Neist Point - August/September 2014

Neist Point Lighthouse

The most westerly point on the Isle of Skye is known to any serious sea angler in Scotland and further afield as a primo location to encounter big fish from the shore. And I've been able to fish there four times since July.

On the edge of the Duirinish peninsula, Neist Point is separated from the Outer Hebrides by The Minch, a channel of the sea where there is a real chance of spotting amongst other things, Minke Whales, Basking Sharks or the largest UK bird of prey, the White Tailed Eagle. This isn't to mention the seals or seabirds such as Cormorants and Gannets that feed in the abundant waters overlooked by the Stevenson lighthouse.

Looking south over Moonen Bay

Immediately to the south of Neist Point is Moonen Bay which is overlooked by cliffs towering over 1000 feet in height, some of the highest in Europe. It is a stunning location and on a fine day, it's hard to beat. But it's not for the faint hearted. Setting out from Dunvegan around Loch Dunvegan and past Loch Pooltiel and Loch Mor, the drive to reach the parking spot alone is challenging enough. From the 'car park' its then a good 20 minute traipse down a steep cliff path, then up and over another mound of rock (the large wedge in the top picture) along unguarded cliffs before the lighthouse even comes into view. Another steep decline takes you down to the lighthouse and the very western tip of the island where your next choice is then a clamber over basalt rock formations (akin to the Giants Causeway) in any direction. This gets the heart going, then there is the exact opposite on the way back where frequent rests are required on the steep climb back up to the car park.

Looking east to the cliffs at Moonen Bay

But it's worth it, even for the 20-30 minute sessions I've been able to fit in.

My first couple of attempts were as much exploratory as anything. My tackle was really too light and my offerings of Isome on a jighead weren't taken seriously by anything swimming in front of me. I did however spook a rockpool full of, I assume, blennies of a decent enough size. These will be targeted again at some point for sure, but on that day my mind was on exploring the sea itself and time was of the essence.

My next trip out, tooled up with more lures and heavier jigheads was hindered by the clunkiness of my new rod/reel. I'd bought an emergency set-up out of the tackle shop in Dunvegan after snapping my spinning rod, but the reel and pre-loaded line were a bit mis-matched, meaning my casting distance was poor.

Pollock, returned for being too big!!!

However, another fisherdude appeared with his ladyfriend in tow and promptly began extracting impressive Pollock on a sand eel lure. He landed three that we guessed were from 2-7lb or thereabouts. I wasn't able to reach the extra 10-15 yards he was getting that was getting him interest on every cast. While frustrating, it only whetted my appetite for the next time, when I would be sure to have more adequate kit with me.

So on the 19th September I returned and conditions were good enough for me to set off on the hike down to where I was sure I'd smash my Pollock record (or anything else I caught for that matter). Whilst I'm relating those times I've managed to fish in relative safety, half the time I visit, the weather conditions would only suit someone with a death wish (literally).

19th September, tougher conditions

But on arrival this time it was immediately obvious the previous mark wouldn't be fishable for two reasons. Firstly the tide was a lot lower making the previous hot spot uncoverable, and even if it had been, the wind was blowing straight towards the mark, the entirely opposite direction from my previous visit. So I'd have to explore elsewhere. This might sound straightforward, but in the limited time available, it meant a mixture of jumping over crevices, rock climbing up and over basalt columns and trying not to slip or fall onto the barnacle covered rocks while I tried to find somewhere on the other side of the rock. Neist Point is not a place you want to get injured.

I found a new spot, but despite fanning around with my casts, I couldn't find any fish and had to just make do with watching the Gannets divebomb for their lunch, admire the views across to Lewis, Harris and the other smaller outer Hebridean islands to the south while a seal bobbed its head up to check me out .

So as yet, I've drawn a blank in this breath taking location. But it won't be long until I'm in the right place at the right time. Watch this space.

The three pictures below are from my 14th September visit. As I emerged over the brow of some rocks at the southern tip of Neist Point, I noticed a flock of Cormorants sitting on the rock. But they saw me at the same time and bolted.

Loch Ness & Caledonian Canal

Caledonian Canal looking north to Loch Ness

Having many opportunities to sneak in 20-30 minute sessions around Fort Augustus this year has had me in hot pursuit of my very own Loch Ness monster.

Alas I have absolutely no fish to report despite it looking likely at all times. I've viewed a couple of eels and plenty of minnows in the canal as well as one very small jack pike, but nothing in the canal or loch has bothered to give me a look in.

Fishing where the River Oich flows into Loch Ness one day during a strong flow something did flash at my lure quite far out and I also had a follow close in. The first was maybe a trout or maybe a Salmon, the fish being about 3-4lb, but hard to be sure and the second was probably a trout of about a pound.

The tactic has been a large rapala with wire trace hurled as far as possible and retrieved at top speed. This approach worked really well on Loch Chon and is my go to tactic where there are Pike about. Earlier attempts in the canal with a jigged Lake Fork Shad also failed to yield.

