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Last week

Last updated: Monday 14th May

The weeks total recorded on FishTweed was 98 salmon and 31 sea trout a decrease on the previous week due the loss of fishing at the tail end of the week again due to high water.

Fish were caught up to 18lb (South Wark) and most were in the bottom (from Ladykirk) through to the upper river (Sunderland Hall).

Seven salmon were recorded on the Till. Tillmouth had the best of the weeks sport with 12 fish.

Upper Hendersyde had the best sea trout of the week with a fish of 6lbs being recorded.

Pictures received into the office this week were of David Clark catching 13lb sea liced springer caught on Crokey Pool at Tillmouth on a black pot belly pig. The fish was safely returned.

We also received a picture from the Cornhill beat (not a FishTweed beat) of Andy Wiggins catching a 20lb sea liced hen caught 3rd May 2012 on Cornhill. One of three fish caught in his three days the others being 10lb & 8lb over 3 days. Andy would like to pass on huge thanks to Brendan (pictured) for his help and for tolerating all of the Wiggins family! Thank you too Andy for taking the time to send us the image, so pleased you enjoyed your trip.

In the interest of adding more content to these reports, if any rod/boatman/gillie etc. has any details of catches, anecdotes, pictures or experiences whilst fishing Tweed could they please contact me by e-mail on info@fishtweed.co.uk

Help for Heroes Charity Swim

Local angler Alistair Smee and Tillmouth boatman John Edey will be swimming from the Junction hut in Kelso to the Lifeboat Station in Berwick, on 16th and 17th June.

They will be setting off on the swim at 10am on Saturday 16th and expect to arrive Berwick at 4pm on Sunday 17th.

If you wish to sponsor Alistair and John on their swim, please click here.

Tweed Foundation Auction 2012

The Tweed Foundation Auction for 21012 is underway and there are some very interesting lots to be had. Details of the auction can be found here.

Beat catches reported
(week ending 12th May)
SALMON & GRILSE: Ladykirk 4, The Boathouse 1, Milne Graden 6, Tillmouth 12, West Learmouth 2, South Wark 3, Lower North Wark 2, Lower Birgham 5, Birgham Dub 10, Sprouston 10, Hendersyde 2, Upper Hendersyde 5, Junction 2, Lower Floors 4, Upper Floors 5, Lower Makerstoun 1, Rutherford 9, Dryburgh North 3, Bemersyde 1, Ravenswood 1, Boleside 2, Sunderland Hall 1, Lower Tindal 2, Flodden 4, Redscar 1.
Total: 98 Largest: South Wark 18lbs
SEA TROUT: Horncliffe 2, Ladykirk 2, Upper Hendersyde 1, Upper Floors 1, Sunderland Hall 1, Tiptoe 2, Lower Tindal 6, Upper Tindal 2, Flodden 9, Redscar 5.
Total: 31 Largest: Upper Hendersyde 6lbs
TROUT: None reported

Season review

The River Tweed Commission released its 2011 figures in early March at their AGM, there follows an extract from their 2011 report. The full text of the annual report can be seen here

Tweed's Salmon rod catch in 2011 was the second best ever recorded at well over 16,000.

FISH CATCHES

Following the unprecedented catches of both Salmon and Trout in 2010, 2011 was again unusual. Salmon catches were higher in every month from May to August than in recent years and were also extremely high in September at almost 4,000 fish. However, catches in October were below average and were very low in November despite large numbers of fish being seen in all parts of the River. Whilst more fish were caught over the summer months there was a noticeable lack of Grilse, Salmon were much larger than usual and there was a preponderance of hen fish in all parts of the River. The unexpected earlier run of fish may have been accompanied by a lower fishing effort in these months so catches may not have represented the full abundance of the returning stock. It was reported that fresh fish did enter the River right up to the close of the season but that they were extremely difficult to catch. Catches in the autumn were made in faster running water but the ponded dubs, whilst being full of fish, yielded almost no catches. Angling conditions were generally ideal throughout the later part of the season and were accompanied by unusually warm water (it was the warmest November on record) and a large number of diseased fish. By November there were so many mature fish in the system that many beats prohibited fishing in some pools, it being judged that there were too many unseasonable fish as well as a low chance of actually hooking a fresh, takeable one.

