Tweed

[hadrian]

hi andrew,i asked about the lower etrick since the flood to try and compare the lower tyne i.e the fed water, since the big flood we had that has supposedly had a big affect on catches/lies throughout the fed stretch.im told the nooks and crannies of the lower tyne(non tidal)changed for the worse compared to other tyne beats higher up the system.

hadrian.

[stoater]

Hadrian, the flood you are referring to occured in October 1977. I have a book about this huge flood, with amazing photos and eyewitness accounts. It washed away the main road bridge in Selkirk and caused widespread devastation.
Yes, this flood has caused a long-term 5-year cyclical dip in Tweed salmon catches. It mainly affects spring and summer catches. About 90% of Tweed's early fish spawn in the Ettrick. The back-end fish probably hadn't begun to spawn when the flood struck.
Apparently they were catching well again 2 days later!

[hadrian]

hi stoater, thanks for the info. it sounds like an interesting book.is the whole book about the flood and the aftermath or is it a book on selkirk?

hadrian.

[stoater]

Hi Hadrian, the book is solely about the 1977 flood. It is a paperback of c.100 pages, my dad has it right now, but I could forward details. The Ettrick itself still re-invents itself most winters, but thankfully without such catastrophic effect, although recent years have shown major "flash floods" and landslides.
The Ettrick is only one of 4/5 main Tweed tributaries. Being the highest one upriver, it's flow would never affect it's parent Rivers' topography other than in a very local way. It is 45 miles from Ettrickmouth to the sea. As stated it's a very significant spawning River for the Tweed system. If you like photographing leaping salmon at close range, visit Philliphaugh Cauld near Selkirk in October or November. You can fish there too, if you like. I did, once, I wouldn't repeat it. Even downstream of the small weir restricted area, there were just too many fish waiting. But I suppose that's a water thing...

[hadrian]

hi stoater,if you could get the title of that book i would appreciate it,thanks.i fished the ettrick about 2 months or so ago now.the beat between the sawmill/visit center at the fish ladder/pass and selkirk center,they hadnt had a fish off the beat before hadrian got there and guess what,they still hadnt one when hadrian left.the previous day a mate of mine rang me and said,"get your a**e up here",he was at the pass and had seen a big run on,when i got there the next day there wasnt a fish to be seen but the gillie/ticket warden said"110 through the counter yesterday morning,you should have been here then"same old story but at least i stood a chance.i think one or two had been caught the previous week on the beat above,maybe the beat down to selkirk isnt fished that heavily.anyway i enjoyed the day and plan to go back there at the back end.

hadrian.

[stoater]

Greetings Hadrian, I'll forward the book details soon when it comes back!
The Sawmill (Selkirk) beat can be good, depending on what you think is "good"!. In 2003 I fished a day there, even on a floating line 50% of the Fish were fouled, so I suggest it's better to use a camera there. But they do get really good sporting conditions there, only last year my friend had a fresh 26-pounder in November- although the majority of fish in autumn are coloured.
I like to fish the 2 miles or so of the Ettrick before it joins Tweed. Really attractive, good flywater too, and well worth a go in May/June also for springers. About 18" above summer level (Tweedline) would make me very happy to be there all day!

[hadrian]

hi stoater,i only fish the fly and the bit you talk about in front of the saw mills at the pass wouldnt fish to well anyway because there are a couple(if i remember correctly) of little island type affairs with shallow narrow runners off them not my cup of tea really but a bit further down where the huts are was ok,i didnt actually see much more of the water before i had to leave but im told its better a mile or two down.

i look forward to getting the book details
thanks,
hadrian.

[rennie]

Hello Stoater,which beat of the Ettrick are you referring to,fish at Sunderland Hall at the back end which is right on the Tweed/Ettrick junction and I know one of the Tyne syndicates has a bit of fishing round there,some of my pals have had lumps of fish from just above the junction in November (not sure if they are Tweed fish loitering with intent or true Ettrick fish),it looks a lovely river to fish (I usually stick to the Tweed unless its up and raging) and the thought of swinging a fly through in April/May appeals as I can be there and home in a day if the water is right.From info. received above the Ettrick bridge at Sunderland Hall I gather the banks are a bit restrictive and better suited to a spinning rod?,also know a few fish are caught down there on the Tweed between Sunderland Hall and up to Ashiesteil coz the Ghillies tel me,but cant pluck up courage to risk it at that time,don't know why coz its cheap enough. Pedro.

[stoater]

Hi Rennie, I have fished for the last 4 years at Sunderland Hall, mainly on a 1 day a week basis. Their bit of the Ettrick is superb with 18" on the gauge, but oddly, I've only had a couple of fish off it. I seem to do better on the adjoining beat you describe, which is TAS water. The bit upsream of the bridge is good for fly, yes there are trees, but it's easily covered by spey/roll casting as its not too wide. I've done well in May there as well as autumn. One day a 5.25lb brownie even grabbed my Stoats Tail, which I'll never forget, as a few casts later I had a perfect 12lb springer! This stretch changes annually in the winter floods, I really like it.
I also really like the Tweed bit of Sunderland Hall, isn't it spectacular in autumn? Absolutely beautiful. Have you done any good there Rennie?

