Could have been worse; but also..........

We had to wait a week after opening before before the first salmon was caught, falling to a Willie Gunn, expertly fished by Duncan Inglis. He caught another of 12 lbs but then lost one (not so expert, now). David Cossar not to be outdone caught two before 9:30 a couple of days later, and then watched in despair as the river rose to become a brown flood. What a day it could have been!

Roger Brook's party had four for their three days at the beginning of March, the least they deserved for their loyalty through thick and thin! Two 15 lbers were caught on the 10th, and then in the four days from 13th, Jouni Rauha's party from Finland had eight, up to 15lbs. Then surprisingly it all went quiet, and although Paul Chambers, Ian Hutchison and Ian Vann all caught fresh salmon, everyone else blanked.

So, it has been a frustrating end to the month. There were too many days of east winds and mist, but yet for the number of fish being seen, and generally not bad water heights, it should have been better. Still, five and twenty for February and March respectively cannot be bad.

Half the fish were taken on Willie Gunns and most of the remainder on Black and Yellow tubes. Last season only two fish were taken in the first months on Willie Gunns. Have the fish changed their tastes, or are we just like sheep and put on the fly which has caught fish before? Talking of sheep, the other successful flies were Black Sheep(?) Monkeys, Posh Tosh, and one on a Sunray, which shows that it is never too early in the season to use them.