The Tweed, Below Peebles.

Today I went down the tweed. To be honest, it was not my first choice. The night before the plan was to head down the Tyne as its been a long time since my last visit down that way. This morning, just before 6am, i was awoken to the sun beaming through the window like it was 1 o clock in the afternoon. What is going on with the weather just now? I cant remember another April past being so dry and bright up these parts. Anyway, got up and without even looking out the window thought... Tyne, no chance in this. What was I to do? It was fair to say, where ever I went it would be rather bright. The smaller waters were not going to be the best in these conditions at all so, its a toss up between the Clyde and the Tweed. An hour later I was at the bus station just in time to see the 62 drive in, decided then!

My teacher used to say it was always the bad yin's that sat up the back of the bus.

An hour later I was on Peebles high street, just round the corner there used to be a small tackle shop. Sadly, I was to find, this is no more, now what to do, where the hell will I find a permit now? After asking about a few shops, being sent one place to be sent another, I finally made my way to tourist information office (should have tried there in the first place!) Only to find it was closed till 12, half an hour to wait then, bah! As luck would have it, the butchers was just over the road and their pies are banging.

Peebles Pies!

Hunger sorted, permit in hand i was on the short walk down to the river still with the sun beaming down on me.

You can not fault the way the Tweed is managed these days. Its more or less catch and realese now, nothing under 22 inches shall be killed. Also, everything caught has to be documented in the log book you are given with the permit and not only that but, they would also like you to e-mail pictures of the fish you catch so they can be sexed. Now, this is how all rivers should be managed!

The sun was going to be the biggest problem of the day, nothing was moving on the water at all for a bit, I walked down about a mile from peebles before even thinking about a cast. I'm glad I did though, as i was setting up I was aware of this tapping noise over the river, never really took much notice at this point. 10 minutes later, I was really starting to wonder what this noise was, i looked up and stuck to the side of the tree over the water was a woodpecker. Eh? a bloody woodpecker, now this is a first for me. It turns out their common, i know what to look for now.

Its not the best picture I know but, with the sun sitting right behind the tree and the fact I was standing up to my waist in water trying to use the zoom at max, this was the best i could do.
This is what it should look like...

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Still nothing moving I found myself just walking down the river looking and listening for the odd rise, fishing where I thought looked good. A few hours had past before the first one come to the net, caught on a size 14 gold head pheasant tail.

About 5 years ago I had my best ever river trout from this stretch, 4 and a half lb. For sure there is some monsters here.

It was a slow day, your normally plagued with tidlers down here but, today that wouldn't be the case. I managed to lose a few smaller fish on a wee Klinkhammer along with catching this one.

The sun finally lifted about 7pm whitch did bring on a wee rise, no real prolific hatches all day so none of the madness which follows that. Thing is, I had to go for the bus at 8pm so, only managed another one which fell to a olive klinkhammer.

Dam you buses!! I recon I would have at least another one if I just had another half an hour.

They really have got everything right down here, and all this for just £8 a day. I'm of to mail my pictures to TTGI now.