[rennie]

Hi Stoater,its a great bit of the upper Tweed at Sunderland Hall and yes I have done P.D.G. there,in fact I love it as its a challenge to fish and its been kind to me.Self and a few pals are usually there first week in November,my favorite bits are The Doocotes and The Black Strand had fish to 19lb there along with a few multiple fish per day catches.Love to fish the Black Strand when you can just get in to wade with an 11 revy and 1 1/2" copper tube of the Black/Yellow variety to a stout cast and worthy treble,usually have to dig in the heels and hang on then deal with any fish in the water waist deep,really feel I earn a fish in there.Give us a wave if you are there then,Pedro.

[stoater]

Good news gents-and ladies- apparently a few fish are moving at long last after a rather miserly 12" rise last week. I'm fishing tues,fri and sat next week, busily tying plenty of little silver stoats. They say the weed's a lot better now, surprisingly.
Rennie, I too love wading the Black Strand and Doocotes. My best day on Sunderland Hall -easily!- happened just there in late September a couple of years ago. I landed 5 salmon 8-17lb and a 6lb seatrout. I couldn't seem to go wrong, one of those days when every take sticks. It makes me happy just thinking about that day. I've found the true back-end fishing harder, but what a special place to be! I've also learned never to fish the Meetings with less than 23lb leader. As the light goes, I have hooked some truly big salmon there. They seem to nose up out of the main pool into the shallow run-in then. More often than not I seem to have "screaming reels" then! Good luck in Nov, I'm up the week after you I think.

[stoater]

Returned from the Bottom River after 3 days spent mainly removing weed and gunge from my fly! There were quite a few, mainly fresh, fish about with some very small grilse evident. I returned 2 of these little fellows and retained a lovely 8lb summer fish. It certainly wasn't what Tweed can be in mid-late summer, oh well, back again for more torture ;D ;D in a month's time. It was very nice to meet Springer from this forum on Saturday morning, for his first look at the River. Shame conditions weren't kinder Alan, did you see much?
Like most rivers, Tweed would now greatly benefit a good flush to clean the detritus of all this hot weather out, and set us up for the serious stuff. Fingers crossed.

[stoater]

Just my luck, quite a few fish (40+) today off the lower Beats, if conditions were anything like, sport would get going. Bob H, who writes in T+S, says his 2-rod Beat had 15 or so last week, of which a fair percentage were summer fish 8-14lb. Oddly, despite the desperately low water, fish seem to be running past Norham, and even above Coldstream. The most plausible explanation I've heard is that the Fish think that if they keep running, they'll find better water. As in not such gill-clogging water. The actual water looks to me to be clear as tapwater. But something obviously makes the greenstuff thrive, no wonder it depletes the oxygen levels at night, I learned that at school.
Having said that, I'm sure a certain(small)amount of farming run-off can really help a pool thrive. But not a River pool. Getting off thread here. Just hope Tweed has a good natural blow-out before my September week on the tidal. Could be .......

[robmason]

I would have thought that the tidal beats would be picking up more.

[stoater]

I too thought the tidal beats would have done well this time, but, as stated, they just won't mill around there this year, funny things these Fish.
All a bit theoretical now, thankfully Tweed now has water so the River will benefit with a more equal and natural distribution. Not a big flood(as I type)- but enough hopefully to spread stocks out. I'm dying to go again. Sorry me!

[stoater]

Well that did the trick, 90+ salmon/seatrout reported yesterday, which probably means 130+ as many beats don't report till the end. Makes a nice change to see such an even spread of fish too for August. And all I can do is sit and dream, annual leave days fast running out....

[munro]

I was talking to a ghillie last night.
The good news:- It seems that a lot of fish arrived with all the rain last weekend.
The bad news :- They all seem to have stopped dead about five miles downstream of Bemersyde
Please God let us have a little more rain (not too much mind you!)

[dryburgh]

I talked to Ian Farr this morning. The river has dropped back down off the gauge. Although I did wind him up as his brother at Rutherford had a good week.

[stoater]

Yes I confirm they seem to have ground to a halt a few miles down from Melrose.
After the good spread of catches earlier in the week, I booked a day on Tweedswood on Saturday. My first look at a most pleasant and fishy-looking Middle Tweed beat, I really enjoyed it. Sound gillie too, fished till dark, just two brief chances.
Great to see that the lower beats have quite a few Fish about now with some excellent scores to some Rods.

[stoater]

Been a good week by all reports, a few better Fish running now. If the rain from here would fall over the Borders round about Eskdalemuir we'd be well away, seems this may happen