Storm

Yesterday started clear and cold, it just did not feel that ‘fishy’. We had an extraordinary sun captured well by Hugh at Middle.

A fierce sun above Middle camp

By the afternoon it was blowing a gale from the South, and then the rain came; really heavy, mixed with sleet and bitterly cold.

In poor conditions the rods struggled a bit. At Middle they had 81 to the nine rods and at Lower 25 to four rods. All relative in salmon fishing terms as I mentioned yesterday, no other river could match that score given the weather.


Simon P on watch


At Middle, Tim S tried a floating line all day, with a Sunray and had good success albeit less fish than he might have had on an intermediate line. With the water temperature still at 6 degrees we remain on the threshold putting on the floating lines. But that is what this river is about – a very rare opportunity to challenge yourself and the text book.

Anton landing yet another from Clarkes

Keith and I ran a boat up to Middle to take boat spares, see our guests and have general catch up with them all. An awful run home, the worst I have experienced, into the teeth of a gale and driving sleet. Hugh gave me a memory stick with his latest photos - really good.

A good scrap from Snake Pit

Christopher Robinson

P.S. This morning the after-storm calm. Overcast, mild at 10 degrees, river up 2” and still at 6 degrees. Craig P landed three salmon from Heli Pool before breakfast – think we’ll have a good day.

A perfectly formed springer