05/10/2012 - Lyne Water, South Esk & North Esk

H on the Moorfoot Burn

Time
Weather
Water
Method
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout - 7.5"

An all day assault on many of my favourite spots on the North & South Esk should have been a fish filled wonder sesh. Instead it was an incredibly frustrating outing resulting in just a single troot of 7.5 inches for two determined anglers using a variety of approaches in all manner of places. Even the final attempts at Polton Bank where I'd taken three in an hour the previous evening could only offer up a single fish to finally expunge the spectre of a double blank. The cost of the solitary fish was my first broken rod in years as I angrily tried to extricate a mepp from a tree after a particularly amateurish cast.

Bites, but still no success on the South Esk

Whilst I've been rapidly expanding my pitiful sea fishing abilities with the help of J & H, I've been trying to fit in a fly fishing session or two with H to get him a bit more up to speed with the finer end of fishing (allegedly). First stop was a couple of pools on the Lyne where I can usually tempt a few small trout. Being so late in the season I knew our chances would be slim. I was able to entice a couple of rises from a couple of small ones. But that was that. H was unable to find any success, caught in that frustrating Catch 22 where until you find a successful tactic in a given method, you fish with minimal confidence to begin with, which then increasingly diminishes with ongoing lack of success. Not to worry though, I'd lined up a delicious looking menu of locations and it would surely only be a matter of time until we began banking trout.

As my tour continued we alighted on the Moorfoot Burn where there are a couple of nice runs and one good pool. But despite conducive conditions neither of us could even tempt a tap so we moved again.

H in Roslin Glen retrieving his tackle from a tree

Next stop was the South Esk just downstream from Temple. There are two streams that merge here forming the South Esk emanating from Rosebery and Edgelaw reservoirs. Due to their size, there are only really a small handful of properly fishable pools although the slightly higher than normal river levels were conducive to some extra little runs being explored. I'd switched to my trusty mepp whilst H was now employing the Isome on a small jig set-up. Straight away he'd induced a couple of bites, but in what was quickly turning into the story of the day, we were failing to hook, let alone land any of the offers. We fished down the Edgelaw 'outflow' burn to the pool below the confluence, then fished up to the weir on the 'Rosebery' river. THere is a fair amount of trekking involved in this location and after returning to the car a little  bit out of breath I asked H if he wanted to do more cross country exploring or go somewhere we would definitely catch a fish. He opted for the latter and we headed for Polton Bank and the North Esk where I'd taken 3 brownies in a par for the course session the previous evening.

H, North Esk, and the benefits of chest waders

H was doing his usual experimenting with all sorts of rubber things while I persevered with my trusty mepp. The run above the weir had H's attention as I moved downstream and it wasn't long before a shout from the top of the waterfall alerted me to the energetic louping of his first fish of the day. before I could get there, it was off. I'd since lost my mepp and had converted to a jighead with a small jelly minnow and was tempted to try the far right bank at the top of the weir as H continued on the left bank. I was getting interest of at least one decent trout which finally took and as I turned to inform H, it too escaped. Things were getting a bit silly. Below the weir again I managed to lift a few more trout from their lies with my minnow, but for some reason, the hooks weren't doing their job and offer after offer was missed.

There are some decent pools further down, one of which I never fail in and I sent H straight to it. In the meantime I was fishing a likely looking spot, but from high above on the riverside path in a bid to take every opportunity going and finally brought a trout to the bank. Talk about hard won victories.

Reduced to photographing Brambles

H was still trying and failing as I passed him to a really nice looking pool where I still haven't had a fish. My first cast was rubbish and my second landed in a tree. As I yanked to try and free it I snapped the line and was (not) absolutely delighted to find I'd also snapped the last 3-4 inches off my rod.

