The Spate in Pictures (4 & 5 October 2014)

I've been a little quiet on the blog front in the past while, mainly due to the lack of water and lack of fish. This weekend, I still have no fishing to write about, but at least the reason for this is also likely to mean the rest of the season is a little more lively!

I was due to fish Fairnilee on Upper Tweed on Saturday (4 October 2014). The first heavy rain in months was due on Friday and it duly arrived; unfortunately, for those due to fish on Saturday, it put the upper river up to 4' 4" and the Ettrick even higher and both were running the colour of milky coffee and so we were washed off for the day (although I did see see some brave attempts on Holylee, Elibank and Ashiestiel while the water was rising). I've long had my Saturdays' fishing in October and November planned out and next week I plan to be on Glenormiston; hopefully, I'll have some fishing - with water and fish - to write about by then! However, in the meantime, here is an attempt at 'The Spate in Pictures' comprising the results of a wander around Tweedside with my camera yesterday and today for those who are also waiting to have a cast at some fish on Upper Tweed now the water is here.

First stop was Fairnilee, to have a chat with the ghillie, John, before getting on with the rest of my day. I took this photograph of the Yair Boat Pool. Three trees floated past while I was there.

I thought Philliphaugh Cauld would be worth a look and so I headed over the Tweed at Yair Bridge towards the Ettrick at Selkirk. Here's a photograph of the Saughs pool on Selkirk and District Angling Association's Lower Ettrick beat at around 2" from a session last Saturday (27 September 2014). This pool is the last stop before the cauld pool and the cauld itself.

Here is the same scene on Saturday (4 October 2014) lunchtime, after the rain had eased. The Ettrick was up at around 4' 8" at this stage.

Another from my low water session on Lower Ettrick. This shot is of Saughs, looking upstream towards the cauld, which you can see in the background.



A similar view from Saughs, but a week later.

I moved on upstream to take a look at the cauld. This spate should have put the gravel that has recently been the subject of the works at the bottom of the cauld where it's supposed to be!

I stopped for a quick photograph of the Tweed/Ettrick Meetings Pool on Sunderland Hall (right bank, Tweed, & left bank, Ettrick) and Boleside (left bank, Tweed, & right bank, Ettrick). The Ettrick was noticeably faster-flowing and more coloured than the Upper Tweed.

There was only so much flooded river that I was willing to look at yesterday, but the river was in fine form today (of course it was, it's a Sunday!) so I went for a walk along Glenormiston in advance of my fishing there next Saturday. Here's the view upstream from the bridge to the Woodend Pool (near), Glenormiston, and then Lower Nutwood and Nutwood, both shared between Cardrona (right bank) and Horsbrugh (left bank). There is something very special about Upper Tweeddale in full Autumn colours.

 

Finally, I made a return visit to Philliphaugh Cauld to see if there were any fish running and managed to get some good photos and a video (which will hopefully follow, at some stage). As you would expect, with the long spell of low water and prevalence of Spring fish in the Ettrick run, most were heavily coloured, but there were some big ones making an appearance. It will be interesting to see how many of these turn up on Middle Ettrick's catches in the next while. 

Now just to see one up close next Saturday.

Tight lines for the Back End, folks.

Calum