Robbies Brief Fishing Reports

Reports Index

March 2004

A Claim To Fame

A Brick on the point, an Avon Bomb in the middle and the ubiquitous Pink Shrimp on the top dropper.

Fourth cast a fish and another one next cast. Three casts later a third. Really nice fish. They measure from the reel seat to just above the logo on the rod. I will check this out.

So…. already a good day.

Blanks you can keep them.

Had one last week.

Mind you the wildlife and scenery.....

Well yes……. I saw a Cow and Rabbits and a Seagull and a Hill ........zzzzzzzzzzz

Give      me      the    Fish!

By lunchtime I had returned around seven. Mostly to the Avon Bomb.However it is quite a light weight Avon Bomb so maybe I should call it the Avon Hand Grenade.

Although in this day and age maybe a totally different name is called for?

A cracking morning though, but it was to get better. The sun came out and although there was very little fly life I decided to walk upstream to see if there were any rising fish.

Two hundred yards upstream I came a cross a swarm of fish.

I call them a swarm as there were about thirty but not at all tightly packed but somehow still joined together. Not a shoal but....  I hope that makes sense.

I backed out into the field and dropped back downstream twenty yards to set up a dry fly leader.

The grayling were in some shallow thin water which had a fair pace to it. No Cover.

This was Jungle Fishing.

On to the knees.

Well it's no use having reinforced Knee Pads on the Breathables if you don't get to use them.

I crept up to ten yards and flicked up an olive Klinkhammer.

No response.

After about ten casts on with CDC Emerger. Then a Parachute. 

Zilch. What to do?

Inspiration!

On with a Hedged Bet.

The size 14 Baetis Nymph does it first cast. Absolutely Lovely.

The fish obligingly plays it self downstream and doesn't seem to have disturbed the rest which are still just aimlessly milling around with the odd positive move, as if they are nymph feeding.

A smaller fish only about 35 cm. This is the Teviot you know!

A 35 cm. fish is a cracking fish but, it is just smaller than most, if not all of the fish of late.

The nymph stopped working but a change to a PTN does the trick. Then that stops working. The water is gin clear and it seems they need a change every fish or two.

On with Oliver's Heptagenid Nymph.

Absolutely cracking fish next cast possibly over 45 cm.

And an Audience.

A group of Elderly Walkers have stopped to look.

Playing to a crowd is not really my thing, but just this once………

The fish takes a while in the fast water but eventually I net it and after a quick guestimate of length carefully put it back.

What was it they ask?

A Grayling I say.

Why did you put it back?

Undersize I say!

Wise heads nod knowledgeably.

I'm nearly choking but thankfully they move on and I get my breath back.

Awful I know, but Funny......

A Partridge and Orange takes the next two and then that's it for the day.

Time to go home and make tea.

Fantastic Day probably about fifteen fish but I had to work for them.

Well that's my story……

At one stage in the afternoon I was actually laughing as I caught the fish.

I was having that much fun!

Sad I know but…………….

Oh yes my claim to fame?

Well you see last week I helped Dr. Ted Wise deliver a Lecture on Limminology to a meeting of the Ashington Kingfishers.

ooooooohhh!

Now Limminology is, as you all know is the study of Freshwater Bodies.

The evening was full of Thermoclines and Littoral Zones with a generous sprinkling of Epilimnions etc.

I have always known that Ted was a clever fellow but until that night I didn't know just how clever.

When you can keep a bunch of lads from Ashington (No Offence Lads) absolutely silent and spellbound for almost two hours with a highly technical but totally absorbing talk then you really are something.

I was very proud to be part of that lecture.

Err….. Well…..

OK OK ….

All I did was press the button on the slide projector each time Ted said “Next Please”

A very important job nonetheless I'll have you know.

And sometimes I even did it Left Handed, so there……….

44cm.

A Hard Day?

This is a hard one you see.

Really Hard.

I had five fish on in the first five casts.

Cracking Fish! Fit, Firm, Top Condition and all around. 45 cm.

Three dropped off at the net but that doesn't matter.

