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!!!

18/08/11 - North Esk

Two Tone

Time - 16.00-20.00
Water - Targets coming in very cloudy (see picture), river didnt look too enticing below its confluence. Although upstream was quite clear, though with cloudiness increasing throughout day.

Where - Wooden Bridge up to Low Pond

Weather - A big cloudburst from 3-3.30pm swelled and upset the river a bit

Method - Silver mepp size 2
Total - 3
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 6 - 8.5 inches

I took this picture just below the confluence with the Targets stream. The cloudy half is the Targets stream and the clearer water is the main river. Quite interesting. I hadnt really thought before that the river at the point where I took the photo is so precisely split between the two incoming waters. Usually a difference isnt visible, but is there, but when the two streams are differently coloured its so obvious.

The first fish I caught was yet another 8.5 incher making them 5 of my last 7 fish. Hopefully not all the same game fish. I waded from the Wooden Bridge up to Telfords (again nothing doing at the bottom end). Notably I found a scythe in the water!!!! I then rejoined the river at the waterfall at the Serpy. The pool at the foot of the waterfall was too turbulent with the amount of water, by this time I'm pretty sure the main river was rising due to all the earlier rain. It was also clouding over by this point and would be completely cloudy by the time I stopped.

Fished here and there up to the stretch above the weir at the Low Pond with mixed success. A few bites, typically a bit bigger than normal, but thats probably due to being later in the year. Water was just a bit high and too cloudy by the time I stopped.

17/08/11 - North Esk

Time - 17.00-20.30
Water - As peat stained as it could be, still a good 30 cm's or so above summer level. A little bit of rain during the day probably helping to maintain the level, but possibly falling a little bit too.

Where - Telfords-Ele's Hole

Weather - Had been a shower of rain, but quite fair.

Ele's Hole Waterfall - Higher Than Usual

Method - Silver mepp size 2
Total - 6
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 5.5-8.5 inches

Nothing at all below Telfords Bridge, different story above where water levels gave the pool enough water without it being too fast. Got 3-4 taps, all off smallish ones. Wooden Bridge & Road Pool similar to bottom of Telfords, although a couple of bites above Wooden Bridge. Three dogs in the Corner Pool kyboshed that. At the next pool down, was just finishing saying to B how much I always liked the look of it, though it never produced when I connected with a lovely Brown of around 12-13 inch, but it was off after a few seconds. Next cast into same spot produced a tap of another of about 10 inch. B took a couple of taps too in the same pool and I had another semi-offer of 7-8 inch.

One of the 8.5 inchers

I then had a dip in the pool above the Metal Bridge and extracted an 8 & an 8.25 incher. Not much else doing apart from the odd bite until the Ele's Hole. Got a fish first cast, close in on right bank under edge of the torrent from the waterfall. Was also hitting more or less a fish a cast right over on the far bank. Managed to get another two. All three were 8.25 inch making it four out of 6 for the day at that length.

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.

08/08/11 - North Esk

8.5 incher

Time - 16.00-18.30
Water - 10cm or so above summer, quite chocolatey, but settling with a peaty tinge.

Where - Telfords to Eskmill Bridge

Weather - Fair
Methods - Silver mepp size 2
Total - 2
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 6.5 - 8.5 inches

 

A speculative sojourn, a few bites, not as much doing as recently.

02/08/2011 - North Esk

11.5 incher

Time - 15.30-19.00
Water - A bit cloudy due to heavy afternoon showers, 5-10cm above summer probably rising

Where - Telfords to Ele's Hole

Weather - Nice to begin, drizzle later
Methods - Bronze mepp size 2
Total - 7
Species - Brown Trout
Size - 5 - 11.5 inches



Lovely wee session, fish in sporting mood. Enough interest, most fish again above 8 inch. Best Esk brownie of the season at 11.5 inch, closely followed by 2nd biggest at 10.5 inch in next pool. 



10.5 incher

First was in a shallowish fast run, second right under the bank in a deep current. Lost/missed one in the 10-14 inch range that was really darkly coloured. Nothing at Ele's Hole or bottom of Telfords today.



 

20/05/2011 - Dunbar Harbour

Time - 16.00-20.00
Water - Quite clear, tide almost in on arrival
Where - 'South' harbour wall at harbour entrance
Weather - Pretty nice, pretty windy
Methods - Spoon on one rod, prawn on the other.
Total - 2
Species - 1x Pollock & 1x Unknown (Pollock or Coalfish, but with 'cuckoo' markings, see bottom pic)
Size - 8-9 inches

A Dad & son were leaving as we arrived, they'd picked up a couple of 8 inch or so Pollock, spinning from the low end platform right at the harbour entrance.

Mystery Fish???

29/07/2011 - North Esk

Time - 16.00-17.30
Water - Very clear, 5-10cm above summer level
Where - Top of Serpy to bottom of Telfords
Weather - Pretty nice
Method - Bronze mepp no 2
Total - 1
Species - Rainbow Trout
Size - 14.5 inches (about 2lbs)

Had to have another attempt after the previous days success. Started at Telfords, loads of follows by 7 inch or so brownies above bridge. Same below until 4th or 5th cast when ambushed by Rainbow. Very tasty fight, fish in top condition. Took a while for proper ID, no obvious pink stripe along lateral line and fish quite silver, almost blue. Once landed, body markings splendid, fins and tail as good as you'll get on an escapee (zoom in to photo), only prob a historical scar around wrist of tail. Completely healed and no obvious impedement judging by the strength of the fight.

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.