Reports Index

December 04

Wednesday the 1st

Well it was the first day of the Season on the Kelso Angling Association Waters for the Grayling Angler. Being second class citizens we are not allowed out to play until the salmon anglers have finished their season.

I met up with my mate Ron McCombe who had had one fish about 12 inches but he said it was slow going. Tell me about it!    

So I decided to have a look up at the Teviot and try one of my

banker streams.

Well.... it was a banker but for only one fish on the first run through.

And nothing on the second run.

My mate Ron was fishing above me and was continuously getting a hold of salmon.

What a pain in the butt they are.

It takes ages to play them and wastes your fishing time.

Thank goodness the way I fish I don't get bothered with them as much.

I did get another grayling further down the steam fishing Goldhead Style but then we decided to head off for the Junction Beat on the Tweed.

The first day ended like this. 

Me. Five Grayling 35,35,40,40 and 41 cm.

Ron. Three Grayling 30, 35 and 35cm.

That's a better day than I have had of late.

Mind you they are all good days it is just that some are better than others!

Thursday 2nd

Well I went back to the Junction. NNNNuuuutthhhinnnnn = Nowt in case you are wondering.

So after a quick bite at lunch time I went further downstream to enjoy a better afternoon.

It was and I don't use the word lightly only three fish but they did go 43,43 and 40 cm.

Tuesday the 7th

Back on the Kelso stretch with Ron.

Tried for around 40 mins at the Junction and then when nothing was doing we headed up the Teviot.

Fishing down a beautiful "seam" I catch a lovely Grayling about 41 cm.

However no more from that bit to we set off for a lower stretch of the Tweed stopping off at the seat at the Junction Pool for a quick and scenic lunch.

By Gum but there are some salmon in the Tweed these days. The banks and the bottom are littered with dead fish and there are sometimes as many as three or even four fish in the air at any one time. A rake of fish everywhere you go.

After Lunch we both go through a pool a couple of times. My friend Ron has a fish and a take.

Me = NOWT

I go again and nothing!

Ron goes through and again he has a take and a fish!!!!

I go through for the last time and get a take and a Fish!!!!!! Hurrrahh!!!!

Now Then.........

For that last run through I had changed my leader set up to a different one.

One which would let my flies fish more like Ron's.

I did not change the Flies only the Leader Setup

Did that make the difference??????

Only time will tell.

Oh and of course if I do find it made a difference I will tell you what the construction is.

Mind you I will then have to cast you adrift in the middle of the Ocean!!!! Ha Ha

This was one of these very interesting days when although you have not had a shed load

of fish, you have had a great day out and you arrive home with the possibility that you may....... just may have cracked it.

Thursday the 11th

Well I am not a greedy man.

Of course I have been known to eat the last slice of pie but I always check that no one else wants it first.

What's he on about now???!!!

It's just that since the beginning of this month I have had the Tweed and Teviot to myself.

Except when I fished with my mate Ron.

What I mean is no tugging on the forelock to the Salmon Anglers. They are all away......

Seriously though it is great to be able to just go and fish where you want.

I do tend to fish midweek and so far this season I have not seen a soul.... Heaven....

Mind you the flip side of that is I have no one to compare notes with on a given day.

Never happy EH??!!!   Ha Ha

So to the new leader set up?

Useless!!

Well it might not be but it did not make any great difference on this day.

Three Grayling from Three Pools.

Each one I could have pointed out the exact lie before I even started casting.

It was interesting for a while about the new leader set up but now at least I won't have to cast you all adrift.

Still often the anticipation in Fly-Fishing is an enjoyable sport in its own right.

I had a pleasant couple of days just thinking about my next outing.

Sad I know but the mild affliction that is Fly-Fishing is like that.

Sunday the 19th

Well it went like a Fair!

Which, as it was a Dickensian Market makes sense.

What I mean is that it was a really busy day.

Not just in the shop but for the whole town.

The street was packed with Craft Stalls and Farmers Markets. The local Rugby Club and the likes were serving hot soup. The Hog Roast Stall had a queue ten yards long!

There was singing and entertainers throughout the day and Carols and Fireworks to finish.

At one stage I wanted to go up the street and I just couldn't get through.

I had to go down and around!

Both myself and Margaret had a good day. We enter into the spirit of things by hiring Dickensian Outfits for the day.

By God but those Chaps must have had svelte waistlines in those days?

Margaret looked very fetching in her petticoat hoops and all.

I have some photos that my sister took but I am having a bit of difficulty in downsizing them for the website. In the mean time here is one from last year.

Good fun and a good day's business.

Going Fishing on Tuesday. 

Life's Good.

Tuesday the 21st

Me and Ron.

I know.... it should be Ron and I.

Anyway Robbie and Ron went fishing.

An hour each on the Tweed and Teviot.

Zilch for me.

Zero for Ron.

There was ice in at the edges, the toes were going numb and nae fish!

We went home.

In the same spots on the Saturday Ron had had eight fish and lost about the same again.

They were mainly in the 30cm class but he did have one whopper

at 47 cm. He thought it was a Salmon at first.

Three days later and Saturdays mini flood was all but gone and we did not get a take between us.

That's Fishing........

Thursday the 30th

In the words of the song....

"Should I Go or Should I Stay"

Well the cricket was on Sky, it was blowing three quarters of a gale and it was flighting on rain.

We were also looking like we would beat the South Africans for the second time.

The fishing has not been great either and the river might be too big.

So I went.

I had said to a couple of customers that I would at least go and look.

Last nights wine needed its remaining cobwebs blown away as well!

I got as far as Cornhill and the look of the river had me turning back but I thought that I would just walk right to the edge as although it was obviously swollen I know a place........

About two feet. I could see in about two feet. Worth a closer look then.

On to Kelso.

As I was there on went the waders.

Halfway through the first run Bang!

Bloody Salmon I thought.

No......... maybe a Seatrout?

A damn fine Grayling! 49 Cm.

My second largest ever.......

Mr. Cormorant had had a go at him before me though.

A scar right across his back but looked to be mending up fine.

As he swam away I noticed a glint on his big Dorsal Fin.

Damn! He must have smashed up the cast in the net and he was away with a size 16 Goldhead and three inches of Nylon.

Still it should not do him much harm and maybe his jewellery will help him in the mating stakes come the spring. I always like to get the fish back quickly but maybe I should go a bit slower next time.

Next run a 42Cm. Grayling. A nice female this time although again cormorant damaged.

And that was that, the rain started getting heavier and I needed to know the score.

Bad light stops play and the Floodlights were already on for three hours!!!!!!!!!

Still that's not the biggest problem the Southern Hemisphere has at the moment.

I have just been handed a leaflet saying some of the local musicians and DJs are organising a party tomorrow night on the High Street to raise funds.

I was not planning on going out but some exercise fresh air and a chance to contribute might just be the thing.

Fishing isn't the most important thing in the world.

It just seems so at times.

At others it pales into insignificance........

Margaret & Robbie Bell
Game Fair
12 Marygate
Berwick upon Tweed
Northumberland
TD15 1BN

Telephone: 01289 305119

E.Mail: robbie@gamefair-flyfishing.net