15/04/2013 - North Esk

The Low Pond weir & pool

After the (one fish) success of my previous 'downstream' session I headed upstream into what I like to characterise as the North Esk nursery. Although it didn't completely avoid the industrial intervention that most rivers faced in the last couple of hundred years, especially as you head downstream, it has been largely untouched for at least a quarter of a century and provides plenty of room to grow and thrive for some of the loveliest little brownies you'll see.

With some rain pumping the river up to about double its summer levels (20+ cm) in the day or two before, I was keen to get out and try to add to my catch totals as the water fell back to 'normal' height. The river looked pretty good, just a bit lower than I like (and expected), but nicely tinged with peat which is usually a good sign. The main problem, as always this year so far, was the ongoing low temperatures. Ultimately I blanked without so much as seeing a fish. but it was a nice evening and good to reaquaint with the river after the winter.

The pool at the foot of the Serpy weir is slowly but surely being hollowed out and may eventually get back to the big deep fishy looking spot it once was. Above the weir though there has been a lot of silting up which has resulted in the run-off lade being almost completely blocked. Further upstream, as mentioned, the levels were quite low, so a lot of the runs that hold fish in higher water were barely fishable.

Toads

There was good news at the weir adjacent to the Low Pond. I remember seeing loads of small trout trying to leap the weir here about 25 years ago. But since I've 'rediscovered' it in the last few years, I've not even had a bite from it. However this year it has eroded and rearranged itself into a very nice pool and I hold out hopes for it when conditions improve.

I finished a couple of runs above the stone bridge and decided to have a wee look in the Low Pond. I'd already spotted some frogspawn in a large puddle and a couple of toads in a ditch. At the pond it was positively hoaching with toads and I also spotted a stickleback which I suspect might prick up the ears of H, my species hunting friend. Time to get the goby hooks out?

15/03/2013 - North Esk

Top end of Telfords

Time - 1400-1800
Weather - Sun, wind, rain, hail, sun, wind, rain, sun
Water - 5-6 cm up

Total - 0

To the blaring fanfare of trumpets (in my head at least) I embraced the beginning of the new trout season with a session on the Esk. With some snow still lying here and there after recent cold conditions, and with forecasts from earlier in the week predicting a lot of rain, prospects hadn't been too promising. However as the date closed in the forecast contained less rain, the river stayed quite low despite the snow melt and I was happy that conditions were eminently fishable. I also had a brand new pair of waders to test.

Opening day is never prolific (for me) on the Esk. Tis my opinion that the season starts a bit too soon as most March fish still have some recovering to do after the winter.

When the fish farm was operating in Penicuik, you'd have a reasonable chance of the odd surprise Rainbow escapee lolloping about if mink or out of season anglers hadn't found them first. But, for better or worse, these days seem to be behind us.

My new campaign kicked off on my home stretch around Valleyfield from the Corner Pool up to the Serpy Weir. While I was happy enough with the condition of the river, there were no real signs of encouragement in the catching stakes. Nonetheless it was great to get back to my old haunts and see if and how the river had been reshaped over the winter.

Fresh landslip

A few years ago now there was a land slip from a ravine formerly used as an industrial dump of sorts that wreaked havoc for as far downstream as I then observed. At the back end of last year I noticed extra polythene littering the riverside trees and bushes, a signature of the previous landslip, and suspected there had been another slippage at the site. Sure enough, this seems to be the case. That said, the problem is nowhere near as severe as the first incident.

Next stop was in the Auchendinny area where there are a few pools I like. One is adjacent to the old mill site where, last season they'd begun building houses and flats so I was interested to see how they're coming along. From being a secluded stretch of river, the character of this area will be completely altered henceforth. Probably not for the better so I'm trying to enjoy the place before it's likely change of behaviour. Sure enough access on the left bank was blocked, from being previously OK and some inventive wading was required to get to where I was going. The main pool itself was in good shape - it's prone to shape changing during spates - but it's fish, if indeed it held any, were not showing any interest.

For a final thrash I decided to head further downstream to Polton Mill. Again the river was in fine fettle, but again there wasn't a confirmed flicker of interest from my piscine friends.

Not many blanks can be described as successful, however as we famously call it fishing and not catching, landing fish is not the be all and end all. For a blank, it was quite an enjoyable one. As I write this the next day watching golf ball sized snow flakes falling, it may be a wee while before I'm back out there again (although I'm keen to get a fish and be able to photograph it on snow, so you never know).

03/03/2013 - Newhaven

An old Ports Authority building atop the sea wall

A while ago it had occurred to me that the left 'bank' of the Water of Leith as it left the docks and entered the Firth of Forth might be accessible around this area so I'd gone down to investigate. However it was at high tide and it was difficult to properly assess it's potential.

So, after a night on the sauce and a kip in Edinburgh at a mate's flat, I headed down to explore the shore at Newhaven at low tide.

