Sea Trout were running in good numbers, and with a slight rise in water about the time of the big tides, both Esk, Liddle and Lyne received another good top up of fresh sea trout just before the heat wave set in.
Night fly fishing became the only way to tempt them, although odd fish were caught on small mepps or brandling in the rough streams during daylight hours. As the month drew to an end , heat and drought became extreme and although a good number of fish could be seen when out fish spotting, come night fall , they were reluctant to take.
Some rods reverted to using a smaller fly than normal for darkness and at times this tactic did appear to pay dividends with the odd fish. It was somewhat of a contrast to the first 3 weeks of June when sport was fast, furious and sea trout very willing to take.
On the Elf permit beats, Christian Percival landed a fit 3 lb sea trout from Dead Neuk, where C. Selstrom also landed 3 in two nights. Terry Murphy caught a good 2 1/2 pounder from Burns stream . Robert Parks of Cockermouth also had a brace sea trout to 2lb.
With a slight rise in water mid month, Ian Cass landed a fresh run sea trout on worm from Mill Pool, Jackie Allan and Barry Irving had a fish likewise from Dead Neuk to 2 3/4 lbs.
Iain Blackett took a fresh 2 1/2lb sea trout from Liddle at the Quarry, where Colin Selstrom landed a brace to 2 lbs also. Blackett nipped back to the Canonbie beat at Schelly hole and subsequently landed a 7 1/4lb grilse.
Stuart Johnstone caught a 2 pounder from Little moat, where Robert Ives was also delighted to land a 10lb salmon on fly. Alan Murray fishing further downstream at Schelly hole intercepted a fine brace of 2 1/2lb sea trout . Fishing Lower Mill area J. Todd was reported to have
caught a 2 1/2lb sea trout on fly. Eric Garthwaite fished a Thursday/Friday session to be rewarded with some furious sport ,hooking 20 sea trout and landing 9 of them, mainly in Glebe and Long Pool areas.
Fish reached Langholm beat mid way through the month and Dave Massey from Blackpool caught a beautiful 2 1/4lb sea trout , but lost another on silver stoat at the Caul Pool.
On the reserved beats, Tower and hollows;- Nick Wilcox landed 19 sea trout for his holiday , mainly on silver stoat and Peter Ross dropper. Richard Oliver caught two sea trout to 2 lb 4oz from Crooked and Syke foot respectively using Teal /B/Silver. Nick Marsden had 3 sea
trout to 2lb 12oz. Phil Pearce tried a different tack landing a good sea trout on a small copper vibrax spoon.Philip Marsden landed 3 to 2 3/4lbs on T/B/S and small Greenwells.
D. Winkler caught 2 sea trout to to 2 3/4lbs from Shortsholm and Sykefoots. Brothers Brian and Alan Cooper landed a fish a piece to 3lbs at Caul flats and Colm Fenton worked hard in the heat to land a nice sea trout from Blue Clints on fly.
On Irvine house beats, Bob Smith landed a brace just under 2lb from Peats hole on brandling, Stuart Lockhart had good sport with 6 seatrout to 2 1/2lbs from mid Pool and House Stream on silver stoat. Pearce & Wilcox had another 4 fish between them ot 2 1/4lb on Silver stoat and
droppers of P/ross and Greenwell. Tony Swiers returned a silver fresh school fish (after scale samples were taken) landed at Stane End on brandling and Ian Hewartson landed a lovely brace of fresh sea trout for an evening on House Stream using silver stoat.
At Willow & Cauldron beats, Barry Leeson returned a beautiful 5lb sea trout landed on spinner . He subsequently was rewarded with a fresh 9lb salmon to keep. Tony Swiers returned a fresh 4 1/2lb sea trout landed from Willow on a Silver Dante fly and Mick Horner did the double
with a 10lb salmon and 2lb sea trout on fly . Andy Ward landed a brace of sea trout to 2 3/4lb and richard Stronach had a slightly smaller brace on needle fly and T/B/silver. Geoff Harvey had a good night with 5 sea trout to 3 1/2lb on silver invicta and floating Muddler. Bill Liddle landed 7 sea trout on a night from Willow and lost several more on silver stoat in what he described as a night to remember. Nigel Austin of Carlisle caught 3 seatrout including a 5 pounder (returned) using the Needle Fly.
Iain Bell said he would like to thank all those fishers who have helped with sea trout scale sampling so far. He would hope for some more samples from fish yet to come , but certainly fresher early run fish provide easier samples. Any rods fishing the Scottish Esk & Liddle
are encouraged to carry some scale envelopes and a tape measure to assist in the research.(Fishery office 013873 81951 or 80202 if you need some). 23 Marine samples were were collected by haafnetters on catch & release and some credit is due there for their effort.
As the month closed , reports suggest that most sea trout appear to have left the Solway for the river, but with severe heat and drought, we will need a flood to make the most of the fishing again.