Tweed Spring Salmon originate from very small populations of breeding adults that are distinct from other Tweed stocks. Limited conservation measures have been in place in previous years to protect them. In order to give protection to the earliest runs of Spring Salmon, the River Tweed Commission introduced compulsory total Catch and Release in April 2010 for rod-caught Salmon up to the end of June. The 2011 season was therefore the first year in which full Catch and Release for Salmon was compulsory for the whole of the Spring season. The in-river nets also agreed not to kill Salmon in those months. Additionally, rod fishermen voluntarily returned significant numbers of Sea-trout although there was no agreement that they should do so.

Salmon

20,836 Salmon were reported caught in 2011 (31,321 in 2010) of which 4,154 were caught by nets and 16,682 by rod and line. 68% (11,319) of the rod catch was returned (66%, 2010). The Spring rod-caught Salmon catch (to the end of June) was 3,072 of which 2,991 (97%) were returned (91%, in 2010). The in-river nets also returned 100% of Spring Salmon caught to the end of June (567). In return for doing this the in-river nets were paid compensation; a similar deal was not possible with the coastal nets. Although 2011 saw the highest Spring catch since 1966, most of the fish were caught after April: in February, March and April catches were very low, as they had been in preceding years. After this usual slow start to the season, May and June had seen much larger catches. The earlier running summer and autumn Salmon comprised of larger fish with few Grilse and, overall, was the second largest catch on record. In response to the continuing low catches of Salmon in the early part of the season, the Commission entered into discussion with the Scottish Government regarding a Conservation Order for early running Salmon, which would not include Sea-trout, and would be for a limited number of years. Under such an Order all Salmon caught, by any means, would have to be returned. No conclusion to these discussions was reached and more evidence was prepared to support the case for the measures.

Sea-Trout

5,608 Sea-trout were reported caught in the 2011 season (10,039 in 2010), of which 3,109 were by net and 2,499 by rod. The net catch was lower than in the previous two years but similar to that of the last ten years. 331 (34%) rod-caught Sea-trout were returned up to the end of June and 1,120 (45%) in the whole year; this compares with 34% and 50% respectively for 2010.

The Commission considered the differences, in law, in respect of treatment and recording of Sea-trout. Whilst it had collected Sea-trout catches for many years, those catches were only recorded by those with legal entitlement to fish for Sea-trout and did not include fish caught accidentally by trout anglers who did not have the entitlement and would be committing an offence if they either fished for, or took, Sea-trout. The Commission had received some reports of trout anglers who had been seen deliberately fishing for either Salmon or Sea-trout but those were thought to be in the minority of anglers and none had been prosecuted. Whilst those figures were the most accurate that existed, they reflected only a proportion of the total rod catch of Sea- trout because they did not include those which were caught accidentally by trout anglers. The problem was mainly with catches in June and July. Whilst it was concluded that there was little that could be done about this complicated matter, it was suggested that individual proprietors could, if they wished, make arrangements with the angling clubs that used their water where trout fisherman could legally fish for Sea-trout, say at times when there was no Salmon fishing.

Other Freshwater Fish

The Trout season started similarly to previous years in that large Trout were recorded as being caught in the Spring. They were mainly in the upper River and the big tributaries and it is suspected that they were migrating back to the main channel.

As the season progressed, there were increased reports of the lack of catchable Brown Trout. This was not new, but appeared to be more widespread in 2011. Even areas such as Coldstream and Kelso, where stocks have previously held-up, the lack of fish was noted. The Ladykirk and Norham areas, nearer to the foot of the main River, also saw a shortage of Trout and Grayling.

In the Liaison Committee's 2011 Report on the workings of the Tweed & Eye Protection Order it was noted that two clubs had imposed mandatory Catch and Release, although one of them allowed fish of over 22" to be kept. The majority of others had bag limits of between two and four, with the larger clubs allowing only those fish of between 9" - 12" to be kept.

There was speculation that the increased volume of Sea-trout could be displacing native Brown Trout, at least in the lower half of the River.

Season ticket sales throughout the catchment were slightly down on the previous year, and day tickets saw a further decline. However, some of this dip may well have been due to the adverse weather conditions for the greater part of the Trout fishing season, and the fact that the majority of day tickets were bought for weekend fishing trips. After many years, it was noted that almost all clubs now charged the same ticket prices for locals and visitors alike; only one club still imposed a premium for visitor tickets.