View of the bridges along the Firth of Forth

On arrival, in the first hour after the low tide, I was met with a flat calm and no swell at the tidal limit. The boulders used to construct the breakwater had enough gaps to whet my appetite for some blenny and sea scorpion action. But by the time I returned to the car and tackled up, there was a bit more of a gentle swell and it made 'settling' my Isome in any one spot quite difficult. Whilst I was unable to find any fish at all, I'm sure they are there somewhere.

However, it is an easily accessible stretch of the shoreline and I'd suspect it will be better for actual shore fishing at the right time of year, whether lures for Coalies and Mackerel etc, or maybe even some bait flung out to find a dogfish or codling or similar.

Looking back towards Newhaven Harbour

I made my way as close to the Water of Leith as possible, although there are plenty of Ports Authority restrictions and restricted areas, you can still access a fair amount of water.

I made my way back along to Newhaven Harbour itself. In the low water I could see a shopping trolley which will no doubt snag up most of the people who fish it this year.  I dabbed my Isome around hoping to find a bottom dweller, but despite my best efforts, couldn't stir so much as a barnacle.

While this was a resounding blank, it was as much an investigation of this part of the shore as a fishing trip and I'll definitely give it another try from midsummer onwards.

16/10/2012 - Loch Dunmore

Loch Dunmore

Time 1300-1600
Weather - Light shower or two, around 6 degrees
Water - Still, pretty clear, lots of lilies
Method - See text
Total - 0

Spending a week at Tummel Bridge with the family obviously had me looking around at potential fishing destinations in an area where you are spoilt for choice.

With the trout season gone, trouting on Loch Rannoch, Loch Tummel or Dunalastair Water were all out as was a shot on the River Tummel or River Gaur (incidentally, its the Gaur you can see behind the cooncil lager in my profile pic). Salmon on the River Tummel or River Garry (Pitlochry Angling Club) were my next thoughts. Being early season rivers the prices are quite reasonable this late, but the season ended on both on Monday, the day of my arrival. Similarly Loch Faskally's Salmon had ended the previous Saturday (shoddy scheduling by the school holiday planners). Pike and/or Perch on Loch Rannoch or Loch Tummel then? Seriously daunting waters for a relative novice like myself and also the possibility of getting through a session alone in severely testing weather conditions (there was a dusting of snow on the hills on our first night) didn't really appeal. I'd prefer to try these types of waters when I can go after Trout and Char as well.

Next to the Boathouse

I remembered a small water I'd found a while ago on Google Earth adjacent to Loch Faskally and looked it up. Loch Dunmore is a small sheltered coarse pond just outside Pitlochry run by the quite appropriately named Dunmore Angling Club. Details were sketchy online but I found a contact email address and sent off a hopeful enquiry not really expecting a response, never mind the quick and excellently detailed reply I received later that day.

At this time of year, the woods surrounding Loch Dunmore are converted into The Enchanted Forest once darkness falls so you have to be off the water by 1630. Holding Perch, Rudd, Roach, Tench and Carp (Crucian's as far as I can tell, although maybe some of their larger cousins too), most of the common baits apparently do the trick with maggots probably being the best starting point. I was warned though that there was a fair bit of growth, mostly lilies which, whilst not ideal once a fish was on, provided plenty of cover for the inhabitants. Tickets are £6 and available in a couple of places, I got mine just down the road and round the corner at the Faskally Boat House. Incidentally, there is no Tackle Shop in Pitlochry just now, although the Boat House sold some gear, mostly Salmon and Pike lures. I was also tipped off about a couple of pegs, but in all honesty, once there, they all looked pretty sweet.

So, I arrived just before 1pm and was immediately impressed. It is difficult to overstate the beauty of this location and nestling in woodland it's nicely sheltered. There was another dude fishing next to the little Boathouse who looked like he knew what he was doing and his son was also fishing. Indulging in a quest for as much info as possible I made straight for them. They'd been there all morning and it had been raining quite a lot but the Dad had taken a small Roach and a couple of Perch on maggots. The boy reported a lost Tench right at the bank from the other side of the water and a Carp that had snapped him. Both had been off the bottom with a red & white maggot combo using a pole and float. The Dad was set up with a float, fishing it quite deep.

How can this possibly fail?

I decided to fish the peg next to them at the other side of the boathouse and employ my standard coarse tactics, devised over a couple of years at Eliburn. Rod One has the float slipped onto the mainline and held in place by a couple of small weights (enough to right the float in the water), then a swivel clip to which I attach a fine pre-tied hook/leader, usually about 2lb b/s and a size 18-20 hook. For smaller silver fish I find if you get too bulky they tend to be a lot less likely to take. This can cause problems if something substantial decides to wolf down the maggots instead, but this is rare. Rod Two is a bit more speculative. I add enough weight only to hold it firm on the bottom about 2-8 inches away from a specialist carp hook about size 8-10. Obviously all these tactics can vary, but that's the general starting point.

Despite my best efforts I searched all round with my float rod but couldn't find any fish. I opted for cubed luncheon meat stuffed with a few pellets and still loosely attached to another couple of cubes (see pic) that certainly looked scrumptious to me, but not it seemed to the fish. This was plonked out to my right in front of the boathouse along with some more meat as groundbait and some maggots. For good measure some floating pellets were thrown out, but all with no response.

