news/editorial

17 September 2017 News/Editorial

The Tweed catch figures (not understated by more than 10%) to the end of last week (16th september 2017) are as follows:

Total catch for the week 336 salmon and 55 sea trout

Cumulative total river catch to 16th September 2017 4,153 salmon and 1,488 sea trout

Last week was, therefore, by some margin, the best week of the season so far.

Not only that, but amongst a mainly old resident population, there was a most welcome component of both fresh salmon and grilse, almost totally lacking last year.

It was extraordinarily even-handed in that no one beat, or even beats close together geographically, had a monopoly of catches, everyone seemingly having some action with 5 or 6 salmon/grilse per beat being the biggest catches in a day.

What this clearly means is that there are a number of fish in the river, whilst, at the same time, the absence of any real bonanzas (10+ in a day on any one beat) indicates that there has not yet been a big run of fresh fish, and that the older fish are pretty hard to catch…..as older fish always are.

For some reason, I kept the Fishtweed (we were all Fishtweed in those days) catches for the week ending 27th August 2004. Suffice to say, that more were caught by lunchtime on the Tuesday of that week than were caught here in the whole of last week.

On the Monday alone, 6 beats caught well over double figures (best 32).

I say this only for context…...and balance…….. before any unwarranted euphoria kicks in.

So what of next week?

Levels are holding reasonably steady, thanks to the seemingly endless showers hitting the more easterly tributaries, and with ever lengthening, and initially cold, nights, water temperatures may well drop into the late 40sF, which some think persuades the older fish to take.

From midweek, it will become more unsettled as a westerly (Atlantic), warmer, airflow replaces the current northerly.

All of which sounds reasonably ok for those lucky enough to be fishing.

DV.

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In the blur of immediate post-waking consciousness, did I, or you, hear a prediction on the radio that we are to have at least 6 named storms, so disturbed are the Caribbean and North Atlantic oceans, between now and Christmas?

Maybe it was a dream, and maybe, like so many long term weather predictions, it will prove to be wrong.

But if not, hold onto your hats, we are in for some wind and rain, and those fast sinking lines will get a work-out later in October and November.

As will the boats, and the boatmen at their oars.

In other words…. a pretty normal autumn.