Tweed

[exerod]

Well done, a nice way to end your season.

Andy

[robmason]

At least thats an end to Gary's mugshot this season!!

Well done Gary you seem to have had a good one. Looking forward to more of the same next year.

[salmonking]

Snaps, snaps?

salmonking,

I'll have you know those are carefully thought out and executed pieces of modern digital camera work.

Alan,after yesterday,you should maybe give the fishing up,and
concentrate on photography,a new david baily(balie) in the making ;D
looks a great bit of water,well done.

[wilbert]

The wind was not so bad on the top beat, the bottom beat opposite Traquair was horrendous though, completely unfishable.
10 attempts to get one half decent cast (then you catch a leaf )

I can vouch for that. I was on beat 1 of Traquair yesterday afternoon and casting was a challenge to say the least and the fish didn't take pity on me for all my effort either.

Didn't see many fish yesterday but saw loads of running fish on the Tuesday. Same old problem of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or maybe I am just loosing my touch or running out of luck.

Roll on 2007 and I hope its a better (wetter) year for everyone.

[elwyman]

wilbert said:

The wind was not so bad on the top beat, the bottom beat opposite Traquair was horrendous though, completely unfishable.
10 attempts to get one half decent cast (then you catch a leaf )

Roll on 2007 and I hope its a better (wetter) year for everyone.

Wetter yes, but spread out more during Spring & Summer please!

[macsalmo]

Thanks again Gents, (apart from Rob ;D)
This Salmon fishing thing is very addictive. I don't know what I'll do for the next couple of months (fly tie, read up, talk about it, book for next year, talk more, read more, tie more ;D)

ATB

Gary

[fallenstar]

Stoater,

I've fished Sunderland Hall once, with no success. Can you tell me where the Howden pool is? Is it the very top (opposite some sunken willows) or is it what someone told me was a 'new pool' following a local flood raking out a tiny burn?

Also a kind guy told me Doocuts was worth a shot and pointed downstream. I ended up fishing what I though he meant, about 50-60 yds above the old bridge, the grass was strimmed/grazed on the far bank. It looked a bit shallow and fast to me - was I in the right area?
Regards,

FallenStar

[rennie]

Fallenstar,yep you were in the right place Howden pool is at the very top of the beat,only a small pool but well worth it,all of the top bit of the beat changed a couple of years ago in the winter floods so there is a bit of mileage in what you were told.You start next to a tree slide down the bank using the bit of blue rope if its still in place and get out in the shallow tail,or stay in and fish the fast water on the Fairnilee bank and then on down to Arries Putt.
The Doocotes is indeed the pool above the old bridge,start in the fast water where the river is narrow(on a reedy sort of island) and fish right down to about 20 yds above the bridge,best spots here depending on water are at the top as the river widens after the fast water,by the big willow about 1/2 way down and the last few yards before you come out.Don't be tempted to fish too far down not because its crap but because owt you hook usually goes back through the bridge resulting in tears before bedtime.The Doocotes has a habit of producing big fish,its well worth the effort as is The Black Strand (or Silver Birches to most) above it round the corner.I love the whole beat its well worth the wonga and has been good to me and pals. Pedro.

[fallenstar]

Many thanks Pedro.

I'll see if the coffers run to a day or two next year and give it another go.

[stoater]

Hi Fallenstar
Agree with almost all Rennie says. Except the tail of Doocotes has recently deepened, there is no shallow place to easily withdraw now. Interestingly the true tail of the pool looks all but unfishable now to the wading Rod, I get out a good 45yd cast from where I want my fly at more than about 20" of extra water!
Last time there I was musing on how well a boat Rod may be able to present a fly into the "target area", oh well shouldn't moan still had a little action outside the bit of the pool I really wanted to cover!
As Rennie says the Howden Pool is immediately above that amazing run formed by the huge landslide of (I think) May 2003. This run concentrates the whole Tweed into a classic neck-body-tail sequence that I suspect favours lowish water. I've only scored here at lower heights, as even when Tweed is at 2' (quite big) this stream is still only 15 yards wide, and hence seriously strong and turbulent, playing a fish here is "tricky".
As Rennie says Doocotes(above the old Tweed Bridge) is good, don't worry if you catch bottom, above 1' fish always lie here even if they don't show. Several pals will vouch for that. A good time to learn the beat is after Aug or Sept water, dead cheap ,well worth a cast then. Titelines

[fallenstar]

Many thanks Stoater, if theres some water early next autumn, I'll have a go.

[stoater]

Sorry, my post on reading again reads all wonky. There is no way I can cast 45yds.! What I meant to say was that it would take a nice 45-yarder (whilst tiptoeing at your chesties' limit) to cover the tail of Doocotes effectively, after the recent changes in the riverbed.
25-30yds is probably my maximum regular repeatable flycasting range. Bit more with effort and planning, but I'll settle for a comfortable rhythym within my capabilities. And I never really enjoy handlining it all back in! A nice swing and relaxed repitition is when I feel best, and when I seem to hook fish!

[altmor]

Thank goodness for that Stoater ... was starting to feel a bit inferior when I read your first post ... I can only hit 40yrds, sometimes 42 with a good backwind off the right shoulder !!!

;D ;D

[stoater]

42 yards Altmor is probably further than I have ever casted, not that my casting capabilities have yet worried me. Maybe on the River Tay they would. On the Spey they did, but only because I was that worried (near Grantown) about my personal safety, that I had time to think "I wish I could cast a bit further!". I tend towards longish relaxing fishing sessions whilst after Salmon, I have no current desire to hit the horizon..... however many fish may lie over there. 25-30yds will do for me at the mo

[stoater]

Heavens above! Just noticed another faux-pas in my Dec 4th post.Sorry.
It is the tail of the Howden Pool that has deepened to near-unwadeable levels.
Doocotes hasn't changed markedly. It still remains a perfectly wadeable 100 yard stretch of dreamworthy Tweed fishing. I love that pool

[elwyman]

Michael Evan's end of season report for Caberston:

www.michaelevans.co.uk/news_read.asp?newsID=ID654384791

[stoater]

She's been in serious flood all December, I hope this has not interfered or destroyed this month's activity on the Redds.
Clever old Nature staggers salmon Runs and spawning times to an extent though, thank goodness

[salar76]

Just back from a weekend in Edinburgh with my fiancee. On the drive back, I did of course have to see how the Tweed was doing since my last visit at the end of November. She was very high, but looking good with a few fish jumping in the usual spots. Its amazing the difference a few weeks makes - in the few hundred yards I walked there were several washed up fish - hopefully spent after spawning. We also walked a bit of the Leithen, and were delighted to see a couple of pairs of fish, one of which was looking pretty busy!

[stoater]

Great stuff Salar 76. A true enthusiast, good to see your interest is year-round as rivers never sleep. Can't wait to see the 2006 Commisioners Report (hi spot of my winter, gosh I must be sad!). A lot more spawning territory has again been readied this time, some folk are doing a v.good job.

[elwyman]

I see from Fishtweed that the Middle Ettrick has gone up to £66 +vat in the autumn next season - wasn't it about £50 this season?

They caught a lot of fish in October.