Mark two view to the right

In the meantime my neighbour extracted another wee Perch so at least there was hope. I decided to move and made my way half way round the pond to another outstanding looking peg. The same tactics were deployed, all the while lengthening the depth of the maggots under the float. For the first 150 minutes or so I only had two solitary bubbles appearing as my only encouragement. Whether simple gas releases or Tench feeding, these are sometimes the only encouragement when staring at a potential blank especially on a new venue.

Mark two view to the left

I switched from maggots to Isome on the float rod and tried a beard of maggots on a smaller hook on Rod Two. Finally the beard did the trick and the rod started to twitch. When it pulled I struck, but didn't feel a fish. Probably a Tench, I focused on the 'hotspot' but didn't get any further interest.

So a slightly disappointing blank, but more than enough to peak my interest. It is certainly a venue I intend to return to. Enhancing the natural beauty of the place from an Anglers point of view, it's very well maintained with many pegs available and all in good condition. In my opinion an excellent balance is struck between the natural setting and the requirements of the Angler. A lovely example to all other small coarse fisheries.

View back to the Boathouse

On my return from Pitlochry to Tummel Bridge I stopped to take a couple of photos of Loch Tummel, as displayed later in this post.

Although I didn't push for any more fishing passes from the wife, later in the week we ventured up to Kinloch Rannoch where I took a neb at Loch Rannoch. Catching it not long before sunset the view up the Loch was outrageously stunning and I let my cameraphone do the work. If you enlarge the photo's you can see the odd ring of ripples showing the rise that was well underway along the near bank by what I expect were small trout. A proper assault on Loch Rannoch is high on the list for 2013, my anticipation heightened on the holiday by delving back into Ron Greer's outstanding book Ferox Trout & the Arctic Char which I'd highly recommend to anyone interested in fishing, even stockie-bashers who come in for a bit of a tongue-lashing. Informed, Insightful and Intelligent, I'll leave the i-superlatives there.

Loch Tummel

Loch Tummel & Schiehallion viewed on the way back to the Lodge

Loch Tummel, same spot, different view

Loch Rannoch

Stop the car!!!!!

And the photos still don't do it justice

Looking across to the south eastern shore

Photography made easy

Fetch me my rod Jeeves?

OMG, as they say

North east shore

Hold the camera horizontal you fool

29/09/2012 - North Esk

Tree, weir

Time - 1530-1700
Water - Around a foot above summer levels
Weather - OK, a bit chilly
Method - Mepp size 3
Total - 0

The previous day I'd left my forceps lying on the bank creating a neat excuse to toddle out for another short thrash. The river was still at the height it's been the last couple of days after more overnight rain has been keeping it topped up.

Despite a decent covering, I couldn't even induce a single tap this time. Without too much time before dinner I decided to have a look at the Serpy Weir as I hadn't been that far upstream since a lot earlier in the season.

On arrival some more 'erosion' had taken place as a consequence of the recent spates. First of all I noticed the lade that runs off from the pool at the top of the weir was choked full of gravel deposits, almost damming the channel altogether. It won't take much, possibly even just summer water levels to halt the through flow altogether. Also, in my first Esk post of the season I included a photo showing a tree lying abreast of the top of the waterfall. This has now managed to get half of itself down but will need another spate to finish the job I think.

The pool at the foot of the weir is also undergoing more changes. This pool and the one directly downstream have probably undergone more 'terraforming' (aquaforming?) than anywhere else I've seen. Once it was a bit more like a large concrete trough (not a great description), emptying into a lovely deep pool shelving off nicely from the layered rock on the right bank. Since the massive landslip a few years ago now, the 'trough' was severely damaged, although a decent enough pool was formed in its place, but the debris from the landslip as good as filled in the 2nd pool. Now the 'trough' pool has been extended a bit further into the head of what was the second pool, but a lot of the debris in the second pool seems to have been scooped out and there is a lot more depth than there has been for a few years. The water level was up, so my observations may be a little bit misleading, but I suspect this second pool could be on its way back, which fills me with delight as amongst other things, its where I caught my record 21 3/4 inch Rainbow about 20 years ago. It's also worth mentioning that too often pools seem to be filling themselves in as a result of the types of spates and floods we've had in the last few years. Finally a pool is improving again.

I've spent so long talking about the river, because there was once more absolutely no fish action to speak of. I moved to the top of the waterfall, but once again nothing. Deciding to give the next little pool upstream a try before leaving for dinner, I was delighted to see on approach that it has also benefited from recent floods. Usually this is a tangle of almost Mangrove proportions with 2-3 trees in the water and all manner of plant based debris clogging it. Occasionally this allowed cover for some nice fish (including a surprise Rainbow a few years ago, they shouldn't really be able to reach this stretch), but usually just made it very difficult to fish. But it has more or less been scraped clean of rubbish and is now pretty much the little pool I've always hoped it could be. Finally I enticed some action with two taps in two casts. The first was probably no smaller than 12 inches which is massive for up here, the second more normal at 8ish or so inches. But neither was polite enough to hook itself, the session was over and I was off home for dinner.

