Tweed at Boleside - April 5th

[elwyman]

3 fish today, I bet they have some good catches over the next couple of weeks.

[stoater]

Well things really seem to be looking up around Boleside. As usual the first warm flood in May and fish move in numbers. Lets not get too excited though, Tweed spring stocks are still fragile, if slowly improving. Sometimes when one sees a lot of fish it can give a false impression of numbers. Tweed's total spring run (feb-june) probably doesn't rise above 3,500 and we catch nearly half of them. So you can see it makes sense not to over-exploit. One more disaster like the Great Ettrick Flood of 1977 and we'll be back to a cycle of low spring catches. It's still all very finely balanced.

[stoater]

Anyone got a theory why Boleside has done so well this autumn?
I always thought the yo-yo water levels we've had this time would be detrimental to holding fish on this stretch. But catches have boomed, has Mr. Fell got some tricks up his sleeve? Any ideas?

[tweedcast]

stoater said:

Anyone got a theory why Boleside has done so well this autumn?
I always thought the yo-yo water levels we've had this time would be detrimental to holding fish on this stretch. But catches have boomed, has Mr. Fell got some tricks up his sleeve? Any ideas?

Might it be that Mr Fell's rather elegant moustache is put to use overnight in holding back the running fish - stretched across whichever river is taking the fish.

[stoater]

Just booked 2 days on Boleside last week in May, plus cottage for the week, as you may appreciate I am enjoying sorting the perfect(?) early summer's week on Tweed and Ettrick, maybe one of the few times I like a fully floating flyline(as opposed to attaching various tips!). May be no good..... the expectation is nice tho'!

[stoater]

Any of you folks been out on Mr.Fell's fine waters yet this season?
Some seasons this beat can be very good in May/June. Have the pools changed after winter's wild water?

[pondolive]

Fished Boleside last monday. Glenmayne in the morning, covered two fish that Nigel said had been there so long he had given them names :-( Covered two more on Hart in the afternoon, with equally nil result. To give Nigel a little credit, he took down our rods for us. Tip followed, naturally! He did say he had had to take a week off to get away from the dismal conditions.

The following three days we took at W Learmouth. I lost a fish (from a cascade)on tuesday afternoon, in full sun, at about 2.15pm almost at the net. Bob nearly cried. He had not had a fly-caught fish landed so far this season, and precious few on spinners. Fortunately, two hours later, still in full sun, I landed a six-pounder on a tiny stoat and Bob's cup ranneth over(!)(and I get a sweat-shirt!). But it was the only fish two of us had, with the level visibly falling. I know it's a low-water beat, but if the catchment doesn't get substantial rain soon, it will be very serious. The Stream, at the top of the beat had almost stopped chuckling on thursday night when we left.

ttfn
Richard

[Yorkshire Esk]

What a good day for Boleside. Twelve in total (12).
Nigel must have been busy rushing up and down the river to see who was catching the next salmon.

[salmonking]

Two sea trout as well , Tillmouth seems to be the top dog so far though.

[Yorkshire Esk]

Tillmouth only had 6, how can it be top dog

[salmonking]

Look how many fish they have had this season,esp this month.

[greenbanks]

salmonking said:

Look how many fish they have had this season,esp this month.

Big day today it seems a dozen reported on fishtweed.
Bet someone enjoyed their sport today.

[bluedun]

Help me, I am the only person who hasn't had one of the 12 fish today; I am also the only person who is not spinning! What should I do? Should I spin or should keep practicing my spey? I am desperate and I only have one day (Tuesday).

I start at the top beat 9 am tomorrow.

[zephead]

Fly should be best bet if fished stealthily first run thro the top beat anyway.

Keep at it with the fly till 4 o'clock and then if you really,really,reeeaaallly need a fish,upstream black Flying C or an Orange Floating rap will get your name in the book.

Depends on how desperate you are and how many fish you have caught before but practising your spey cast will get you more fish in the long run and the ride home is always more comfortable over moral high ground..........................

ZH

[salmonking]

Keep with the fly....would be nice to think the 12 were taken
on the fly,,,,,,,1 on the fly is worth 12 on the spinner

[elwyman]

Another 6 off Boleside today.

How did you get on Bluedun? I caught my first Tweed fish from the Meetings at the top of the beat.

[bluedun]

Well, after a quick trip to The Gun Room, and a consultation with Nigel, went with a yellow 1 inch copper tube. No luck after most most of morning, then swapped to a black and yellow 1.5 inch copper tube.... nice fish at the head of the meeting pool.

A great couple of days, in no small thanks to Nigel the Gillie. Glad I stuck with the fly in the end.

[zephead]

Huzzzzzzzzzzzzah!

Well done.

DTYS!

ZH

[stoater]

:)Well at last Boleside was kind, on Mon 14 salmon and 2 good seatrout were landed by 4 Rods, the next two days were harder, they wern't all caught spinning though!
Best thing was that 75% of them were very fresh fish, as Bluedun will vouch. Truly good sport.
Feel though for the thu-sat Rods, they never had a one, odd isn't it?
Lou, no.2 Gillie ,had 2 to make the total 14 on Mon. What was interesting was that 6 of the fish were 10lb+, strange for Tweed springers. Dave had a clonker of 15-17lb, I think he caught the most overall. I took a few photos of the 3 days, will try and post some if I can work out how to do so later in the week.

[stoater]

Testing my IT skills to the full here. No story just trying to get the hang of it

Garden Back pool on Boleside, looking downstream towards the Boat Pool

Upper Meetings pool, looking upsteam towards old A7 bridge. Two distinct streams are forming following last winters' floods.

The Rink Stream, looking upstream towards the Meetings and the new A7 bridge. A classic series of mini-pools and runs, beneath the junction of two noted rivers. An obvious low water lie for fish thinking about moving on upstream.


Looking upstream from the head of the Hart Pool. Further upstream lies the famous Glenmayne pool, a true fisherman's dream.



A fresh 13-pounder that gave me 15 minutes of trembling in Glenmayne.
A great 3 days. I landed 5 on the Monday,then just 1 on Tuesday and Wednesday. I also had plenty of other "chances", funny how it goes after a long blank period.