Lets pray for bumper runs this year
For no more nets let’s cheer
Take your chums to Farnley
And join the happy army !
Get that fire on !
Time again to hit the river with your fishing stick c’est fantastique. Anyway enough of the musical asides its time to get ready as the season starts on the 1st of February. Could this be a good early start? Its been a few years since reliable spring catches tempted us to put the effort in. Lets take a stroll down to the river and look hard as you may find something you least expect.
A week ago whilst helping get the new lodge block build started I took some time to walk with some friends and sit enjoying the benign weather and sunshine.Robert a very keen and expert rod came to survey proceedings and suggested a wander around with Fidget his naughty dog.
As we wandered to the pump section and down into the hut pool a bright silver fish came clean out half way out of the river and near the old willow. It was fat and silver could have been a kelt, baggot or maybe a clean fish, nevertheless exciting to see and cheered me up. Things got a bit more interesting a few days after, a good friend David came down with a lovely bottle of sauvignon ‘Goldwater’ after his family name ! We sat on the bench in magnificent sunshine, midges in the air and the river looking superb. After a glass or two David a non fisher pointed across the river and said is that a salmon John ? I spun round and a nice grilse or sea trout bounced up and through the top of the hut pool and on its way. Early January ! My experiences in my teens on the lower Tweed talking to the experienced netsmen and anglers (Hugh Falkus occasionally fished the water so knew a bit about the habits of salmon) were that salmon will run all the year round depending on all the known factors of tide heights, water temperature and sea state. Hopefully as this winter has been pretty calm and only a biggish lift at the end of November its more likely fish will creep in rather than years a big waters and extreme weather.
My close friends are planning some early trips assuming that no long icy weather comes, also Barry our brilliant guide and Barry our local expert and all round fly guru will be testing some patterns on the waters to see if beyond the inevitable kelts and chub they can pick up a fresh fish. We will keep you posted !
Meanwhile get in touch about fishing for this year spaces still up to the end of June and salmon courses in April and May ! 2018 courses were really successful with great feedback.
john@farnleyestate.co.uk