news/editorial

4 March 2018 News/Editorial

My more mature friends muttered darkly about the winter of 1947; even youngsters, like yours truly, muttered darkly about the prolonged horrors of 1963; and everyone muttered darkly about “the beast from the east” which assailed us last week.

It was viciously cold, and by lunchtime on Wednesday, even Scott or Amundsen would have thought twice about trying to get their fly to penetrate the grue and the easterly gale.

I know salmon cannot have predictive powers….. or can they? It is odd that springers are going to be late this year, as precious little has come into any of the major east coast rivers yet.

February is never a great fishing month nowadays, but this year’s Tweed total of 66 salmon and 10 sea trout must be the lowest for many years past, despite some days when conditions were perfectly reasonable.

What of next week?

With little frost forecast and temperatures slowly recovering to 6 -10C, the “deferred flood” (which 1 or 2 feet of snow represents) could become a very big real flood if everything melts quickly, or a series of smaller ones, if not.

Either way, once the thaw proper begins, we are not going to have a settled river…… until all this unwelcome white stuff is gone.

--00—

Meanwhile, the River Tweed Commission has published its 2017 Annual Report.

As always, it makes interesting reading and is available online at:

http://www.rtc.org.uk/2017_Annual_Report.pdf.

The headline figure is the 2017 rod catch of 6,577.

The doom mongers will note it is the lowest figure since 1987; those of more positive disposition will know that the average weight was around 11 lbs, as compared to just 7.5lbs pre 2014. You may be a “numbers” man/woman, but I for one would rather catch a single 15lb belter, than 5 of those 3 lb skinny grilse which are no fun at all on a 15ft rod and 20lb leader.

The Chairman, Douglas Dobie, correctly points out in his Report there is much to be optimistic about, and that the Tweed has never been better placed to take advantage of any upturn in numbers returning from the sea, especially if the widely predicted reduction in interceptory netting off the Northumbrian coast goes ahead in 2018 and 2019.

Amid the pervading gloom of some, the “I can only see it getting worse” brigade, I too find myself strangely optimistic.

--00--

There is a survey abroad, promoted by Tweedbeats.

After much comment, and some criticism, in recent years, it is always useful to know what your supporters (and non-supporters!) and customers think. It is anonymous, so that you can say what you truly think, without fear of retribution……..or causing offence!

Well over 100 generous fishermen and women have completed it already.

It takes 5 minutes at most, and you will find it here:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LTHCKT7

Thank you to all those who have completed it already…...and to those who will.