When you are fishing Barbless and Catch and Release it actually saves you the bother.

Mind you I do like to get the first one or two in the net.

It's a weakness I know, but I live with it.

Then the Otter did a marvellous head and tail.

I don't know who got the biggest fright me or him.

I think it was a him because he was big.

Mind you, they are all big at five feet in front of you.

The splashing of all those big grayling must have woken him up.

I was playing them in a kind of back eddy and maybe he had a holt somewhere in

that willow clump.

Well that must have scattered the fish. Big Otter like that.

Sure enough it was at least four more casts till I had another take and then two more till I got another fish.

What a day and still only about half an hour gone.

I started pushing on through the pool and the fish began to thin out a bit.

I only had another three in the next half hour!

Anyway by about lunch time, around two and a half hours fishing the total was some where in the region of fifteen.

What a day. Mind you, possibly just a bit too easy.

Jeez we are never happy are we?

Too Easy, Too Hard, Too Hot, Too Cold, Too Dark, Too Sunny.

Worse than Farmers us lot.

So I had my lunch.

Tuna Sandwich and a Biscuit. Black Coffee and a warm glow from the morning. 

These days don't come along too often and they are to be savoured when they do.

After about three quarters of an hour, back on with the waistcoat and net to try again.

This time the fishing is just right.

Having to work at it but not rock hard.

Fishing tidy got the fish, but going through the motions produced only the occasional take or foul hook up.

A great afternoon and a marvellous day.

At half past four I was a very happy bunny indeed.

No fly life but you can't have it all.

So what was really hard about that?

Well you see I can't tell you where it was.

Sorry.

It's very difficult.

My job as a Tackle Dealer, Fly-fishing Instructor and Mad Keen Angler is to tell you about these places.

Not Allowed, Sorry and Sorry again.Sworn to Secrecy you see.

Wouldn't get on again if I blabbed.

Probably get Hung.

What's This Then?

I Know I Know!

I said that I didn't fish small waters. There is always an exception though. Small Stillwaters are generally just not my thing.

So what was I doing at the Whinney? which is a 4 acre fishery located about 15 miles north of Berwick.

Well it was my friends fault you see. He is a Director of the third largest Insurance Company in the world and he had cabin fever and he just needed to get out for de-stressing.

Couldn't be my fault could it?

It's a bit like with Margaret.

You know, you forgot to take the washing in when it rained and it's her fault for putting it out in the first place. That sort of thing.

Mind you it wasn't a hardship.

The Whinney is run by Ted and Tina Wise formerly of Coldingham Loch.

In fact it is only a couple of hundred yards across the road from the Loch.

Light Years in some respects......

So my mate Mike needed to get out. Even his wife was praying for the season to start.

Margaret is as well and I haven't stopped fishing…………

I will have to think about that one???????

Anyway if you are going to fish a small Stillwater, this is the one.

Ted and Tina are possibly the best fishery management team in Europe.

Or as my friend would say when he has had a few,

The best in the Universe.

ANY UNIVERSE!!!

Ted is a former Professor of Freshwater Biology and Tina is the clever one.

They are extremely nice people and they are also workaholics. And, as anyone who knew them from their 25 years at Coldingham Loch they couldn't run a bad fishery if they tried.

So as I said my friend Mike needed to get out and as the forecast was for wind, some bank fishing in a sheltered spot seemed

the way to go.

We had a good day.

Bit Windy.

Good Crack.

Half a dozen fish each.

Nice fish.

Around the 2LB. mark.

Slim with full tails.

Proper fish.

The fishery is limited to Floating line only and a single Barbless hook.

Lure fishing isn't really encouraged so we caught mainly on Buzzers.

I had one on a size 24 Dry.

Not bad for the first week of March.

It was a beautiful brown trout of just under the pound. Magic!

So the cabin fever was temporarily subdued but only for a while.

What I really need is a nice hatch of Spring Olives on the Tweed or a weekend Loch Styling the Buzzers on Rutland.

Wont be long now………………………………………..

Trico Thorax. The 24 that is.

