Alas, I could not fish on Saturday however Alex (aka the Nymphmaster) sent me this report.
We were blessed with a cracking spring afternoon on Sunday, lots of wild life (and wild folk) – more about that later! I opted for the vet school stretch, which had that usual kelvin green tinge about it and running at a nice height.
I had a few casts here and there as I walked downstream, but with not a touch to my flies, and a constant reminder of how cold the water was (thanks to the worsening leak in my waders), my early-season eagerness was disappearing. I crossed the river and fished a nice pool with a dry and a nymph.
The wading in some parts of the Kelvin, it must be said, is horrific! At one point, I was kinda balancing on a pallet that had become rooted in about three feet of fast water. I could feel it wobbling about and tilting in the current as I walked over it. At least it will make a perfect home for thousands of invertebrates! Talking of which, there was a small trickle of flies hatching just after midday. Obviously not enough to get the fish really interested, as I saw nothing rise all afternoon!
At one point a kingfisher flashed right past and into a hidey-hole in the overhanging roots of a large tree. It’s amazing how many of them the Kelvin supports. Next thing, the guy fishing opposite me shouts “Oi, d’you know who those guys are”. I had noticed a couple of dudes downstream of me earlier. Now if my wading experience wasn’t enough, these guys were yomping up through the far side of the river, in the deep channel in front of a verticle jungle of jaggy bushes and other highly effective wader-shredding devices. Not that torn waders would be a concern for these gentlemen – they weren’t wearing any!
They seemed to be having a whale of a time, maybe it was a crazy red-nose day stunt? I’m sure they don’t mind me taking their picture….
Not long after 2 O’clock, the fishers left in their masses to watch Rangers and Celtic slug it out in the league cup final.
Only down the Kelvin!
That is beautiful river you have there, I wish that our rivers looked that good, fishing must be wonderful, I have only started learning the art of fishing haven’t even started on fly fishing but I will get there and the only place I have gone fishing are at dams and I have caught one or 2, being bass and carp. So I will keep trying and Ill get there.
Al, some nice pictures of the Kelvin…akin to your river the White Cart was just as nice but the water was just as cold with no risers.
Regards those folk that were wading…a few years ago (on one of those few lovely days when you get the place to yourself) I noticed waves coming up river and thought (initially) it must be a few ducks that have just flown in…nope it was two guys in dry suits (found this out later, cos I could not tell a wet suit from a dry one) who called themselves the River Walkers!!! Yep, that was those poor souls ideas of a grand day out walking up rivers. Sorry to say that I did not find out where they hailed from cos we could have used them (sorry, utilited them) to go into pools where we know there is bits of garbage that need pulling out but they then waded their way up pass me and onto the Walton stretch. So, these guys might be relatives or maybe they were out walking a drop their camera (or something similar) in the water and were trying to retrieve it or maybe they were detectives…getting mad now, will have to chuck it!
Cheers
Roddy
I have heard of gorge walkers but river walkers?
I suppose now that you come to mention it there is nothing finer than being up to your waist in clear flowing water, looking upstream and the next few pools – even if the wading is tricky you kind of know it will not be so bad that you will get washed away.
However I must stress this is usually very nice when you have got chest waders on and it is a reasnable nice day.
Trudging up a river pre spring with nothing but my jeans on would be……horrible.
Hey folks,that was me that shouted,“Oi, d’you know who those guys are”,i was a bit concerned they would find one of those nasty holes the Kelvin is infamous for!
I’m sure you’ve all heard of the poor soul drowning in what may be called the Vet school pool,perhaps it should be named after him?
Take care out there,especially when the rivers high and coloured.
regards “river walkers” my uncle used to jump in the river Jed when it was in spate,get picked up somewhere near berwick i suppose.He would also take weights to dive deep pools when the river was lower.
Always thought it sounded great fun!
Thanks for commenting Chester – aye I mind that poor soul drowned down the Vet School – the river was not even that high if I mind correctly!
River walkers – plain weird!
Hey Chester! Nice to put a name to the face! I know what you mean, I was expecting one of those guys to get swept downstream at any moment. But then again, nothing really surprises me on that river anymore!
The nice weather is forecast to continue over the weekend which will surely wake up some of these fish from their winter coma.
Alex