Fishing on the Tweed
I have had a magnetic draw to the Tweed River for as long as I can remember. I’m sure this love has been handed down by my Dad, who used to head off there on his own for a week every September, to fish a beat called Haystoun, just south of Peebles. He loved his week away and although I went with him a couple of times to watch him fish, as a busy professional man, I think getting out into nature and enjoying some quiet solitude, was the recharge he needed.
Since his very sad passing a few years ago, I’ve come to properly understand and appreciate first hand, the peace and stillness my Dad, standing in the middle of this beautiful river, quietly enjoyed for all those years.
View of a happy fisherman in the Rink Stream at Boleside.
I’ll write more about Haystoun Beat as a blog piece later in the year but as well as always returning to Haystoun, I’ve enjoyed exploring the other beautiful stretches of river the Tweed Valley has to offer.
When lockdown measures were eased at the end of the summer, I booked up to fish at Boleside Beat, which is a stunning stretch of water about 2 miles long. It runs from the bridge on the A7 on the way into Galashiels, down to the next road bridge that overlooks the lovely Kingknowes Hotel and fantastic views of the Eildon Hills, which incidentally give you the most breathtaking 360 degree view of the area. Well worth the walk to the top.
I’ve fished Boleside for the last 5 years and have loved every visit. I always look forward to seeing Nigel the ghillie, who as well as knowing every inch of the river in his care, is one of life’s straight talkers and speaks his mind. With Nigel there is no room for bullshit and it’s one of the things I like best about him. We have often stood on the river bank after a day of him ‘managing an angler’s disappointment’ (as his assistant Ghillie Ian once brilliantly put it, after yet another Nae Fish day), watching the sun go down, putting the world to rights.
On this occasion, my trip was unfortunately missing my wife and our two dogs, as the younger ginger pup had managed to have an altercation with a prickly hedge, resulting in a trip to the vet with an injured eye. Amongst other things, rest and relaxation were prescribed for him and so my usual travel partners remained at home while I headed north. This was my third fishing trip this year without them…all due to vet related incidents (self preservation seems not to be one of this dog’s talents!), so I hoped whispers and rumours hadn’t begun as to their mysterious disappearance!
I arrived a couple of days before my booked fishing dates so I could explore and take photos. Having watched many a spectacular sunset there on previous visits, I particularly wanted to get some dusk shots at the Leaderfoot Viaduct, as well as some images of the river and the abundance of wildlife that depend upon it.
I got lucky with the weather and the evening sky was cloudless. I had a quick trip up to Scotts Viewpoint but decided with my timing that I would head down to the river and look for a spot with a view of the Leaderfoot Viaduct.
I took quite a few shots but wanted to get an image with the sun in a starburst. I opted for the strong filter ND XX and took a long exposure shot with my Fuji XT-3. To get the whole of the viaduct in the picture I used a 12-24 wide angle lens and ramped the aperture up to f22 to get the sunburst.
With the camera on a tripod, as a long exposure needs to have a perfectly still camera, I took quite a few photos as the sun got lower.
I’m not generally a great fan of images of water looking ‘ghost like’ but this was only touching on the rough water in front of me and I liked the texture change from the smooth glass like water before it.
I took the image below as the sun shone between the arches and felt lucky and happy to be sitting at this point and enjoying the view. A cold beer would have set it off but I reckoned I’d just about last until I got to the bar at the hotel.
Once the evening sun had given me my last photographic opportunities and with the distinct feeling that a cold beer really was now overdue, I headed off to check in at The Kingsknowes Hotel. Beautifully positioned next to the Tweed, long time owners Robert and Jenny are always welcoming and being fellow Fly Anglers, are great to chat to.
I would recommend The Kingsknowes to anyone wanting to explore the Scottish Borders. The rooms are lovely, and the food is to die for. Locally sourced, hearty food, often with a twist that puts a well placed Scottish stamp on it. As well as a great seasonal menu, the restaurant and bar staff get to know you, are all very friendly and quickly seem to know what you’re going to drink prior to opening your mouth…. They’re always great fun.