It was time to get back to the car. With time running out before H's lift home we headed to Roslin Glen for a final push to bust his blank. Through necessity I was back on the fly. It was my first time down here since before the latest spates and I was surprised at the amount of erosion and reshaping of many of the runs and pools. The corner below the road bridge wasn't just unfishable previously, but you couldn't even get a cast in if it had been. It was now fully accessible and fishable due to all the logs and branches having been swept off. However the story remained much the same as it had for most of the day and we couldn't find any more success. As far as the lovely wee Brown Trout goes, that was it for 2012, but of course, there is always next season.

12/07/2012 - South Esk & Moorfoot Burn

Time -
Weather -
Water -
Where - Usual stretch & pool on MB, beneath Rosebery Outflow on SE
Method - Size 3 silver mepp
Total - 9
Species - Brown Trout

Photos to follow

With a fortnights worth of rain keeping the local rivers above worthwhile levels I've been keen to get back to some real fishing. The tides weren't conducive to shore fishing when I had the time (tides out when I was available) and not enough time to devote a full day to somewhere like Eliburn, options have been annoyingly sparse.

On Thursday evening it looked on SEPA like the North Esk was just about back to fishable while the Almond & Water of Leith were still too high. So I decided to try something more speculative.

Firstly I hit the little Moorfoot Burn which was high, but fishable. I had one wee assault from a 7-8 incher in the corner runs below the bridge (I also missed a troot here last time), but nothing else. At the big pool there has been a log lying abreast the foot of the pool which was immovable. However the recent floods seem to have moved it on. Despite the deliciously peaty colour of the water, there was no interest at all. In the corner runs there had been a couple of rises right at the far bank and similarly in the big pool in the backswirl on the far bank there were 3 rises of fish around 6 inch or so.

On 23rd April I explored the upper reaches of the South Esk as it emerges from Rosebery Reservoir. I decided to check it out again in higher level conditions. There is an overflow, which does as it says and allows water to spill out at surface level if the water is high, and there is an outflow which seems to come from a lot deeper to keep the 'river' flowing. So effectively a top and a bottom outflow. You can see the outflow in the pictures on the linked blog. When I last visited, the overflow was bone dry and I was able to walk across it. It is like an oversized flight of stairs. Not the case this time. There was just short of a raging torrent crashing down the steps and into the channel at the bottom. This was very interesting. Rosebery itself is a commercial fishery, so is stocked with Rainbow Trout. So there must be a possibility that one of these usually dumb stockies could find its way over the overflow and into the river system. Similarly, any of Rosebery's resident Pike or Perch may also find their way out. So although I'd only expect a brownie, there was a reasonable chance of a surprise.

At the foot of the overflow I chucked the mepp out into the foam and immediately connected with what turned out to be a 10.25 inch brownie. Not bad for this far upstream, not bad for the maelstrom within which I'd speculated and not bad for such out of the ordinary conditions. And so it continued. I'd often get a couple or more taps per cast and often enough bring fish onto the bank. I totalled 9 in the end, 3 fish being around 6 inch, 4 being 8-9 inch and the biggest at 10.5 inch.

Not quite the full story though. Having got the two 10+ inchers quite early, I was a bit too heavy handed/over confident with one of about 12 inch that managed to escape. And then, there was also 'the one that got away'. With incessant attention from Brown Trout, my hopes of encountering an angry wee Perch or other such surprise had slipped my mind. When thunk, something different was on. This was just after I lost the 12 incher, so I had toned down my sturdy handling. But I knew immediately it was bigger. It took near the bank and not far from me, so I tried to get it up and have a look as soon as I could. It was more sluggish than the brownies had been and although I only got a brief look at its shoulders & back (in fading light), I'm reasonably sure it was an escaped Rainbow. Probably about 18 inches, but as soon as I glimpsed it, it was off again.

Although I continued fishing, and kept getting bites as I moved to fresh parts, nothing as big as had gone before was found.

I had a look up the outflow stretch. The water was clearer than the overflow side for some reason (as I assume the source of both flows is the same body of water). There were a couple of small trout flitting about (max 6 inch), but nothing else and no small dead Perch like there had been previously

So, when conditions elsewhere are too high, this spot benefits from a blast of water and fish seemingly appear from nowhere to give some sport. I will be back.

23/03/2012 - Moorfoot Burn & South Esk

Moorfoot Burn - Above the road bridge

Time - 1645 - 1845
Where - MB - above & below road bridge. RR - foot of dam. SE - Carrington Bridge - Corner Pool
Weather - Nicest day of year so far, only 13 degrees on car thermometer, but really pleasant
Water - Summer levels
Method - Mepp no 2
Total - 1

First stop was the Moorfoot Burn. The foot of the big pool is straddled by a large fallen tree that was unshiftable. Although it cuts off the foot of the pool, it will provide really outstanding cover for any biggies that want to live here. I fished from the foot of the pool and had covered most of it without success. I half miscast to the head of the pool and induced an ambush by an exceptionally lovely and not so wee brownie.

10.5 inch

When I released it at the foot of the pool, it slowly made off downstream, so hopefully it finds its way back at some point. I fished upstream from here but with no further success, fishing further upstream than normal. There are some nice wee spots, but really on the borderline of being able to fish them with a rod. I did see one further half decent fish scoot downstream as I made my way up, but since the water hasn't been up for a while, there is already quite a lot of weed building up.

Vivid red markings

Next I made my way to Rosebery again. In the short journey betwixt locations I spotted a Curlew, which I've not seen any or any of recently, a Buzzard and (I'm 95% sure) a Kestrel. There were also a fair few Pheasants about looking nice but dumb and making the odd racket.

Red fin

I was able to get parked and set off to the foot of the dam. The 'left' overflow is a series of large steps and the pool at the bottom had hardly any depth and I couldn't see any fish which I'd contend was a fair assessment of the fish population there. There was almost no water entering here.

On the opposite right outflow, things looked much better. There is a long man-made channel with enough water in it to support some fish (see pic below). However I fished the length of it and didn't see squat. At the head of the run, just below the outflow itself I noticed 5 or 6 dead fish in the water. Once I got in amongst them, they turned out to be Perch of about 5 inches long. I assume they have simply been sooked into the outflow system and died in the process. It does show that they can physically escape from Rosebery but whether they can come through alive is another matter.

Rosebery Dam wall & Outflow

At the end of the right outflow it joins the left overflow and there is a slow pool which flows under a footbridge before becoming a wild burn again and heading down towards Temple. Under and just below this small bridge I noticed a good half dozen or so rises, all seemingly quite small. I couldn't see them and had a wee trawl but couldn't tempt anything. When I crossed the bridge I seen a seven (or so) incher dart down and away. Like Gladhouse the day before, I reckon this might be worth another try in higher water.

I rambled downstream a bit, but the 'path' was well above the river which was pretty overgrown in most places and there didn't appear to be any large enough pools to justify putting in the effort to scramble down (and then back up again). So with some time left in the bank I headed back to my car.

Next stop was the Temple stretch of the South Esk again. However I was unable to connect or even rouse anything other than spooking a deer and a couple of Pheasant.

19/08/11 - South Esk & Moorfoot Burn

Time - 16.00-18.00

Water - (Roseberry outflow) Up a bit but quite clear, (Edgelaw outflow) Up a bit also & peaty

Where - Temple Road Bridge down to Corner Pool & upstream to Carrington Road Bridge

Weather - Fair

Method - Silver mepp size 2
Total - 5
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 7.5 - 8.5 inches

En route I had a go in the Moorfoot Burn again. The water was very peaty and also had what appeared to be a high algal content of some sort. An almost granular or bubbly organism of unknown origin. Connected briefly with a 5 incher under the road bridge. Nothing at all between there and the Swirly Pool where after just about giving up I made a brief aquaintance with a brownie of about 7 inch before his exertions proved victorious.

At Temple: Fished under the Temple Road Bridge, one possible tap. Next the pool with the concrete shed, got yet another 8.5 inch brownie, almost didn't need to measure it. Then got a very nice take that was straight off, prob about 10-12 inch.

Nothing else until the confluence with the Edgelaw outflow which was nicely coloured. Had a few taps and eventually got a 7.5 incher in first pool above confluence. Worked up to Carrington Road Bridge and got another two fishing in the pool just above bridge, casting upstream. One at 8 inch, then another 8.5 incher. Retraced steps down to confluence and got a couple of hits fishing from the right bank into the opposite peaty side. Had a dip just above the Corner Pool and got another couple of taps. Then extracted last victim in Corner Pool, which presently has a fallen tree from opposite bank lying more or less halfway down the pool from bank to bank.

Almost forgot, I also came across my first ever waterlogged PS2.

On the return walk some bright yellow and bright orange mushrooms caught my eye. Took some photos, then became rather preoccupied for rest of the walk with spotting more fungi, and took more photos. Identification is an ongoing process as I'm no expert. I took more than one photo for each shroom, but have only appended one per species below.


Waxy Cap, Hygrocybe Marchii?



These are the orange ones. Caps about 2cm across. Colour very vivid.




Butter Waxcap, Hygrophorus ceraceus?

 




Close by were a few of these. Very bright yellow, similar size to the orange ones (above).





 
 

Rosy Brittlegill (Russula rosea)?

Had to clear a bit of the foliage away to get a decent picture of this singleton. The cap appears to have had a few little nibbles taken out of it. I suspect this may be a Rosy Brittlegill (Russula rosea).

Two shrooms on view here, the one at the front gives an idea of how low lying they were. Creamy light yellowish cap with white gills and a thick white stem. 

Stump Puffball




Curious little things these, about 1cm in diameter in a scattered clump of about 10 or so. I'm quite sure I've correctly identified them as Stump Puffballs.

Probably the least attractive of the bunch. Very low lying, almost as if it didn't have a stalk. Also been eaten away a fair bit. Growing on wood.

Chicken Of The Woods?

  


This is by far the largest I photographed. Probably about 30cm high and wide. Tentatively identified as 'Chicken of the Woods.

 

Originally suspected this might be a Chanterelle. However they dont quite have the required colouring, especially as the gills are so white. The leading contender is currently Yellow Russula (Russula ochroleuca)



Another one that liked to lie low, again I had to clear some of the leaf litter to get a good look. The beech leaves hopefully give a bit of scale. Has a funnel shaped cap.  

Cortinarius gentilis?



The shroom on the right has had its stalk nibbled and it looks like it might be hollow. I didnt get a look at the gills as they were no more than 3cm tall. The colour of the caps and stalks was very consistent and almost a little translucent.

No mushrooms were harmed during the photographing of these specimens!!!

13/08/11 - Moorfoot Burn

As wild as they come

Time - 20.00-20.30
Water - About twice as high as normal, but level was falling off. Really nice peaty tinge, but just a bit high

Where - Either side of road bridge

Weather - Had been a shower of rain, but it held off when I was out

Method - Silver mepp size 2
Total - 1
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 9 inches

Nothing above, under or just below bridge, but connected with this very nice wee fish for the size of burn in the run-in to the Swirly Pool. Just a wee bit soft under its belly, you can see the effect a bit in the photo. Had a bite here before, but this is the first I've landed on this wee water. No other bites on the stream. Notice its unusually missing a fair portion of its pectoral fin.

Had a dip in the North Esk on return.Water level still quite high having been in spate for last couple of days. Currently about 60cm (40cm above summer). Nothing under the wooden bridge, but lost a couple in the Road Pool, the first about 10 inch, the second slightly smaller. Tried the Corner Pool where the water was mostly covering the bank. No fish.