news/editorial

2 July 2017 News/Editorial

It is annoying when weather forecast websites do not agree. With the notable exception of Yr. (the Norwegian one, often the most accurate), they say it will be a dry week and with no heat wave. Yr., slightly supported by the BBC’s Countryfile forecast for the week, says there could be substantial rain at Hawick on Tuesday, although no doubt by the time you read this, it will have changed its mind.

So, with stories of our one net at Gardo catching salmon, and more sea trout than it could cope with, and after a biggish lift in water on Friday, the water temperature now down in the low 50sF as opposed to the high 60sF of 2 weeks ago, those fishing this coming week must be rubbing their hands in anticipation.

I hear some likely lads at Wark, recently emerged from the London-Berwick train, dismayed to see a big brown (unfishable) water on Friday, made up for it on Saturday with 6 salmon, a remarkable score in the “below Teviot” conditions, although one imagines not too many Hardy Perfect reels and Blue Charms were being used…….so there must be some still to be caught when things have fined down, and cleared, by Monday.

As for here, Sally Yonge, the (much) better half of Nick Yonge, the ex RTC CEO, caught her first salmon on Saturday, a magnificent 11 lbs cock fish, guided and rowed by the redoubtable Bruce. She then appeared with it at a Marie Curie fundraising lunch we were having here. Congratulated by all, amid many photos of the triumphant angler and her prize…..a truly wonderful moment for her and, one hopes, the launch of her future salmon fishing career.

Need one say, those who I barely class as friends thought it would be amusing, indeed they could hardly contain themselves at the idea, to photograph yours truly alongside the dead 11lber with the spinning rod and whatever lure was to blame. I agreed that, if photographed in such a compromising position, I would have to leave the country permanently…...all of which made them try that much harder to get such an incriminating shot.

You will be disappointed to hear they were unsuccessful.

So traumatised was I by all this, and in need of an instant antidote, I ventured out, after tea when all was quiet and our guests were gone, and took my 15fter and intermediate line and wee-ish bright yellow fly, to the Ledges at the top of the Temple.

Despite a gale and still not really being able to see my feet when wading up to my waist, I hooked and landed a bright 8lber, which I slid back into the water after, though I say it myself, most expertly, and rapidly, for the fish never left the water, nicking the hook from its scissors and waving it “God speed”.

I imagine the salmon winked at me as we looked each other in the eye while I was removing the hook, before sliding it back into the depths as it gave a goodbye “thwack” of its tail.

Normal service had been resumed, and all was well in my world…..

……...but my odious friends would not have been interested in having a photo of that.

Friends?

Some friends.