Message for Scott

Scott, many thanks for your kind

e-mail regarding fishing on the Teviot. Unfortunately your postmaster is not accepting my replies. I have tried on about 5 occasions and by different ways.  

I even called in my I.T. man but he seems to think you have set up your e-mail account wrongly and there is no way we can get through to you. Please give me a ring as I do not wish you to think I am ignoring your request for information.

Here is my first reply.

Hi Scott,

Many thanks for your kind comments,

I fished the Teviot yesterday and blanked. Not a touch. The Teviot is almost at summer level and very clear. The river seemed cold and lifeless and without a definite take that feeling was reinforced throughout the day.

Never mind, “THE FRESH AIR AND SCENERY…………”    Ha Ha !

Saw two Large Dark Olives very late in the day though but of course nothing rising.

Tickets are available at the Tackle shop in Jedburgh or follow this link to

http://www.jedforest-angling.co.uk/   and look under Old Schoolhouse.

We have had very little rain here today but hopefully more in the west.

Best Regards    Robbie Bell

Anyway there is now some more water in the river but its mainly coming from the Till.

I went out to Kelso on business on Thursday and there was very little extra water in the Tweed or the Teviot. The bottom end of the Tweed is very brown though.

I stood at the Junction Pool for a while but could not see any fly life but that's sometimes hard from the bank when they are sparse.

The flies I had seen on Tuesday were Large, Dark, Large Dark Olives.

These early season flies are much bigger and darker than the ones we get at the end of April. I am pretty sure they are all the same species, Baetis Rhodani but have just adapted to suit some niche in the environment. Mind you a Rocket Scientist I ain't.

Still it was nice to see the first of the Spring Olives and I can only hope that the hatches of these and the March Browns are as prolific as last year's.

I'm coming all over funny just thinking about it. Sad really but I just love it.

I've really enjoyed my Grayling fishing this winter.

A quote I saw on a forum the other day just about sums it up.... 

"Life is too short for Close Seasons"

Like to fish for your Country ?

Go on have a go !

Well you have to be in it to stand a chance.

The Local English Rivers Eliminator is being held on the Tweed at Kelso on

Saturday the 17th of April.

There is usually a good turnout and around

6 or 7 places will be available for the National Rivers Final.

This Year the Final is being held on the River Wear in County Durham.

Make the Final and there are 6 places out of 32 to get in the England Team.

Not exactly the longest odds although you will be up against some very good Anglers. Still you may pick up some valuable tips and experience and who knows?

More details are available at the shop or you can ring the Area Secretary Stuart Wardle on 01429 836793

The Loch Style Eliminator is held on Kielder on Sunday the 30th May Entry forms are again available from Stuart. Go on give it a go. What have you got to lose?

Other English Area Federations can be found here. http://www.ceff.co.uk

The Scots, Welsh and Irish have their own organizations. Your Local tackle shop should have details. If not e-mail me.

I know some people do not like competitions. Some don't think its right, some just get nervous. Others would get a nosebleed if they stepped outside their normal routine. A few just think it is too hard or complicated. (It isn't.)

Well that and any other reason is just fine.  We all cannot be the same.

However what I will say is that by entering competitions even just at Club level for a couple of years will make you a Better Angler.

After all if you come off a river or fishery at the end of the day with 3 fish you may be the best or the worst angler of the moment. Sometimes you can pick up a bit of buzz in the car park as to how you have done. But unless you have been fishing the same times and rules as everyone else you wont really know. Competitions, particularly over a season in a club at least let you find out where you stand. After all if you don't know where you are in the first place, how will you be able to get to where you want to go.

Being in a club or entering Competitions will bring you in contact with skilled Anglers of all levels. I got drawn in a boat with a former European Champion Pavel Machan at Eyebrook last year and his mate who is a former World Champion was only a couple of boats away. If you think those are long odds well Jim Youngman who works a few doors away from me was drawn with Pavel the day before!

Go on have a go...... we wont bite.

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

Telephone: 01289 305119

E.Mail: robbie@gamefair-flyfishing.net