12/04/2013 - North Esk

Brown or Sea?

With winter hanging around to the point we're more or less missing out on spring this year, the fishing has been deadly slow and unproductive. Both Straiton Pond and North & South Esk's hadn't yielded any returns for my efforts, but what are we if not optimists? Even as I write there is still some snow clinging to the Moorfoot's, indeed it's only in the last week that the temperature has finally edged into double figures, although when it did, 20+mph winds accompanied.

My first trout of the season arrived off the Almond on 28th March and is one of those ambiguous sea trout or brown trout specimens. In the water I was convinced it was from the sea, very silvery with a purple/pinkish sheen. However on land I decided it was probably a brownie that was a bit off colour due to the earliness of the season. Now, looking at photos I'm not so sure and am tempted back towards a Sea Trout again. It was certainly in excellent condition attacking me near the side then leaping clear of the drink a few times, which I wouldn't necessarily expect for this time of the year. It measured a nice 13 inches. Naturally it was sent back to get bigger.

I also had a first session with the fly one evening downstream on the Water of Leith. It has been taking a lot of nonsense for the last year or so as they build flood defences upstream. I found no signs of life at all and won't be going back til the weather really improves. That said, it has appeared devoid of life plenty of times in the past, so hopefully the flood work hasn't upset or curtailed the fish in the lower part of the river by too much.

Some retro litter - McEwans lager can circa 1995?

With no signs of any brownies at all in the North Esk I've been covering a lot of river and exploring a bit more. I'm hoping that the scarcity of sport is down to the extended winter. The less attractive explanation is that there has been another landslip just above Penicuik from some sort of historic industrial dump. This area already garrotted the Esk about 10 years ago when a massive amount of sludge and other nasties was washed into the system. This winter's episode was much less severe so fingers crossed it hasn't had a negative impact on the fish. And fingers on the other hand crossed that the weather heats up a bit sooner rather than later.

First Esk Brownie of 2013

Fishing the Auchendinny stretch of the river, it was apparent that we could also do with a good rain to flush the river out. The water itself had plenty of organic 'bits' in it and the riverbed had a cloying sediment in all the slower flowing or still places (there would be rain the following week that helped clear out some of this muck).

With no bites, no rises, no nothing to provide encouragement, I was trying to keep disciplined to maximise my chances in a minimal opportunity situation. In my favourite pool I'd covered the whole lot when finally my trusty little mepp was attacked and a fish was on. An 11 inch brownie was soon on the bank and my 2013 Esk campaign was off the mark. There were no more fish or fish action to report at all.

I had decided to explore as far downstream as daylight would allow and continued on through some of the pools I know until I reached unexplored territory. It's a bit easier to get off the beaten track at this time of year as the undergrowth is pretty minimal.

Glencorse Burn where it enters N Esk

At the old Dalmore Mill site, they are busy building mock mill-building style flats with some houses sprinkled in (some sort of irony that there was a mill there, it was knocked down, then they build a mock mill in its place...). The construction is most annoying from a completely selfish point of view as before too long this stretch of river will be open to all sorts of people, probably with dogs who enjoy swimming. At the moment I more or less seem to have it to myself.

Looking upstream to the viaduct

It's always interesting to view the total disregard or lack of understanding of streams and rivers when building is taking place. It appears to simply be a total inconvenience to us humans, rather than being viewed as an outstanding 'free' resource, not to mention a home for all sorts of other creatures. Usually it is only paid any attention either to build banks high enough to prevent flooding (simply deferring the flood problem elsewhere) which usually obscures any views of the water from the nearest paths or roads or worse still, to simply pipe it up like so many of the streams that flow into the Water of Leith.

In immediate danger of some sort of monstering is the Glencorse burn. This starts in the Pentland's above Loganlea reservoir, flows into and out of Glencorse reservoir, before working its way past Flotterstone. It eventually reappears to the east of Penicuik and snakes its way through Glencorse Golf Club finally joining the North Esk through the aforementioned old Dalmore Mill site. At the end of last season, the confluence was blocked with all sorts of debris and was quite difficult to cross. However it seems to have been purposefully cleared by the workies and at the moment is, in my opinion, an improvement on what it was. I'm disappointed I didn't take a photo in its old form, but you can see what it looks like now in the photo above. Last year it was blocked to a height of 4 or 5 feet roughly from where you can see the river banks in the above photo.

The river meanders in wide arcs below the Dalmore Mill area before flowing under a viaduct and round into more woodland with steep banks. There were three or four pools I'll definitely have a look at later in the year. Hopefully my early season exploration will save time once the bushes and thorns grow into the summer.