Chicken/haggis bon bons/chips!!! Thank you!!
I do love to meet other people fishing the river. I enjoy listening to them and finding out what it is about fly fishing that unites people from all walks of life. From geezer builders to posh (but lovely) hotel owners, there is a genuine mix of people, which means every visit is different. I often wonder what keeps all these different personalities coming back. The anticipation, the solitude, the contact with nature? I’ve come to think though that it’s the fact that each hour you spend in the river is just for you and in a world that is increasingly demanding and busy, it’s the one thing that we can all appreciate.
Every so often after a good cast, I am reminded of a friend who taught me to fish, saying as the line drew across the river “well, your fishing’’. I’m never sure whether he meant it as a compliment or just an observation but it is a happy thought, as I think of my dad and how much he must have enjoyed standing in the river with the anticipation of a possible salmon, but mainly the peace and beauty of the river flowing past.
Sunday started overcast and I headed to Kelso and to stock up on flies (any fisherman will confirm that you can never have too many) as well as calories at Greggs.
The weather changed by the afternoon, revealing a bright and beautiful day, so I decided to head off to Peebles to walk the river and enjoy the views. Exploring the river path just upstream of Peebles, I came across some idyllic views. A few different bridges than I’ve seen before and then a great walk down the Tweed towards Neidpath Castle. Nine hundred years old and standing high on the banks of the river, surrounded by trees, it is a truly dramatic and imposing sight.
Equally as dramatic and I’m sure as imposing to the fish of the Tweed, I also got to see the best fisherman on the river at work, the heron. I watched as he changed position on the bank and got the opportunity to take some images of him in flight. The wingspan is just massive, and I love the slow, confident motion they have as they cruise low over the water.
Monday morning saw me layering up for the first day of fishing and as always finding myself with nervous but good energy.
Meeting up with Nigel and the other fishers and drawing lots for where you’re going to start on the river. If you’ve been there before then everyone wants to pick no.2, the Gardenback Pool. A Monday morning, once the river has rested on a Sunday, is the place to be. (there is no fishing allowed in Scotland on a Sunday).
I pick no.5… lol, which is fine as the fish are all in the river somewhere… this is the Hart Pool and actually one of my favourites on the beat. It’s got a great fast head to the pool and lovely short run, that looks so ‘fishy’ (it’s a technical term). Unfortunately, due to many reasons out of my control, windy/too sunny/air pressure…. The fish were not in the mood for my fly. I tried all manner of options, but no. The lucky bastard in Gardenback had a fish though…luckily, he was a nice bloke.
Tuesday was a much fishier looking day… overcast and cold. You can tell at breakfast in the hotel those who are fishing and those wanting a sunny day. Clouds make anglers smile and tourists frown!
I started at the Meeting Pool, where the Tweed and the Ettrick meet and go their separate ways.
It’s a short deep pool that then runs under the road bridge and on into the rink stream. While setting up my rod and watching the pool with anticipation, 2 or 3 fish jump and showing off their colours. Salmon fishing is enjoyable and tough at times, but seeing fish jumping, sometimes within 10 feet of you is a brilliant sight to see. It makes the anticipation of a bite even more of a reality.
Sadly, seeing a jumping fish doesn’t mean it going to be remotely interested in your fly of choice. It’s not got eating in mind, leaving that idea back at sea. So, the fly is there as a reminder of food, or to wind Mr/Mrs Salmon up to have a go anyway.
No such luck for me.
I got to fish the Gardenback Pool in the afternoon. It’s a lovely long thin run of a pool that I’ve caught 4 fish in over the years. Every cast screams a tug on my line, plus the salmon are jumping, way more than in the meeting pool. Your mind wanders and thinks are they jumping to look at you and chat below the surface with their mates? Did the last one show me his middle fin as a gesture to be on my way?! Sometimes it feels like it!
I have ‘blanked’ … another fishing term. Whilst this might be the case with regards to actually catching fish, the same cannot be said of the other elements of my trip. I’ve had yet another great weekend away, with enough images in the bank to remember the views and carry me through until the next time.
