John Walters kicked off for the month with a beautiful 16lb spring salmon, caught and returned on a bluish fly from 'The New Bit',just down stream of Schelly Hole on Canonbie permit Beat. Peter Graham from N.E. England followed with a 7lb spring salmon caught on a brown and gold devon further down stream on Willow Pool Beat. Chris Elliot is also reported to have had a fish there of just over 4lbs on Flying 'C'. Season permit holder on Canonbie Colin Hudson, landed a nice brownie of around the 2lb mark on fly from the Wires.
The Sea Trout started to come in early season numbers too. A small pod were reported seen going through Cauldron, and Neil Bird of Gretna, caught and returned 2 very fresh sea trout of 2lb and 2 1/2 lbs, losing another in a session on the tidal stretch at Metal Bridge. There may be occassional access problems encountered at Metal Bridge Fishery during the building of the new motorway bridge there, which may not be completed until the end of this season. Those persons holding Metal Bridge permits are asked to inform Esk & Liddle Fishery Office (013873 81951) of any problems in that respect.
Iain Bell said that after good tides he saw a nice sea trout of 5 to 6lbs in the neck of coopers Stane at Irvine House Beat . Just a few days later during the last week of April, good rains came, lifting Liddle into good flood and Esk into a beautiful fishing spate. Given some slightly higher temperatures due , prospects look very encouraging for May.
Further to the Esk and Liddle Fishery Sea Trout scale sampling for chemical composition analysis under taken last year, from which it is hoped to determine sea trout rivers of origin. It is hoped that through the School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University more work may be undertaken including DNA, particularly aiming at the marine environment, which could lead to a greater knowledge of marine movements, thus enhancing our ability to protect sea habitats and the sea trout themselves. Members of the Solway Group of fishery managers hope to secure funds for this and form a link with the Irish and Welsh Celtic Sea trout Project
