Week beginning 9 November 2020
Monday 9th November. A grey damp misty start, 2’1” and 42 degrees squeaky clean, possibly the best conditions there has been for a week or two river wise. Only one rod on today as the rest have called off due to Covid travel restrictions. Mike Gregory toddled off down to Learmouth stream this morning with Paul and on their return reported seeing one or two fish first thing then nothing else. I got the mink trap set up at the ledges and tastily baited with a bit of tuna, filled a few potholes and it was lunchtime. This afternoon it was into the Cauldstream where we saw a couple of fish but no pulls. Catches on the river were very low with only 3 fish reported across the websites by 9.00pm, you can pick your reason from the following options – no fish, no fresh fish, no rods, many beats being closed or covid travel restrictions, anyone of these reasons or all of them combined have effectively closed the season it would seem.
Tuesday 10th November. Another foggy calm dreich start, 2’1” and 42 degrees, perfect river conditions really. Paul took himself off round the beat to fish a few likely spots and returned at lunchtime having lost a seatrout which threw the hook when it jumped, there are reports of a few silver seatrout going about and if anyone catches one the Tweed foundation would like to examine one or two of them. Checked the mink trap but nothing in it, was expecting a rat at least. Acquired some weldmesh which I cut to size and fitted to inside of window, not pretty but had it been there 6 weeks ago the thieving bas###ds might not have gained entry, horse and stable door I know. The news is filled with hope of success with the new vaccine that has been developed, it’ll be this time next year before I get one likely but at least there is hope. Bit of heavy rain in the west tomorrow and some wind for all of us, which will help the fish but not the fishermen. Looking out the window at 7.30pm and its dark and damp so I think I’ll tie up a few #8’s and think of sunnier times.
Wednesday 11th November. A nice calm start but the wind was with us by lunchtime, this didn’t bother the rods as there are none, Paul took himself off down the beat again in search of a fish but there were no reports of success. Tam (South Wark) backed the Temple up this afternoon it took him all of 15 casts and he was at the top. I took myself off to Kelso to get a new bolt for the hut shutter where the t##ts broke in, this should have been a 30 minute job but on return with new bolt the holes didn’t line up and the bolt holes were the wrong size, trying to find 8 new bolts to fix it to the shutter without going back to Kelso took most of the rest of the day, as the ones I got had to be filed down to fit, anyway it’s on now. The mink trap remains untouched. The two wooden benches are next; one need brought inside and rubbed down then re oiled and the other needs to be inside for the winter. 9 fish reported off the river today amazingly 2 at Milne Graden which were both old fish says Kevin. Very few fish showing partly due to the fact I wasn’t really looking for them but conditions are perfect with the gauge reading 1’11” and 44 degrees and as clean as it gets.
Thursday 12th November. Mild today but windy from the south west, 1’10” and 44 degrees still squeaky clean. 3 fish today all caught by Paul which shouldn’t be a surprise as he was the only person fishing, Andrew had a few casts for half an hour then rowed Paul in the Cauld where he got one of his fish and another 3 pulls, the other 2 came from Learmouth and Back of the wall. Looking at the websites catches pages it looks like Paul was the only person on the river fishing as his 3 fish are all there is reported apart from a seatrout at Glenormiston which must be 40 miles upstream from us. Got some mole traps in, painted the toilet floor and took out all the marker posts round the beat as last year I forgot and we lost a few in the floods in Jan/Feb. River rising a wee bit tonight and the forecast is awful with wind and rain right through the weekend, it’ll be in flood next week but not to worry as “it’ll bring them in” as they say.
Friday 13th November. Well! It looks like no one bothered to fish today as not a single fish across both websites tonight by 8.00pm, one might pop up later but with the upper river rising all day its unlikely. Paul took himself off down the beat this morning and Andrew fished Learmouth but there are no reports of any fish getting caught on the Lees. 1’11” and 47 degrees nice and clean. Lots of seatrout kelts showing in the slap and cauld this morning before the wind picked up. Checked mink, mole and rat traps which resulted in one rat. Did a stock take on the oars as a few of the left hand ones are in need of repair as they are the ones that hit the bank and get the knocks. 4 salmon for November so far which is the best since 2017 when we had 14, 33 in 2017 and 34 in 2016. In 2013 we had 213 and in 2013 we had 230 for November how times change.
Saturday 14th November. A damp start to the day with a bit of a wind but it soon calmed down. 2’4” and 46 degrees nice and clean, not that it mattered much as no one was fishing here today, Cornhill had a rod out and the only other people I saw was Lower Birgham as I drove to Kelso. Whilst I was at the hut there was a lot of kelts showing both seatrout and salmon. 5 fish on the websites tonight all from Fairnilee. No moles, mink or rats today.
©M Campbell 2020
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