Border Esk

[duncan]

Fished the river from the 8th to the 23rd of September, on the Tower and Hollows beat (also got treated to a day on the Willow pool). Despite superb conditions all week I only managed one fish from Lower Sykes, I was to say disappointed with the lack of fish.
I have fished the Esk now for some years and this is the first September visit. There didn't appear to be any resident fish in the pools, and checking the catch returns and from chatting with the locals there fish have been few and far between.
I have some friends up there now, so I'll be interested to find out how they get on, and will post later in the week, but I'm not holding my breath.

[macsalmo]

Ive been lucky enough to get on the Willows/Cauldron pool this Saturday, Ive never fished the Border Esk before so any flies, tips or any info would be most appreciated.

Thanks,

Macsalmo

[duncan]

When you get to the Willow pool stand well back, if you're fishing the Scottish side. Don't get into the water at all, the fish lie near into this bank. A size 8/10 slim dressed ally's shrimp will be fine.

I'll be honest, I'm no fly only purist, and it is also worth trying a worm or spinner, 20g flying c's. For some reason I always seem to do well with copper toby's.

Good luck and tight lines, and remember don't go in the water.

Spoke to my friends this afternoon who are up on the Tower/Hollows this week, so far they've had 5 fish, no further details as yet, but there would appear to be more fish in the river, and with rain forecast I just wish I was going back up!

[duncan]

PS. It's always worth a look at the Esk and Liddle fisheries web site.


www.inveresk.homecall.co.uk/elfisheries/index_files/frame_links.htm

[macsalmo]

Hi Duncan,

Thanks for the advice. I dont know which side we are on yet (I won't know till thurs night).

I'll let you know how we get on.

Somebody said we dont want to much water its better if its low
Does this make sense to you?

ATB

Gary

[duncan]

This year was the first time we'd fished the Willow pool, the water was a good height, although I didn't catch my pal, had two (on worm). It's a superb pool but somewhat featureless, there was a chap fishing the opposite bank (English side) who hooked a superb fish on fly but lost it after a couple of minutes, it seemed to be a rather awkward spot he waded out to.
Fish until it's dark.
Further upstream above Cannonbie the water fishes well after a good spell of rain, but not too much, last year I lost two days to flooding with almost 8'+, but once it settled, still high and coloured it produced some superb fishing.

[macsalmo]

Fished the Esk on Saturday. Blankety,Blanked Im afraid

Fished Scottish side, I thought the Willows pool was a nice pool, had a brief take on the dangle (hand lining) didnt last long

Didnt rate the Cauldron pool at all (from our side anyway).

Was very disappointed that it was £85.00 for the day to see 5 anglers worming on the opposite bank and a further 3 spinning at the Willows

14 anglers on two pools, 1) 6lb fish caught on the worm
Perfect height and colour.

Never mind it was a good day out.

Gary

[duncan]

That's salmon fishing, and the opposite bank also fishes Sunday.

Upstream the river is very different, if you get the chance take a look at Hollows/Tower, but I don't think they do day tickets.

[albyn73]

With the recent change at the helm of the Scottish Executive being taken over by the SNP, does anyone think that the EA will get their marching orders back to England and leave the Border Esk to the people who know how to run it??

[stoater]

No chance.
All so ironic when folk writing into T&S are giving genuine people, really trying, such a hard time. They seem to think its an easy thing to put right, I take my hat off to Iain Bell etc and Buccleuch Estates for backing him. A nation's farming policy is not simple to tackle, even on a local basis. The Border Esk will come back.
As I write my pal has reported 6 fish 1-4lb on worm this afternoon, so they're there, not so sure about the worms tho'!

[zephead]

I hope the EA gets sent "homeward tae think again"

From what I understand the idea of the Log Book re effort/returns was just used as a rod with which to hit anglers for a rod licence.

ZH

[tyneandrew]

"Reports from the Esk say that runs of grilse, salmon and sea-trout are as good as 1988 which is great news for the Border Esk"

Anyone fishing lately that can confirm this?

[stoater]

Fished yesterday at Longtown. All fish-holding parts of the beat were full of fish, mainly grilse, but quite a few large fish too. The main Bridge Pool was bouncing with them, like a drought September on Bottom Tweed. Trouble was, nobody really worked out how to catch them! I had 1 on a fly, another was tempted by a worm.
Phillip who runs the Beat confirms the Esk has had its best season for 20 years. He doesn't fish a lot but has landed up to 6 in a day on fly. So much for the Esk being on its knees! Phillip interestingly connects the foot and mouth debacle with the recent problems, which makes sense to me.

[salmonking]

The esk is on its knees ,one good season does not mean the river has recovered.

[stoater]

Salmonking, do you fish the Border Esk ? Or, are your comments based on
a. Hearsay, or...
b. A strong preference to rivers in the west of the Borders, like the Tweed and her tributaries? !!
I must confess to fairly limited knowledge of the Border Esk myself. Incidentally, why are there so many Esks? But, until 2004 my diary records the Border Esk as often being full of sea trout in the summertime. Admittedly 2004-2006 had a worrying and sudden fall in sea trout stocks, but the Salmon never went away.... I have always fished in expectation rather than hope on this river from August onwards, as I said in my previous post , salmon stocks are certainly healthy on a visible assessment even if they don't take too well!
As for the seatrout, I could relate several instances of excellent fishing catches this year, that indicate a much improved stock overall.
All of which is Nature's work, this is the time to really help her to keep up the apparent healthy fish stock. The Border Esk is also very much a spate river, which we should not forget.