River Tweed River Report Week Ending 12th August 2017 - Tay Salmon Fly

River Tweed River Report Week Ending 12^th August

A rather damp weekend gave us a rising river on Monday with a steady rise over the day washing off beats below the Junction by mid-afternoon. As has been the norm this season fishing has been quite productive on the back of these small rises and a decent week of catches were made. Some good sized Salmon and Sea Trout were caught over the week with a catch of 259 Salmon and 63 Sea Trout reported with the best fish for the week 21lb Salmon from Milne Graden and 10lb Sea Trout from West Learmouth.

Above Kelso there were 62 Salmon reported with the best of the catches made at on the Makerstoun Beats with 5, Upper Floors 14 inc a good day on Friday with 8 & Lower Floors with 10.

Bemersyde Head Ghillie Mr Ian Farr reports “Very quiet!”

Upper and Lower Makerstoun Head Boatman Mr Colin Pringle reports “Mixed bag of spanking new liced fish to old river fish. Local Farmer Gareth Baird had 3 on Saturday. A tad more water this week won’t do us any harm”

Between Kelso and Coldstream 139 Salmon and 24 Sea Trout were reported with catches spread out over this area, with the some of the better catches been made on Junction 16, Upper Hendersyde 8, Sprouston 18, Birgham Dub 17, South Wark 13, Lower North Wark 13, West Learmouth 12 and the Lees with 34 Salmon.

Upper Hendersyde Head Boatman Mr Robert Jewels reports “Few nice fish, 8 Salmon best 17lbs, 1 Grilse, We’ve seen a few sea trout at the start of the week in the dirty water. Also caught a Pacific Pink Salmon”

Hendersyde Head Boatman Ketch reports “What looked like a promising week with a lift on Monday and settling down, fish were on the move. My rods didn’t have luck on their side and lost all bar 1 fish that took the fly. A very frustrating week for them”

Lower Birgham Head Boatman Mr Tom Davis reports “Few fresh grilse later on in the week, very clean. Older bigger fish with a lot of red vent on them. Had 7 Salmon and 3 Sea Trout for the week. One of our best weeks of the season so far”

On Upper North Wark, it was a week of near misses with 5 fish lost at the start of the week. The water dropped over the week and was back to 1” on our gauge by Saturday”

Below Coldstream 54 Salmon were landed. The best of the fishing was had at Tillmouth with 20, Milne Graden 11, while on Ladykirk 10 Salmon were landed.

Milne Graden Head Boatman Mr Kevin Wright reports “River was a bit unsettled on Monday, which put a bit of colour into it. 11 Salmon/Grilse and 3 Sea Trout for the week, everything from fresh grilse to older salmon. Only 2 fish caught on the spinner. Mr S Robins caught a fresh cock fish that was just over 18lbs and returned. This was his 1^st salmon from the Tweed and his biggest to date. A second larger fresh hen salmon of 21.5lbs (Returned) was caught on a Cascade on the dropper. There has been fish running through the beat. A high % of fish been caught are seal marked.”

Ladykirk Head Ghillie Mr Matthi Viethen reports “A grilse and a salmon for the 2 first time day rods on Monday, then we had a 4" rise for Tuesday which unfortunately unsettled the fishing for us with 1 lost on Tuesday and only 1 small grilse for syndicate rod on Wednesday, Thursday produced 2 grilse and liced 14lb salmon to syndicate rods and the only sea trout for the week of 3lb to day rod, Friday another 3 fit looking grilse to syndicate rods and Saturday, considering ideal conditions, was very quiet with only 1 fish of 11lb to first time day rod.

Horncliffe Head Ghillie Mr Erin Hunter reports “2 fish at the beginning of the week to the Hastings Party – Best 7lb. 1^st on a size 10 Cascade and the 2^nd on a 28gm Silver Toby”

On the tributaries, the main beats on the Till had a quieter-week with 1 Salmon and 8 Sea Trout reported. Redscar & Upper Tindal 1 Salmon and 1 Sea Trout, Lower Tindal 1 Sea Trout, Flodden 6 Sea Trout

Mr David Cowan of Berwick and District Angling Association reports” Water levels on the Whiteadder dropped steadily after a slight rise on Tuesday.
One Sea Trout banked on Monday followed by two salmon on Tuesday.  Getting back to summer level again. Bigger fish should be moving in shortly. Hope for rain next week.”

The week ended with the level at Sprouston 7” and the water temperature is 58.

Looking at the availability for the upcoming week I would suggest Milne Graden, Ladykirk and Horncliffe beats should have a good chance of some action this coming week.

The forecast this coming week looks quite settled with a southerly breeze and a chance of some rain towards the end of the week.

As always I would like to thank all those who provide me with the information to make this report, it is very much appreciated. If you have information and photo’s you would like included please get in touch with Martin on 07825334427 or info@taysalmonfly.co.uk

Water temperatures are starting to rise to a level where dressed flies in sizes 8 or 10, If you prefer tubes over dressed flies 1/2” and 3/4” should be about right. Copper Cascade, Cascader, Newtyle Shrimp, Ghillie, Pot Belly Pig, Editor Sunray Shadow, Red Frances and if you fancy giving a Sunray Shadow a strip it should bring success fished off floating lines with poly leaders, while on the spinning front the 13cm Black/Gold Rapala Tobies in 18gm – 20gm and with the water temperature getting up a bit now the flying c should bring some success. As always come prepared and always listen to the advice of your boatman or ghillie

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Season So Far catches as reported on Fishtweed.

Salmon 1839 (Biggest 22lb Junction)

Sea Trout 644 (Biggest 15lb Bemersyde)