03/10/2012 - North Esk

Time - 1845-1915
Weather - Chilly
Water - +15-20cms
Method - Size 2 mepp
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout, 8"

The level was pretty much ideal but I got the feeling, mainly due to a lack of interest or eexcitement that my assault on this stretch of the river was a little bit too late. Nonetheless, the 8 incher I caught was a typically nice fish for the river and in excellent condition.

01/10/2012 - North Esk

Great condition

Time - 1845-1915
Weather - Slight chill, little wind
Water - +15cm, nice colour
Method - Mepp 2 Silver
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout 9"

With the trout season drawing to a close and having neglected my local haunts too much recently I've been trying to cover some of my favourite spots as much as possible before the close season.

I was down at Dalmore again but only had one fish on the bank in the form of a typically excellent little brownie. I was tapped by three bigger fish as well, but frustratingly seem to be missing more than usual.

The water was at 15cm according to the SEPA gauge having been up quite a bit recently around 20-25cm and I would say this is about ideal. Although the gauge claims the water is 5cm's higher than normal, in actuality I'd say it's a good 15-20cm's higher, as hard as these things are to judge (I didn't have my litrs flowing past per second monitor with me).

All my fishing here is done from the banking at present as the sandbar on the left bank which is usually the best spot is submerged and if and when the water level falls, may have still be submerged due to erosion from the recent high water.

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.

28/09/2012 - North Esk

Time - 1430-1500
Water - 12 inch or so up
Weather - Windy, showery
Method - Mepp 2 & 3
Species - Brown Trout 9 inch
Total - 1

With the river being a bit too high the previous evening, I hoped it would have fallen enough to make it supertasty, however some overnight showers had maintained its height. Despite overall lack of success, losing the biggie the previous evening had shown there might still be the odd fish or two willing to scrap.

Due to the height of the river, I had little inclination to explore much and just targeted this pool. My intention was to head down to Straiton Pond afterwards and have a dip there. There were some serious showers forecast throughout the day and I was hit by a couple of smallish ones here so had no intention of staying out too long.

Presently without polarised shades, I've still been trying to keep an eye on the water as much as possible when trailing a lure about. Very important you keep as 'in contact' with what you are doin at all times. Its amazing how often fish 'flash' at a lure without taking. Some sessions you might think were a complete waste of time with no bites or taps, but if you watch your lure, often you see that you weren't far away at all from connecting with something worthwhile.

There are 2 or 3 hotspots in this pool. I covered one first cast and immediately saw a fish rise up and take my mepp as it crossed its path. One cast, one fish, who can complain at that? An excellent brownie safely returned.

Not too long after I induced a tap in the same spot from another substantial fish, similar in size to the one I lost the previous evening and a bit later I hooked another 9 or so incher at the far side and lost it as I brought it across.

So, while still not the rampant success I was hoping for, enough to keep me coming back. I headed home and just got back to the car when the heavens really opened.

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.

18/03/2012 - North Esk

Roslin Glen weir at the Old Gunpowder Works

Time - 1600 - 1800
Water - A little bit more than previous visit and a little bit cloudier, but still low and clear for time of year
Method - Mepp No 2
Where - Roslin Glen Old Gunpowder Mills, Dalmore
Weather - Very fair, a bit breezy
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout

Note the hatch

I decided to explore the weir area at the old Gunpowder Works in Roslin Glen. The foot of waterfalls might be my favourite spot, especially with the mepp. Something about the limited time a fish has to decide or otherwise on the offering.

Looking downstream from atop the weir

I fished from the foot of the weir and had a follow quite quickly from a fish of around 9 inch. As I didn't know the layout, I was fishing over shallowish undulations and rocks etc that I couldn't quite make out in the light and water conditions. Plenty of lovely little holes and sucklike.

Looking downstream from the foot of the weir

I moved downstream into the first big pool just under and below the footbridge and quite soon connected with a brownie in nice condition tipping the tape at 9 inch. When I banked it, it covered itself in a bit of gravel and as I rinsed it to get it looking good for a photo, it managed to free itself and make off.

View downstream from footbridge

I continued downstream covering two or three of the runs and half-pools there are until I reached a long pool under the old lade, meaning there is a long large brick wall down one end of the pool. Accessibility became an issue and not knowing the depths and still having to explore above the weir, in limited time, I headed back upstream.

Cliff

Cliff again

Above the weir is a lovely big pool with the obligatory bubble float/s in the trees on the far bank. A bit too low and slow and no interest. Well worth further examination though most probably from the opposite bank.

An absolutely lovely wee spot though and well worth perseverance and further investigation in future.

While returning along the old railway I took a shot of the Pentland's in the distance with a plane above them as you can see below left.

