River Eden

The water conditions at last are ideal on the lower river, it is now running quite clear, around a foot above summer level and dropping.
We had a good day on the water with Andrew from Blackburn in the week, a cracking late autumn day with hardly a breeze, and the seldom seen of late sun was making a welcome appearance. Fishing a couple of nymphs just off the rod tip got the desired result.

 

Almost there!

A very nice grayling and in fine condition.

Out and about

Little bit of cabin fever set in last week, catching up with jobs at home under protest I might add, tying a few flies for next year and doing some river bank repair work. November is not the best of months for reliable weather, just when the river is beginning to settle in, more weather from the west appears and puts paid to it. I am waiting for those frosty still sunny days, where the river is low and clear for the serious grayling fly fishing to begin. There have been some very good specimens on the river this year so far, fish up to two pounds twelve the biggest up to present, looking forward to good conditions to have a proper go.
Spent the last day of the salmon season on the Annan yesterday with Anthony, it is probably the best it has been for some weeks now the season has finished. We will be doing a residential grayling school there this month.
Getting organised the salmon courses for the Tweed and Eden for next season, an instructor training day in April, Argentina in February and loads of other things, I will be glad when spring finally comes around once more!

Out and about

I have not been at home for some time with various fishing excursions into Scotland. Fished the Teviot with Neil on the 25th October which was in good order but very cold weather the night before slowing things up early on in the day. I had to leave early on the Monday and it was then that things picked up a little when temperatures climbed and a few fish were caught.

On the 27th and 29th with Borderlines doing a couple of youth days we fished Warwick Hall on the right bank for grayling, thanks to Nick for that. The river even though the rain was quite heavy at times was in very good order, there were many grayling caught throughout the two days. It was also a revelation on those two days to see the return of the dace in amongst the catches, these fish have been conspicuous by their absence for some twenty years or so and some good specimens were seen.

The 2010 Annan salmon school with Anthony Steel and Mark Bowler took place starting on the Sunday 31st October, the week was split into two halves and was very well attended. I really look forward to this week as the fishing can be very good given the right conditions, but more importantly it is the people you meet, some of which come back year after year and are now good friends and very able fishers.

On the Sunday with the river in fine order the group were taken through the various Spey casting methods and safety procedures and did an excellent job getting ready for the fishing on the Monday. During the Monday unfortunately the river rose due to heavy rain the night before and put some colour in the water, there were fish moving throughout the beats.
With the rain the river kept it's high level for much of the week rising to around four foot three on the gauge and then dropping to three feet. The evenings were taken up with fly tying and talks, good food and good company.

Dave had three fish on the fly and lost one, he did a fantastic job fishing the fly close into the bank where the salmon were running. There were a few fish missed, and it was not until the second half of the week with the new arrivals that another fish was taken by Ulei on the fly (a New Zealand trout pattern!) of all things.

I visited my German friend Hartmut who was with a group of friends that were fishing Hoddam a little down from where we were in the week, and they too were struggling due to the conditions.

The weather at this minute is atrocious, the Eden has been in the fields, there are gale force winds and it is very cold, not the sort of weather to inspire one to go fishing.