Chipchase Castle on the North Tyne July 2018 |
My intention was to write this post some time ago, but like all good intentions it was obstructed by a host of other things. Despite it being the holiday season I have been exceptionally busy for the past 6 weeks. A week's work in Africa provided welcome relief from the tropical heat of Yorkshire: it was 18 degrees cooler on the equator than in Easingwold and I was glad to have a jumper handy. Now that England is cooling down I'm in Arabia for a week, warming back up to 40C, with clammy humidity added. Outside it's a bit like standing in the efflux of a tumble dryer, whilst inside it's arctic because no one's interested in conserving energy. In between the work commitments there have been a christening, a funeral, two memorial services and various other duties to complete. The whole cycle of human life featured in July.
The Ure Salmon Run
Cycle was a major feature of July and August, because I finally managed to complete the Ure Salmon Run challenge, riding from the Humber Bridge to Aysgarth Falls following the line of migration of salmon up the rivers, which I described in 'Not Gone Yet' last year. The next post 'Raring to Go' explained how my efforts came to a sad end and why I was unable to complete the ride in 2017. Over the winter I worked hard but steadily on the turbo trainer to rebuild my strength and fitness - about 4-5 hours per week on average - and as soon as the weather allowed I headed out onto the roads. Having a delightful cross country route to work through the Howardian Hills is a great help and the 10 miles was easily extended to 18 for training purposes. From the highest point on the route on a clear day you can see the hill above the High Thoresby beat on the Ure, 50 miles away. The return home was variously 20-40 miles depending on the training plan. By late July I was ready and the weather forecast for 1st August was promising.
With lots of support and encouragement from friends positioned along the way, after 114 miles and 7 hours and 57 minutes of pedalling, I arrived at Aysgarth Falls to enjoy the pint of Theakston's XB I had promised myself. It tasted marvelous and certainly a great deal better than the pink protein recovery drink in the bottle to my left.
Back to the Fishing
This is of course a fishing not a cycling blog, and fishing is what you wish to read about. At the beginning of July a friend kindly invited me to spend a day on the North Tyne at Chipchase Castle. Despite the drought, blazing sunshine and tropical heat I leapt at the chance because it's a beautiful stretch of water (see photo at top). Furthermore, after a succession of releases from Kielder Reservoir there was a reasonable water level and temperature, so the day wouldn't be complete folly. Drought notwithstanding the Northumberland countryside looked absolutely stunning on a perfect summer's day, which made the later stages of the drive a real pleasure. After a solid breakfast at the cottage we deployed to the hut facing towards the Castle to meet up with Steve the ghillie.
Catherine's Pool Looking upstream at 11am |
The river was running at about +10" and a perfect 16C. I selected the 13' 8" Cult to cover the width, and with a score around 7 set up a floating head, plain fluorocarbon leader and a #8 MCX Dark.
Catherine's Pool Looking downstream at 11am Location of takes marked in order of occurrence |
Tyne Silver |
It appeared that I had fortunately intercepted a group of moving fish holding in short halt lies at the bottom of the run. Sometimes I do get lucky.
Tail Looking downstream at 1230pm |
Fish 5 took where expected just above the fast water before moving off to my right - presumably back to where it had started to follow the fly - but unfortunately shed the hook as I tightened by raising the rod. Fish 6 was a complete surprise at the dangle of the next cast after I took the photo. On approach I'd noticed that the water off the steeply shelving small gravel point was quite deep, so when it came in range I allowed the fly to come right round to where I thought a fish might take the easy route up the edge. Sadly my execution wasn't as good as my thinking. The take came in the transition between ending stripping and preparing to cast and thus caught me ill-prepared to react. In any event I find that more of these dangle-take fish get off than any other type: it's very hard to get a good hook-hold right at the front of the jaw. Despite missing these two I repaired to the hut for lunch with very high morale after an excellent and exciting morning. As neither of the other rods had a single take the MCX fly was a subject of close interest.
After lunch I departed upstream to fish down through the sequence of Comogan, Crow and Causeway. By now the sky was completely clear, the sun fierce and the air temperature heading into the mid-20s. Although the water was holding steady around 16C the conditions were much more difficult than in the morning.
Bottom of Comogan, looking into Crow, on to Causeway |
Causeway at 6pm The last look at a lovely beat |
At about 630pm I made my way back to the hut and then to the cottage where the resident rods were preparing for supper. I should have loved to have stayed on to fish into the evening when the chances would have risen markedly. Sadly the responsibility of work prevailed: I no longer have the youth and energy to fish until 1030, spend 2 hours driving home and be up with the lark to prepare for a business trip to Africa.
Nevertheless I'd had a brilliant day on a lovely beat in stunning countryside in the middle of a season that has elsewhere been rendered disastrous by the extreme weather. I drove home down the A19 a happy man; delighted my wife with a fish in the freezer; and enjoyed a generous reflective Glenfarclas before bedtime in celebration.
What did that Glenfarclas tell me?
- Salmon are gregarious: they go to sea together; hunt and grow together; and return together. If there's one, there's usually more. So if you miss a take, stay at it and work the immediate area thoroughly.
- Fresh fish are easier to hook but often harder to retain. Don't let it get you down, because sooner or later one will stay on.
- In clear still conditions apply good field and water-craft. Always be aware of your background and at all costs avoid being sky-lined. If there's deep water directly to your front, if possible stay out of the water and well back from the edge, because the fish may be closer than you expect.
- In difficult conditions there's no perfect solution. Do something sensible and keep on doing it. The 'Walking to the Water' calculator is as good a route to sensible as any.
- We are privileged to pursue a beautiful fish surrounded by the full panoply of nature's glories: savour every moment, they're too good to waste.
It looks like the weather's starting to break after a summer that's been brilliant for the whole population apart from salmon anglers. So be it. Sadly there's no Tomatin week this year, but I've got a couple of days on the Tweed in early September (another generous friend) followed by a sequence of days on the Ure with friends as guests and the annual bonding with HMCX. Hopefully I shall have something to write about.
I wish you good water, nice average conditions and tight lines.
I enjoyed reading this. Thank you.
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