View of Pentland's from Old Railway on way home

Before finishing I had a quick dip at Dalmore fishing the weir pool, then upstream to the old railway bridge, but with no success.

15/03/2012 - North Esk

Time - 1530 - 1830
Water - Low and clear
Method - Mepp No 2
Where - Serpy Weir - Ele's Hole
Weather - Nice, windy
Total - 0 (two taps)

Is there a better day of the year than the first day of the trout season? And this year we were blessed with very fair weather for it. It's always interesting to see how the river has developed during the winter. Which obstacles have been flooded into or out of place, has there been any landslips, have any pools been filled in or gouged out, where are the currents and suchlike.

I began on the Auchendinny stretch from the old railway bridge to the mill weir pool but couldn't stir a thing. On a plus point a lot of the logs and debris that was in the weir pool the previous season has been flushed out.

New obstruction

Next to my home stretch beginning at the Serpy Weir. Last season I caught a smallish and still skinny and out of condition brownie here, but also a bonus rainbow. If they are going to be anywhere on opening day, here is as likely as anywhere.

I induced two tugs. The first was quite interesting, really hard to estimate, so I'll say at least 7 inch, probably about 10 and maybe even bigger than that as it hit me quite hard in the turbulence masking its true strength. The next tug was much gentler, probably no bigger than 7 inch.

Storm damage galore

I had no joy above the weir, still a lot of debris in the water restricting access, although, dare I say, providing an excellent nursery and maybe even hiding spots for bigger fish. The high winds we had over the winter have taken their toll on many of the trees, at one point, in a straight line I could see 11 downed trees.

Next I tried the top and bottom of Telfords. The top was quite hopeless. The water was too low and clear and there was hardly any cover, so fish were scarce at best (I didn't see any). At the bottom, similar story, no interest in unconducive conditions.

I tried the wooden bridge, the pool below it and the corner pool below that, then the Corner Pool itself, the pool below that, all with no success. However there was a rise in the Corner Pool which was good to see. Finally I made for the Ele's Hole with exactly the same outcome.

I suspect that fly may have been a better tactic & also suspected that bread would have done the trick at the Serpy Weir and possibly elsewhere too.

So the total results were two taps, no fish.

03/10/11 - North Esk

Time - 18.00 - 19.00

Water - Around 10cm up, coloured nicely
Where - Railway Tunnel Bridge - Dalmore Weir

Weather - OK

Methods - Size 3 mepp
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 10.5 inch

An excellent image above of the overnight rise in water level according to the Dalmore gauge on the North Esk.  While an excellent resource, I've only recently discovered this specific water level indicator. On the few occasions since discovering it that I've been able to match it to my own actual observed conditions, I'd say that it is accurate at recording water levels, bit the times it claims to represent are a bit out. I'll be more specific once I've had time to do a bit more matching up of data and observations.

From Dalmore Tunnel looking west along the Old Railway

The boost in water attracted me out. Auchendinny was the direction. After an unsuccesful stint at the bridge, walked through the tunnel to the old mill site to find it's been fenced off since my last visit. So back up to the bridge, into the water and a traipse downstream. However, as I was crossing at the foot of the bridge pool, I chucked the spinner directly upstream. This is the tactic that has brought me my only two fish to date from this pool and first cast I was into another. Notable that they don't sniff the mepp in other directions but can't help themselves when its heading straight downstream.

10.5 inch

Afterwards there was a little toil for no reward. Nothing doing at all in the weir pool and the impending darkness ended proceedings.

25/09/11 - North Esk

Time - 18.00 - 19.00

Water - Up a little bit and still a bit of colour, but right back down towards standard level
Where - Dalmore Tunnel Bridge Pool and downstream.

Weather - A bit muggy

Methods - Size 3 mepp
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout

Size - 8.5 inch


Conditions a lot less favourable for the spinner due to relaxing water levels. But that didn't stop me hoping for biggies. I did manage a few taps and eventually briefly extracted this lovely wee scrapper from its home.


I fished downstream from the previously most downstream pool I'd fished. At the very foot of the Dalmore site there is a long crescent of a pool. I crossed upstream so I was on the right bank. Despite it looking excellent, I had no luck until the second part of the pool which has a small run in to a deeper section that runs alongside a wall on the left bank. I caught my solitary fish at the run in. Although it was well worth its photo, I decided to photograph it as I suspected it might be the only victim of the day. And so it turned out.


Below here, there were another couple of likely looking spots, but nothing else came to play before I had to retrace my steps prior to darkness o'clock.

