Vinces Scapes: Salmon - Ettrick Valley - Scottish Borders 6-7/07/07

No longer a Salmon Virgin!!

As part of my course on building a rod with Mick Bell of Bloke fly rods, I had a chance to fish the weekend at his cottage in the Scottish Borders, just below Selkirk. It was touch and go whether I could make it as Mel could drop anytime soon.

We left early Friday morning and was in the Borders for around 10:00 AM. The rain seemed persistent but was forecasted to ease and Mick checked the water levels on the Fish Tweed website. The prospects looked good!!

Mick showed me around and took me to the Salmon ladder to view Sea trout and Salmon attempting to jump the wier. We then procedded to Buccleau Estates to buy are fishing permits to fish the River Ettrick. As the weather and water conditions looked ideal, we bought permits for Beats 1 and 2 for Friday and Saturday, for the bargin price of £25 each rod.

The weir at Selkirk

Mick was a wealth of information and described the pools and runs of the river in great passion and detail, and knew every stone and fishey location within the 5 beats that cover approxiamatley 13 miles. We were told at the Estate that fishermen from the Tweed had headed up River to the Etrrick and the Yarrow as the Tweed was brown and the fishing had suffered. They were'nt getting much luck, and that if we were to have any chance of a fish, we should try on Beat 5.

We started fishing just below Micks cottage, and I had to learn to cast and wade. We spent alot of time looking around and fishing the pools quite quickly. After a few hours, Mick hooked in to a Salmon. At last I had seen my first wild Salmon. it was caugh on a Shrimp Fly that had been tyed by one of Micks Mates.

Mick's first salmon on the Friday

We turned in for the evening and enjoyed a lovely meal made by Micks wife Anna, and I had a bit too much of a good bevvy.

After a slow start to the morning and in desperate need of fresh air to clear my head, we made our way down to Beat 2 and fished Brock Scar. Mick kindly spent around an hour trying to teach me how to spey cast using a single handed rod, but my brain was still a little bit soft from the booze and I found it hard going!

Mick directed me to the start of the pool, and pointed to a large rock on the cliff side of the river. He told me to cast on the far side of it where the water ran slower than the rest, and that there should be fish lying there and I may be able to coax one out. He would follow me down the river fishing behind me.

Me, trying to spey cast

Unfortunately, my casting wasn't up to it (I blame the booze and my sudden attack of hay fever). As Mick followed me down, fair enough as he predicted, wallop, a fish took.

Mick giving the rod some tension

Good shot of the scar in the background

Me with Micks fish

We then went back to Beat 1 had a go there and Mick had another two! One from the same spot as the day before! All the fish Mick caught were returned.

Another one to the Shrimp Fly

I still hadn't had a touch. Mick left with Anna to get the Dinner sorted and I decided to fish on for a while. Mick pointed out some worthwhile spots. About half an hour later I was starting to get the hang of the casting and was putting my fly out nicely and was soaking in the sounds and the atmosphere of such of a beautiful place without a care in the world.

I was fishing a shrimp fly and felt a pluck and saw a swirl as my fly bowed half way around the arc, I paused a couple of seconds, gradually raised the rod, and all went solid as if I snagged, and then to my total relief I felt the rod bob up and down. I put some gentle pressure on the fish and soon had it close enough to see that my Salmon Virginity was soon to be un-cherried. After a 10-15 minute fight, that was both methodical and heart beatingly scary I was able to grab the Salmon by the wrist. I then sent it to sleep and took a few pictures, maybe just under 10lbs and cant wait to eat it!