Back to the photos of the weir. If you look at my 15th March post and the picture there, it shows the tree with much more foliage, whereas now its been stripped bare. Another thing I noticed, but didn't properly pay attention to; in the 15th March photo, you get a good view of the ravine on the opposite bank where the large landslip emanated. I suspected there had been further very recent landslips when I looked at it yesterday, but didn't take a photo for comparison. I'll be up there in the next few days to do just that and see what/if any further damage has taken place.

What is noticeable in the photos is the flow into the foot of the weir pool indicated by the amount of froth. The March pic shows normal levels whilst the one in this post shows the effect when the water is appreciably up.

Last thing to report was a fish of about 9 inch louping up the bottom of the waterfall. It managed the usual 2 or 3 feet before being deposited back into the pool.

27/09/2012 - North Esk

Time - 1845-1915
Weather - Chilly
Water - Up about 12 inches
Method - Mepp 2
Total - 0

Around this time last year I had a fair bit of success along the Dalmore stretch of the Esk in higher water. The river level was too low really for the first couple of weeks of the month, but then entered into to high a spate for a few days. Keen to give it a shot I headed down on Thursday evening for half an hour. Unfortunately it was just a little bit too high.

The stretch I fish is adjacent to the new housing scheme being built on the old Dalmore site. Firstly I'm concerned this might affect the water. If there are bulldozers and suchlike battering about all day, will fish looking to run (and spawn?) in higher water be put off at all. Secondly it meant that the innaccesability or relative remoteness of this beat will soon be absolutely public. Neither factors are much good for the continuance of the success I've briefly enjoyed here.

So all I have to report is one fish that I had on for a few moments before it shook itself free. And it confirmed my suspicion that this is a good time of year at this pool as it was in the 2lb/16 inch range. A very decent fish that looked to have a little bit of colour about it too.

03/09/2012 - North Esk

From 29th August, a week ago

Time - 1615-1645 & 1935 - 2020
Water - Up a bit, lovely peaty tinge
Weather - Nice in session 1 with a bit of wind, duller later with some unforecast drizzle
Method - Size 2 silver Mepp red spots
Total - 0

After the summer we've had (2nd wettest on record) and the amount of high water levels (and the nature of those levels - see graph), the river hasn't survived unscathed. Quite a few of the pools and runs have altered quite substantially. The Corner Pool for instance has really silted up on the far bank where the wee burn comes in. Whereas before there was a bit of a curl in the flow of the water as the current on the inside of the bend went back 'upstream', now its pretty much all a straight downstream flow and you can see the bottom in more places.  Just downstream the flow in the pool above the old waterworks has switched banks. Meanwhile upstream at the footbridge to the ponds the left bank has increased in size, squeezing the river and making it a lot less fishable. I've not explored too much further, but where I have, the story is similar, more of that in a minute.

I'm reminded of a conversation I had with a gent a couple of years or so ago when I had my permit for the Tweed. I'd spent a fair while exploring the upper stretches and hadn't found many worthwhile spots to wet the fly. On return to the car there was a guy who lived in a nearby house standing on the bridge watching the water. He fished this stretch often and had done for years. He told me that some of the spate/floods they'd had in the last year or two were of a much different character than in the past. They were bigger, more sudden and a lot more powerful. A bit more like the graph above rather than a steady increase. The upshot was that a lot of the old pools had been filled in by rocks/silt etc being flushed downstream. Not only was this a negative for us fisherfolk, but it meant running fish had less places to rest and also badly affected redds.

In my anecdotal experience on my local river, the North Esk, the river I'm in a good position to monitor, this is what is increasingly happening. That these rivers once had deeper pools which are being filled in by modern flooding shows that there must be a certain type of flooding/spate conditions that can hollow out rivers making them 'how they were'. But it definitely seems that the weather patterns, more specifically the rain/flooding/spate patterns we seem to be experiencing now - more localised and extreme weather events - are silting up and filling in some rivers.

And so to the actual fishing. Perusers of my Forth & Clyde Canal report will be up to speed with my new lure of choice (Live Baby Shad Golden Shiner). Having since had some success with it taking a 10 & a 12 incher since my canal visit, I was keen to give it a soaking in the Esk. The first session utilised it to no effect, not even a bite or a flash in what I'd usually describe as excellent conditions. Time of day wasn't ideal, and a black Lab dumping itself into the Corner Pool when I arrived didn't help, but still. The Corner Pool and the next pool down from it produced diddly squat.

In the evening I was keen to get down to the Auchendinny stretch where I'd had some success at the back end of last season. Arriving at the tunnel bridge, it was obvious that the waterscape had altered a bit down here too. Usually I can wade under the bridge and cross at the foot of the pool to the left bank, fish under the road bridge, then cross again and fish on downstream to the weir. However there basically isn't a tail to the first pool now with the two pools that were under each bridge now being imperceptibly joined. It also looked like wading under the Old Railway Bridge might be off the cards, so I headed through the tunnel and gained access around the building site that used to be Dalmore Mill.

