Another couple taken around the same time. That is John Dixon in the top picture. John took six on a fly in one morning with Michael Chapman. Average for the six, 20lbs.
- all the fish are dead
- all the fish are fresh
- look at the numbers and the size
"The River Tweed has always been internationally famous for its salmon fishing, with people coming from all over the world to fish it. After recent record breaking years, not only does Tweed catch more Atlantic salmon and grilse than any other river in the European Union, but it also now ranks among the very top salmon rivers in the world."
It is true that the Tweed was famous. Its fame turned on the quality, numbers and size of its fish not just the numbers. The pictures at the top of this page show what the Tweed was famous for. You, FishTweed, sell fish on numbers. Not the things for which the Tweed was famous. Not the pleasures of time spent with friends in a lovely area and your numbers are spin, pure spin. Your "Salmon" included in 2009 fish as small as 10 ozs. The ten month season is the longest in the country. The fishing pressure is enormous and so on and so on..
Can I reminisce? Thirty years ago we gauged the height by telephoning the boatman's wife half a dozen times before he got back from the pub. He would then tell us it might be alright. We would look at the forecast in the Telegraph, how much rain had fallen at Eskdalemuir and we would set off. We regularly drove through solid rain kidding ourselves the river might be alright.
At 7.00 the next morning we would be walking along the river to see if it had come up. Sometimes trees and dead sheep were floating past sometimes it would be steady and clear but mucky by 9.00.
It was all great. We got away from the office for a couple of days, the lady at the B and B got paid. The boatman got a tip. The pub sold meals and some beer. The garage sold us petrol. The baker sold bread to the B and B and so on.
Did we enjoy ourselves? Enormously. The anticipation. The gossip. Everything.
In 2000 FishTweed was tabled. Within our Syndicate the secretary was approached and it was sold in this way: left wing labour government. FishTweed would show the Tweed was open to all. Didn't want access to salmon fishing to be free as was intended for access to the countryside. This is the way to head off the problem.
What rubbish. My world went hazy as I saw the queues at the Job Centre moving to the Sunlaws and fishing Floors in October. So I telephoned headquarters and asked questions. Their radar must have picked up some dissent because half an hour later the Chairman was on the phone spinning me the left wing government line and would I like him to address our Syndicate.
Fast forward to the 2008 and our gang are squabbling about FishTweed. Some want it some don't. In 2009 we had a crisis. No fish, no lets and two or three boatmen sitting in a hut reading the paper. 2010, worse.
Worse, not just for the people who work for us but for the lady at the B and B (one favourite in Cornhill shut after losing £1,000.00 in cancellations in April 2009) the pub, the garage, the butcher and the baker have all lost out.
Why is FishTweed to blame? Well as their homepage headline says it is all about numbers, not about excited anticipation, days away from the office with friends it is all about numbers and when the numbers are bad the letting is bad. Before FishTweed we committed to fishing in advance - often the year before. We paid and because we had paid we went unless the conditions were so dreadful it was impossible.
This is how it goes wrong: there is now so much unlet fishing on FishTweed you can wait until the last minute to book after using "River levels", the rainfall radar and SEPA to anticipate the river height you then look where the fish might be, the beat you fancy and so on. You cherry pick at the last minute. In many cases you can book at 9.00 the same day of your visit.
The is the result: no fish, no lets. No lets, no fish, round it goes in a circle. Even if we ditched FishTweed we are stuffed by the fact that two of our neighbours use it.
Conclusion: works well for the owner's bank in a good year. Prices have been jacked up to ridiculous levels. It is a disaster in a bad year.
Did you read the article about Bywell in the T and S? They were advised how to make money by Roxburghe Estates and after one year have had to slash their prices. It is the "how to make money" aspect that is so irritating. Nowadays it is money, money, money but which of the owners are not going to have to face the financial consequences to be faced by Ghillies who might lose their jobs? The B and B? The fishing tackle shop?
What of the visiting fisherman? Watch out for the ghost fish. That beat way up the river that suddenly has a couple of fish in the middle of the summer when all around have had nothing for weeks. The angler who has reported a couple of springers as an excuse for killing one. The inexperienced who has had a well mended kelt or a bagot.
What of conservation? Every ditch is let in November no matter how filthy and gravid the fish.
The future: If we have another season like the last I predict there will be job losses along the river. Well known Tweed characters are going to lose their jobs or work part time.
Go back to the pictures from my album and remember what the Tweed really was famous for. Big, clean autumn fish. Ask FishTweed why they are peddling the past and disappointing those people who travel from America and Scandinavia to then find they have been misled. