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.

19/11/2011 - Pumpherston Pond

South Bank looking East

Time - 14.00 - 15.30

Water - Quite clear, very weedy
Where - All accessible points

Weather - Mild, slight breeze

Methods - Maggots, float
Total - 1
Species - Perch
Size - 7 inch

The recent advent of full time employment combined with the time of year and reducing hours of light have contributed to limited (no) opportunities to wet a hook resulting in about six weeks of frustration. Finally I was able to grab a wee sesh at Pumpherston Pond, having considered trying the F&C canal at Kilsyth or Falkirk. Best chance of avoiding a blank tipped me towards Pumphy where the Perch are usually most accommodating and there is always the chance of the odd surprise.


On arrival I was pleased that the weather was pleasant enough without too much wind, as Pumphy is reasonably open. First inspections though showed the pond to be choking with weed (too much weed, what an unusual complaint). This seemed to be the case for as far as I could see out before the reflection took over even around to the golf green which had no such problem this time last year. Will need to bring a rake and a rope the next time to dig out a swim.


There was the usual amount of litter for this venue. This wee pond has bags of potential yet seems to be used as a litter bin by many of the locals. And as is so often the case, a lot of the litter was from Anglers. I suppose one good thing about the litter of other anglers is at least you can get an insight into their methods and quarry as there was an empty pack of Sprats, so obviously, someone must have been after Esox Lucius at some point recently. While I was setting up and absorbing this, I saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the woods behind me, alas, it was too shy to let me get a photo, but a bonus sighting nevertheless.

Fish of the month so far (from a shortlist of 1)

So I dropped some mag's into a hole in the weed off the brick 'pier'. No action. So I scouted around the bank a bit more. It was apparent I was going to have my work cut out due to the profusion of aquatic growth.


On the bridge next to the green, there was an open channel of water out through the weed and I noticed around half a dozen fish gliding away from me, most probably Perca. The golf course has big scary signs up now prohibiting fishing. So, applying common sense, seeing that there were no golfers on that or any adjacent holes and being unable to fish anywhere else, I chucked my hooked mags and a sprinkling more out into the channel. Nothing for 2 or 3 casts. I then inadvertently used the 'Perch Inducement Method' that seems to work on the tiddlers in Eliburn. I'd cast out, but due to discrepancy between where the float & bait hit the water, the float was over the channel, but the mag's would fall onto weed. So after I'd cast and the mag's had had time to drop, I suspected they may not have fallen to their intended suspended depth and gave a little pull to dislodge them. If maggots are suspended and there are Perch about, often a small tug, imparting a little 'artificial' movement to the mags seems to angry up the Perch and induce a take. As soon as I'd adjusted the bait, the float went under and I was delighted to be in to my first fish of the day/month.
However, there were two sets of golfers coming into range so I made sure I was well out their way and this meant leaving what appeared to be about the only fishable bit of the pond. I had a dip along the south bank casting as far as my set-up would allow hoping to get past the weed I could see, but I was generally getting entangled and so the sesh petered out to an inevitable end.


With some daylight left I decided to have a wee look at the weir on the Almond at East Calder. I've seen prolific amounts of fish trying to clear the weir here before, although in early October if my memory serves me correctly. There hadn't been much in the way of rain or high water recently, so I wasn't really expecting any migratories, but you never know.

The weir at East Calder.

The river was at normal enough height, not low, not high. Before too long there had been a few jumpers. Most if not all were Brownies, mostly about 8 inches with one or two being no bigger than 12 inches. It is quite likely that I was viewing repeat jumpers, so if I say I saw 25 jumps, I reckon half of those were the same fish on more than one occasion. Although not paying full attention, most jumps were taking place in my wee corner. I only noticed one fish jump at the far side of the fish ladder. I'll include some video I took below once on my pc.

24/08/11 - North Esk

View upstream from left bank

Time - 18.00-20.30

Water - Turning peaty from brown, 10 cm or so up

Where - Wooden Bridge to Ele's Hole

Weather - Damp

Method - Bronze mepp size 2
Total - 3
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 7.5 - 11 inches

Fairly typical session for time of year & conditions etc. Connected with excellent example of the Salmo Trutta coming in at 11 inches on the measuring tape. Twas such a nice fish I've added two photos profiling both flanks.

Note the vivid red on the tail and adipose. It emerged from quite close to the waterfall.

There were another couple of fish trying to jump the waterfall, nothing over 9-10 inch.

28/07/2011 - North Esk

Time - 15.30-19.30
Water - Clear water, tint of peat, about +10cm on summer levels and rising.
Where - Valleyfield to Eskbridge.
Weather - Constant drizzle
Method - Bronze size 2 mepp.
Total - 12
Species - Brown Trout
Size range - 6.5-10 inches


Fishes #5-12 no smaller than 8 inches. All in very good condition. One 8 incher really fat. Pic shows 9.75 incher, also quite chubby. Top class condition and excellent markings on this one. Most of the bigger troot had sparser markings than normal, less big spots.


Didn't (knowingly) lose anything bigger. Plenty of interest.


Two 8-9 inch brownies jumping up Ele's Hole waterfall. Most success in runs in the pools below the waterfall.