Week beginning 9 March 2020
Monday 9th March. An overcast start and a wee bit breezy, 3’3” and 40 degrees carrying a bit of colour. Having seen the forecast Charles Cook decided to have a day off, Ben and Peter who are both seasoned rods called in for a coffee and a bleather, they had rods booked in February but were flooded off so they were back today on a rescheduled day, they didn’t fancy their chances much so left for a look at the local tackle shops. Lower North wark were lucky today getting two fish on an Xrap and I’ve heard Lower Floors had one, I can’t see the fishpal website as it’s being worked on so don’t know if anymore were caught above us. The forecast was for heavy rain and at 8.00pm it is raining there are also to be 40mph winds tomorrow so the misery continues.
Tuesday 10th March. 3’5” and rising but up to 42 degrees. Charles Cook who was to fishing today was a no show and no one can blame him as he is also in the same camp as me in hating the wind with a passion. The brown water continues to trundle past us on an almost daily basis and if it’s not brown it’s blowing a bloody gale or both at the same time. My back continues to niggle away at me but is less painful than last week. The local shops are running out of toilet paper and hand cleaner but not food so it would seem that people would rather have a wiped bum than eat. On the wildlife front a ducks nest was found up at Kelso with 10 eggs in it which has to be very early, it’ll not be long before the first sandmartin is here, I’ve yet to see a fly on the water for them, and the osprey will be with us by the end of the month as will the better weather I hope.
Wednesday 11th March. Another wet and windy day, I’ve never known a season to start like this it just goes on and on and bloody well on. 3’3” and rising and very beery, this didn’t stop the Wark beats who had a fish each out of the Willows pool on an Xrap again so well done them. Looking at the levels a lot of the gauges are rising again, not a big rise but at these levels it doesn’t have to be much of a rise. The cheery weathergirl says it’s to be a nice day on Friday with a high pressure coming in and you can bet it’ll just be for the south of the country; we will be on the top edge of it and get blown to buggery again no doubt.
Thursday 12th March. Team Harper here for 6 days with a Sunday in the middle, it was 3’11” when they went home not having wet a line in February and this morning it was 4’2” and very brown as well as blowing a hoolie, it was so windy even the birds were walking. John Clancy was more concerned about the onions that he brought me than the fishing and brought some new fertilizer for me to apply. Looking at the surrounding hills they are all white over with snow which of course has to melt into the river, the top gauges are rising again tonight, it’s like Groundhog Day if you’ve ever seen the film. Corona virus is making moves into the country and the stores are running out of loo roll but don’t worry we have plenty in the fishing hut. I should think fishing is the safest place to be as there is no one there and you’re out in the fresh air. North wind tomorrow so the Temple will be sheltered at least, if its fishable.
Friday 13th March. 4’8” and filthy brown so not fishable but it was sheltered. Nothing more to say really. Saturday 14th March. 3’4” and a bit cleaner can see in about a foot and a half. Paul and Ian had a Kelt from the top of the Temple, Clancy and myself never had a touch despite Clancy throwing his toby in every direction. Highlight of the day was watching a Peregrine and a finch having an ariel battle right above us with the finch eventually finding safety in the trees. I’ve seen a photo of a nice springer caught at Upper Hendersyde so there are fish about, bit of rain tonight but looks dry next week so hopefully we’ll get a week’s fishing at better heights before Corvid-19 wipes us all out.
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