The drought which started in mid April really began to bite and in early June, Esk and Liddle had never been seen so low. Sea Trout are determined creatures however and with excellent tides over the first week of June, some fresh run fish wriggled their way into the system.
On Willow and Cauldron Mike Skipsey landed a fish around 3lbs and lost another two. Opposite on the English bank,Mick Horner was reported to have landed a brace of sea trout. Brian hollingworth landed a brace of very fresh fish to 2 1/2 lbs ,the larger one being returned.
On Canonbie beat ,Colin Selstrom had a hectic 1/2 hour with a 1lb and a 3/12lb sea trout ,plus a good Brown trout on Teal blue and silver from Dead Neuk. David Wylie landed a fresh 2lb 3oz sea trout from Burns Stream.
Over on Liddle Water, Rodney Potts landed one and lost one both in the 1 1/2 lb school fish range, on a mepp, from Horse Pool. Andrew Fryer battled against the odds on Mill stream but caught 3 nice wee brownies, only to set off back to Derbyshire, just as the weather finally broke into proper rain, bringing a much needed spate. Bob Smith landed a 11/4lb sea trout from Irvine house, again having to head for home before the flood..
For the last 12 days of June, Both rivers were in spinning ply ,dropping in for the day time fly and then getting topped up again with the occasional dirty flush. Some exciting fishing was then had, but with continued high waters, fish became spread out, and were caught as they paused in migration. This made brilliant sport with very fresh fish , but you had to be in the right place at the right time to intercept them.
Low Liddle season rod Paul Thompson lost two sea trout and finally landed a fresh 5lb sea trout on Border Belle from the Black kist. In keeping with the present conservation rules the big fish was returned. Tommy Newton had a mad 15 minutes on Black Kist, losing a good salmon but landing a fresh 2lb sea trout on his own pattern fly. Neil Bird of Gretna, fished the low Liddle beat for the first time and was rewarded with a beautiful 18 1/2 lb salmon from Ha' Pool. A big fish for June.
Fishing Tower and Hollows, Alan and Brian Cooper had a fresh sea trout a piece to 2 1/2 lbs. Phil pearce landed a school sea trout from Chapel on spinner. Nick Wilcox caught a beautiful 13 1/2lb Salmon on spinner in Shortsholm and also had 3 sea trout to 2lb 13 oz . Nick Marsden caught a brace to 2lb 15oz on toby, near Shortsholm, Richard Oliver a 2 1/2 lb sea trout from Chapel pool on flying C and Patrick Gibson a 3lb sea trout from Sykefoot. Patrick also caught an 8lb salmon on Toby in Caul pool.
Chris Elliot had an excellent days sport with 2 very fresh sea trout to 1 1/2 lbs on fly. the wind got up so he switched to spinning rod and was rewarded with a whopping 20 lb cock salmon from Willow pool, apparently loosing another salmon.
William Ewart landed a brace of sea trout on Willow and reported a lot of activity with a run coming through, Back at Irvine house, Tim Atkinson caught a 1 1/2lb sea trout and team mate Ross Davies showed that the Welsh know a bit about sea trout by landing 3 all in the 1 3/4 lb range on spinner. Irving Hewit fought back for the Scots with a nice school sea trout followed by a fresh run salmon of 10lbs from fossil Beds on flying C.
As the the month closed David wilkinson caught a 14lb salmon from Willow and Cauldron Cauldron on spinner. Bill Liddel landed a fresh 2 1/2 lb sea trout on fly. Brian Horseman a 6lb grilse from Canonbie .
Sad news was received about Canonbie season rod Colin Cameron, who passed away recently. Fishing down on the tidal stretch at Metal Bridge has all but stopped, due to roadworks on the new motorway bridge making access difficult.
Fishing opposite Buccleuch on the English lower Liddle at Riddings , Brian Gaskell reported a good day with a 7 1/2 lb salmon, and two good sea trout of 3lbs and 4 1/2 lbs, all returned . ELF fishery manager Iain Bell was pleased to say that although sport was a times sporadic, all the sea trout he saw caught in june were in very good fat condition and appeared to have fed well at sea.
It is also good to see fishers taking odd smaller fish for the pan, and returning the larger sea trout to breed.
Several more ELF permit holders had some good sport with sea trout during the month. Many sea trout will have run far and fast on the higher flows, being widely spread throughout the catchment and harder to pin down, but with good tides for 4th July and a bit of fresh water left, prospects are encouraging.
June 2008 Report
