Week beginning 9 February 2015
Monday 9th February A cracking day weather wise, it was actually warm, it fact too warm when you have neoprene waders on but I’m not complaining. Team Harper were slow to get going apart from Graham who was off down the beat to Learmouth like a rat up a drainpipe. The beat is looking spot on 1’9” and 36 degs squeaky clean but no bloody fish! I think I maybe saw my first Springer of the season which was in the Cauld this afternoon but only just maybe, it was a wee head and tail and from a distance so maybe, anyway we never had so much as a pull. South Wark were the lucky boys getting a licer from the willows upstream of us which was one of only three taken off the river today, so thats Wark off the mark, our turn tomorrow I hope. Its amazing one warm sunny day and the birds were singing their heads off, the ducks are all paired off and the swans are getting territorial it makes you think that spring is coming but we all know its early days as it can turn nasty very quick.
Tuesday 10th February Another lovely sunny start to the day with a wee lift in the water from the sna melt, 2’02 and 36 degs. Terry wrenched himself away from the paper just long enough to fish the Cauld whilst the rest of us tackled the rest of the beat but by lunchtime (which is becoming the best part of the day) we had nothing to show for our efforts apart from Richard Ottley who improved his casting no end as he only started yesterday. A very convivial lunch was had with Frank Smith telling us tales of dering doo from his trip in Alaska. This afternoon it was the old dog for the hard road as Richard of casting fame waded into the tail of the Cauld and managed to pull out a Kelt, now in a normal year it wouldn’t merit a mention but things are slack and it was his first fish of the Salmon kind. We were also entertained this afternoon by David our local vet who gave us a flying display with his Lanner falcon, he needs to get it trained to attack Cormorants as we had a fly past this morning of 40 plus, which is better than the 57 last week would you believe the collective noun for Cormorants is a Gulp! Only 7 fish reported off the river and 6 came from Junction! Our turn tomorrow.
Wednesday 11th February Well it turned out that it wasn’t our turn today after all as all we had was a wee Seatroot Kelt from the Cauld. The surprise of the day and not a pleasant one at that was 100 plus Cormorants fishing the temple when I turned up this morning, I thought when I saw 57 the other day that would be the biggest amount I would ever see but 100 plus! So many Cormorants in fact that I had to use the collective noun a “Gulp “. Terry Harper tried out his new all singing and dancing line today (Eoin Fairgrevies) and can now almost reach the Slap, he was so pleased he went straight back into the hut for a dram. Richard Ottley managed to get an extra yard onto his cast and if he would let go the line he would get another couple out. It was a bitter cold day which was a bit surprising as the wind was from the south west and that curtailed piscatorial activities as the hut was lovely and warm and well stocked with refreshments.
Thursday 12th February Sunny start 1’9” and 38 degs. Only 20 plus Cormorants today but no fish yet, I did see a head and tail in the tail of the Cauld but not a good enough look to say what it was. Only 3 fish reported on the websites tonight which is poor but looking at the Tay and Dee sites I see we are in good company. Its the way of things when not much is going on that the starts are getting later, lunches longer and the hotel bar is calling the rods back long before the sun sets, at least the weather is kind at the moment although that looks set to change over the next day or two.
Friday 13th February This date is said by some to be unlucky, it certainly was for Jesus right enough, it was also unlucky for us as we never had a touch, none of the beats down our way are but the lads round Kelso are still having some sport and with quality fish, 24lbs, 20lbs and 18lbs that I’ve heard of so well done them. You would think that we would see a fish or two as they go through the beat but we don’t, I think they are getting the bus up from Berwick to Kelso. Highlight of the day was Kelsae the dug making her first water retrieve. The family of Long Tailed Tits were with us again today they are a lovely wee bird and the whole lot of them were very busy taking something off the branches in front of the hut. I looked up the collective nouns for Long Tailed Tits and there isn’t one so Frank Smith suggested a Bosom and that seems quite appropriate so that’s what they are from now on, Terry thought a bra full would be good but Bosom is better. 1’8” and 38 degs squeaky clean and a raw morning with a south east wind blowing which didn’t encourage the rods to stay away from the hut for too long, as of late though we didn’t see a thing. There’s always tomorrow when I’m sure it’ll be better.
Saturday 14th February Well it’s valentine’s day and Graham Whitty has fallen in love with the Cauldstream as thats where he caught our first Springer of the season, Yes a springer and about time as well it was a liced 7lber and took a gold bodied Willie Gunn. Mind you it hardly surprising that Graham caught the fish as out of all the members of team Harper he was the only one fishing! Frank had left early to pick up a new painting by numbers kit and Terry was in the hut reading the paper, seeing Graham get a fish though he was soon into the boat himself but sadly that was the only fish of the day and one of only four off the whole river, but very welcome none the less. There were a few other fish showing in the Cauld this morning but gone by this afternoon, no doubt they’ll be at Kelso looking to grab the first fly they see on Monday. Team Harper are here till Wednesday next and are being reinforced by some new blood so the beat will be thrashed to a foam. Yorkshire Onion growing champion Clancy will be here looking to follow up on last year’s success when he had a brace of Kelts and Q McLaren one of the finest Spey casters in the borders is also joining us so it’ll be a numbers game next week.
No photos this week as I didn’t take any
© M Campbell 2015
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