Tree stump funghi with slug

While I'm here I'll mention I've started, and will continue to take photos of the old mill site as they build on it. It's going to massively alter the area as the flats and houses are completed and folk move in, so best to enjoy it as much as possible while its like it is. I'll prob post the photos in a future blog showing before and after photos alongside each other. While I was traipsing across the building site, a tree stump with some really vivid orange funghi caught my eye. This photo (with the slug for scale) shows it off reasonably well.

I'd swapped the jelly minnow for a trusty mepp. Once again though, the weir pool has been altered a little after recent spates. The left bank sandbar where I normally fish from was smaller and further out making the tail of the pool a bit thinner. There has also been some damage to the lip of the weir on the right bank, meaning a healthier flow down that side. I covered the whole pool in expectation but all I got for my efforts was a hefty thump by something of indeterminate size. Then the unforecast drizzle began to speed up the gloomy sunset and I beat a retreat back to civilisation.

10/08/2012 - Port Seton Harbour

Harbour view on departure

Water - As previous night
Weather - Lovely
Where - East wall
Time - 2030-2130
Method - See text
Total - 0

The weather and tides were similar to the previous evening (tide later, sunset earlier of course) although the breeze was up and the sea had more of a chop about it.

There were three anglers where I'd been on Thursday although the adjacent (east) platform was free so I headed across there. As I arrived I caught up with a local gent who was thinking about setting up too, though he wasn't keen when he heard how scant the offerings had been the previous evening. After a bit of encouragement he attached a silver lure to his rod and immediately hooked into a Mackerel which he returned. He declared early it was from a "shoal of one" and so it turned out.

I employed a new tactic I've been meaning to put into practice for a while. Instead of anchoring Mackerel lures to the bottom with a heavy weight (increasing the chances of a snag), I suspended them (four silver flashed hooks) under a bubble float and weighted them with some plasticene which allows an easy adjustment of the weight should I be able to add bait (Pollock/Mackerel strips etc) to the lures in due course. It also has the added 'bite indication' bonus of using a float.

The other rod used the toby from the previous evening although this was eventually lost low and close in on a sub-surface harbour reinforcement. So I switched to a Flying C which is surely as good a lure as any.

For the last half hour I noticed plenty of small fish close in on the outside of the harbour as well as in through the entrance. Although I couldn't get a good look, they appeared to be feeding, occasionally flashing their sides as they changed angles in the water. I obviously dragged my lure through them a few times, although I seemed to be getting attention, they refused to become hooked.

The fish didn't agree and shunned both tactics. In mitigation, I barely spent an hour at the harbour. I was over half way there when I realised I'd left all my sea rigs at home and cut a good 50 minutes out of my fishing time returning to get them before setting off again.

08/07/2012 - North Esk

Time - 2030-2045
Weather - Dull, 16ish degrees, started to drizzle
Water - Too high
Where - Above Telfords Bridge
Method - Mepp size 3
Total - 0

Online the river level looked just about fishable and since the forecast was for more rain (and therefore another increase in levels) I headed out for a bit. However on arrival it was apparent that the river was probably still too high. I had a quick thrash with no interest whatsoever (a couple of bumps, but I think that was the bottom due to using a bigger spinner than normal). My waders are a bit leaky above the 'welly' so I wasn't able to wade below the bridge to try there too.

On my way into Valleyfield I was swithering about whether to try a couple of more pools or call it quits when it started to drizzle. I didn't swither any longer and headed home.

In the absence of fish, I thought I'd show the graphs below for North Esk, Almond & Water of Leith for corresponding timescales over the last couple of days. Although their catchments are similar, they don't always correlate this neatly.

The North Esk graph overlaps with the graph on my previous post. It shows the water level would have been about +30cms when I was out on Sunday night (8th July).

I was in Edinburgh on Saturday and took some photos of the Water of Leith (at about 2pm, so past the high peak you can see on the above graph) which I'll post in future. I want to show them next to photos of 'normal' conditions. I'm extremely sceptical about the worthiness of the recently constructed flood defences. It has to be said I know nothing about 'water management'. But if you wade, you'll know how strong seemingly little amounts of water can be. And if you frequent rivers, as I do, you see how high they can get at certain times. A lot of riverbank construction seems to be very well suited to summer conditions. Saying this I don't envy the job of trying to control a flooding river. But it seems obvious that widening the upper stretches of a river without doing anything to the lower stretches is creating a bottleneck. I understand some of the flooding in Edinburgh over the weekend was exacerbated by high tides backing up the outflow even more.

I'm quite familiar with the Almond (there is a link to the Cramond Angling Club on my front page). On the SEPA page it claims that flows up to 3 metres are "normal". If it flowed for long at 3 metres, it wouldn't be long before Cramond itself was in the sea. It is quite an angry beast anywhere above 1 metre. I am unsure how they reach their definitions.