23/09/11 - North Esk

Time - 14.00-14.45 & 16.30-18.45

Water - About +10cm
Where - Dalmore Tunnel Bridge - Dalmore Mill & Above Weir at Mavisbank to about 1/2 mile downstream

Weather - Fair, a bit breezy with a hint of a chill

12 inch radge

Methods - Size 3 mepp
Total - 6
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 8.5-12 inch

First session at Dalmore started nicely with a follow and semi take by a nice fish under the Tunnel Bridge. No smaller than 12 inch. Then connected with the 12 incher which went mad jumping out the water three times and wrapping itself up in the line a bit. Managed to get it in and back without much trouble. No more luck on this stretch and had agreed to pick up B to try elsewhere.

Decided on the Mavisbank/Polton stretch behind Loanhead. B got a bite and lost one above the weir in the 7-8 inch bracket. I managed to extract a 9.5 incher below the weir. We then worked down the right bank initially. I took an 8 incher from a steep banked spot before we decided to head up and across and down the left bank.

9.5 inch

At the first (very) nice spot with a metal structure lying down the near side, I covered it for a few bites and three more fish all at or around 9 inch. Once done, headed down to B to find him in the process of unhooking a lovely 12 incher he'd taken at a wall pool with a nice run into it.

Access wasn't always easy from there down and we stopped at the first house.


As you can see from the two photos, a stark example of the difference in markings and colouration of the same species. Location, time of year, size, diet and probably sex all have a bearing on the appearance. You could be forgiven if you thought they were different species.

22/09/11 - North Esk

17.5 inch

Time - 18.15-19.35

Water - Up about 10cm, nice peaty colour
Where - Bridge Pool at Tunnel Entrance to Dalmore Mill

Weather - Fair

Methods - Size 2 silver & 3 silver Mepp with blue spots
Total - 4
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 10.75-17.5 inch

12 incher

I'd had a quick blast the previous day but the water was a bit too high and cloudy and no interest was registered. With a rainless day and information from further downstream that the river was in great condition, I headed for a quick evening session on the Auchendinny stretch and connected with four stotters. First up was an 11.5 incher. A few minutes later a 10.75 incher. Next cast a 12 incher, a lovely fish. Then, after a spell of calm after all the fish and interest, BANG, a 17.5 incher attacked the mepp and set off downstream with me in hot pursuit. A heck of a battle mostly fought in the rapids. I nearly had it and lost it a couple of times before finally being able to grab it and dive onto the overgrown bank. Four trout only, average length = 12.8125 inch!!! Delighted. Subsequently lost my size 3 mepp on the bottom just as dusk turned to dark.

The 'smaller' fish were all in excellent nick and carrying some chubiness. The bigger fish was a lot slimmer. While I wasn't sure what my all time Esk record was and had it provisionally at 12.5 inch, this is certainly the biggest brownie I've either caught or seen caught in the Esk.

11.5 incher

15/09/11 - North Esk

Dalmore Mill Weir & Pool

Time - 17.00 - 19.45
Water - Up 5-10cm, nice peaty colour

Where - Bridge Pool at Tunnel Entrance to Dalmore Mill

Weather - Fair

Methods - Size 2 & 3 silver Mepp
Total - 2
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 12-12.5 inch

Arrived at first pool to find an Angler in residence. He was set up with maggots & a swim feeder and also fly fishing the tail of the pool. Plenty small ones rising, incumbent claimed to have just set up and had no luck. He decided to pack up, so I was able to fish through the very tasty looking pool. Without success. Worked downstream through 2-3 nice pools, still with no luck.

12 inch

The pool below the weir produced 2 or 3 quick bites from fish no bigger than 8 inch. Moved to the left bank and got tapped by half a dozen or so, 2 or 3 of which were very decent, prob similar to what followed. One of the big losses took almost instantly in the froth right under the edge of the waterfall. Beats me how they're so alert and rapid. Waded onto the bottom of the weir to get a better angle across and under the trees on the far bank and hooked into a 12 inch brownie. This nudged my record up from 11.5 inch on the Esk. Delighted!!!

12.5 inch

After a quick celebration in the customary fashion to let the water settle, I resumed the contest. Another few bites, again including more than one stotter ended when Fish Two connected after uncustomary perseverance by myself. The fish were less prone to being spooked by the spinner as the turbulence of the water over the edge of the weir helped to cover up takes and misses.

Both fish required a fair bit of bossing as I wasn't in a great Landing Spot. Didn't need to worry too much as both fish had gulped the lure. The second fish tipped my Esk record upwards by another half inch. Despite continued effort, long after I'd usually leave a pool, no more were obliging.

Moving downstream I soon lost the triumphant size 3 mepp in a tree and switched to a size 2. Despite some nice looking runs and the odd half decent pool, I only managed two more bites in the next half hour or so before dusk set in and I retired with a 12.25 inch average.

Below is some half decent footage of the release of the second fish.