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.