06/07/2012 - North Esk

Time - 1500-1530
Weather - Mild, light drizzle
Water - About +20cm
Where - Telford's above & below
Method - Size 3 mepp
Total - 0

With a lot of rain due I managed a brief half hour with the river still up, but at a nice level between spates. The only two pools fished were above and below Telford's Bridge. I had plenty taps and a couple that were briefly on before escaping. I seem to be missing a high number of bites at the moment which is annoying, nothing I have as yet put my finger on.

Interest was quite frequent with most taps in no bigger than about 8 inches, apart from one decent take in the bottom pool, although it was at distance and in the current, so it's strength may have been inflated somewhat but it may have been as super massive as 12 inches or so.

Excellent (although not perfect*) river level data is available here and its where I've taken the displayed graphs from. The top graph shows the first spate which arrived after heavy rain on Wednesday. The second graph shows an even bigger spate beginning early on Saturday morning.

Note the graph's automatically re-calibrate their displayed scale (vertical axis) up or down depending on current levels. Due to the difference in scale it might not appear at first glance that these two graph's show connected data. But the first graph shows from 0-45cm while the second graph shows from 0-100cm. Their time scales also overlap, or to put another way, are not consecutive. I hope that is all clear.

I had a look at the Esk today at 11.15 and it had obviously risen again. I looked again at 3pm and reckon it had fallen about 12-18 inches. There has been almost constant light drizzle, but nowhere near the strength of downpour I heard through the night. The lower graph shows up until 1pm today, I'll probably update this in the next day or two as the data updates.

* I prefer the way data is displayed on websites such as Fishpal.com e.g. Tay at Kenmore. As well as data from the last 24 hours, they also show aggregate levels from the last 28 days and further still, the year so far. This allows you to build up a better picture of water levels throughout the year.

I can't find it now, but data for the Tummel used to amuse me. As its deep within our hydroelectric system its flow is completely controlled by releases from the dam. The graph would flatline for a few hours at say 10cms, then rise vertically to 75 cms, flatline there for a few hours, then plummet vertically again back down to say 35 cms. This repeated its pattern showing a very peculiar change of level that must play havoc with fish in the system (not to mention any anglers unbeknowingly wading into the path of a sudden and unannounced rise.

22/04/2012 - North Esk

Time - 2015 - 2045
Weather - Fair, 6-7 degress
Water - +16cm
Where - Polton bank
Method - Mepp
Total - 0

A short evening session to try and loosen my dodgy back had quite the opposite effect. However the water was in lovely spinning nick though with my first lapse in concentration producing the first tap. I'd say it was a minimum o f8 inch, maybe a wee bit into double figures. A short while later in the same pool between the bridge & the weir I connected with about a 6 incher for 2-3 secs before we parted company.

I had a short try at the next 2 or 3 pools on the left bank but had to leave before dark as stiffness set in.

12/04/2012 - North Esk

Time - 1800 - 1930
Weather - Chilly
Water - Peaty & up
Where - Serpy weir up to Roman Bridge
Method - Mepp
Total - 0

Water levels had dropped below just too high and I fancied my chances. I tried further upstream than the previous night but the results were the same, one tap, no fish. Managed to fish as far up as the old (and soon to be falling down) Roman Bridge.

11/04/2012 - North Esk

Time - Evening
Weather - Chilly
Water - Up
Where - Telfords - Corner Pool
Method - Mepp
Total - 0

The first downpours of the season pumped the river levels up so I took a short punt on the Esk but without success. The only tap occurred above Telfords (7 inch or so) and despite nice but probably too high conditions elsewhere, nothing showed. My guess is the water temp is still too low, but it is still intriguing where the fish go, because in similar conditions in a month or two's time it will be fishalicious.

10/04/2012 - Humbie Quarry

Time - 1500 - 1900
Where - Main accessible mark
Water - Normal
Weather - Had been raining and windy elsewhere but fine
Methods - Dead bait, maggots/swim feeder, perch lure & worm under a float
Total - 0

A second visit to Humbie and a longer and more concerted effort produced just as many fish as the first visit, a resounding and absolute zero. No signs of fish and no bites or interest. It still looks fishy enough though. Once one fish falls, more will surely follow. Another time...

04/04/2012 - Loch Lochy

Looking down the loch to the south

Time - 1300-1400
Where - Bay 1 mile south of Laggan Locks
Water - Low, clear
Weather - Cloudy, fresh
Method - Weighted maggots on the bottom & size 3 mepp on wire trace
Total - 0

Initially I intended having a try in the bay at the head of the Loch, but on inspection was probably a bit shallow so I decided to move down the shore to seek somewhere a bit better. Stopping at a layby about a mile down I decided to chuck out some weighted maggots on one rod whilst having a spin either side. I put the maggots out in the bay where a small stream enters and baited up a bit. I built a rod rest of rocks up and the rod was precariously balanced on top in the form of a primitive bite alarm so that if I got any interest at all the rod would fall onto the ground and alert me. Alack there was to be no action on the maggots.

