not a sniff was had, we even gave them the big sunray but no follows, into the cauld and despite seeing the first fresh fish in there for months we couldn’t get a pull, the lads down the beat fared no better. At lunchtime Calum text from Lower north wark to say they had 6 all on a rap which isn’t surprising as it’s that kind of water. This afternoon Jim was in the glide and got an 8lb old cock fish on a black and yellow sort of feeler bound thing, he also had a boil at the sunray. I expected to see more today but perhaps the ones that were going to move moved yesterday. As I write it is raining again not heavy but it is at least rain as the river is dropping back fast. New team on for next three days so they will be as keen as ferrets on steroids.
Thursday 12th August. 1’0” and 58 degrees nice and clean. Phil Odlin and team here for next three days. Tony was up top and was first on to the scoreboard with a 12lb river fish from the slap which was the only salmon of the morning; James Cheer had a seatrout out of the Duddo on a sunray whilst the others blanked. We didn’t see too many fish this morning just the odd ones here and there. At lunchtime finding out there were a good number of fresh fish caught around kelso was frustrating and left us wondering why they are running straight through. This afternoon Phil came good getting an 8lb seatrout and a 5lb grilse from the glide. A wee rise of a few inches going through tonight which won’t do any harm.
Friday 13th August. A heavy shower greeted us first thing so we all stayed in the hut for half an hour until it blew over but we got the world sorted out whilst there. 1’2” and 58 degrees but still clean. James was first into action getting a 10lber cock from the slap on a wee black and yellow conehead, Eric Wright down in Learmouth was having a lot of action landing two and losing 3 plus another five or six pulls all on a wee black and yellow bottle tube, not to be left behind Phil and Tony had a fish each from the Glide and Iron gate. The main entertainment went to James having his first go with a skimmer had 4 fish at it in the Cauld plus one at a sunray, none of them stuck on but the thrill of seeing them come at it is great. This afternoon it was like someone threw a switch and there was hardly a fish to be seen let alone get a pull. I am hearing reports of fresh fish up as far as Melrose so they are pushing through.
Saturday 14th August. 1’0” and 57 degrees with a stiff breeze blowing. There were fish about and they were pulling but not sticking. Tony Smith in the cauld trying the skimmer and collie dug for the first time had a hold of four and lost the lot, James landed two in the Cornhill bend and Middle stream, Eric lost a couple in the Glide. This seemed to be the tale across the river as a whole, lots of pulls and fish lost which is typical of grilse. It is much cooler now which has made a difference although we still need a decent flood, the forecast is dry for the coming week so things are going to get harder as levels drop.
©M Campbell 2021
our twitter feed