View to the western shore

In the meantime I fished with a mepp no 3/blue spots around the bay and headland in a northerly direction before returning to the maggot rod and fishing south of it for a bit. Nothing was tempted.

The water was exceedingly clear so visibility wasn't a problem for the fish which weren't in the mood. I did spot the surface being broken a handful of times at about the extent of casting distance but not from anything of any obviously large size.

28/03/2012 - South Esk

Pool of promise

Time - 1600 - 1800
Weather - Sensational, pushing 20 degress
Water - Clear, low
Where - Gore Glen
Method - Mepp no 2
Total - 0

Looking down the biggest pool

A new stretch was explored in the Gore Glen just to the west of Gorebridge. Accessibility was a bit of work and the river is generally quite ovegrown or littered with fallen trees and suchlike. However there are a few nice pools of indeterminate depth and a few nice runs. I didn't see any rises and there were no signs of fish about, however I reckon that later in the season and/or after a bit of rain this could be a sensational little stretch.

Looking up the biggest pool

I began not too far downstream from the road bridge where I parked and had a follow off a nice fish in the 2nd pool I tried, then took a big hit off an even nicer fish, at least in the 12-14 inch range. However, that was that.

The last pool I fished was also the biggest. There are the remnants of some sort of industrial past with a bottleneck weir entering the top of the pool. As you can see from the two photos there has been a lot of major erosion and bank collapse on both banks with some of it including large trees. The main flow of the river is not affected.

Sandstone cross-section

Lastly I discovered this nicely split section of sandstone. The sandy coloured bit is common enough. Although the grey section looks like it might be some sort of mill working residue, it was as hard and of the exact same texture as the rest of the sandstone, so it appeared to be of uniform age. Strangely there was a 'coating' which you can see most clearly on the left edge of the right section of stone in the photo around the entire edge of what had all the appearances of being metal, probably iron. Whether this was a natural formation or if it had at some point been through some form of industrial alteration was far too difficult for this amateur to confirm.

22/03/2012 - North Esk

Best of the Eskmill pools

Time - 1630 - 1800
Where - Eskmill - Ele's Hole
Weather - Lovely but cooling down
Water - Summer levels, clear
Method - Mepp no 2 & bread
Total - 0

I effectively employed an upstream fishing method on this day. A couple of years ago I fished this stretch and concluded it was dead. Then last season I had great success a bit later in the season with a decent average size. But it was back to blanking with no interest at all. Saying this, once conditions hot up, I'm sure many of the wee pools and lies along here will produce nice fish again.

I also came across a pickaxe which is a river debris first.

I fished the right bank at the Ele's Hole and comprehensively covered the pool. But to no avail. I had however anticipated such an eventuality and brought along a couple of floats and some bread. I was confident that on opening day, although the water levels weren't conducive to the mepp, bread would be successful. So I was ready to give it a try

Wrong. I gave it a decent shot and baited up two slices worth, but there wasn't anything interested in meeting me.

22/03/2012 - South Esk

Looking down to the foot of the overflow

Time - 1400 - 1500
Where - Gladhouse overflow
Weather - Lovely
Water - Summer level and clear
Method - Mepp no 2
Total - 0

Plan A: My initial plan was to head downstream from the part of Roslin Glen I'd fished the previous weekend. However there was a class of schoolkids out with their teacher walking alongside the road outside the car park and once I got into the car park there were more hanging around. So I decided there would probably be too much disturbance and formulated a Plan B.

Plan B: Investigate the outflows at Roseberry and/or Gladhouse. The outflow from Gladhouse Reservoir flows down through some largely inaccessible terrain and into Roseberry Reservoir. It then flows down to Temple and through the area I've fished a lot meeting up with the Edgelaw outflow just downstream of the Carrington Bridge. So I knew that those rivers weren't much more than burns at Temple, so weren't going to be much more further upstream, especially once the water extraction is carried out. But you never know, there might be a pool or two at the foot of the dam walls and there is always the possibility of an escapee or two. I've heard there are loads of Perch in Gladhouse as well as the trout and there are Pike in Roseberry on top of what they claim are weekly stockings of trout. So plenty potential for a surprise or two.

There is probably only one parking spot around the Roseberry dam and it was already taken, so I wasn't able to stop. However the river at the foot of the dam wall looked quite promising. As it turned out, I only had to wait another day to try it.

I drove on to Gladhouse and got parked near the dam. There is quite a steep and overgrown ramble to get down the back of the dam including a bridge across the steep overflow which is missing half its floor.

At the foot of the overflow is a nice looking pool. However once I got down to it, it is mostly flat and shallow bottomed. There are one or two shelf's and hidey holes though and in higher water it might be worth another short visit. I managed to induce a follow of a fish around 4-5 inches. A rambled downstream for a little bit, but its quite a small burn at this point and there was only one more deepish pool which was difficult to fish as it was quite overgrown.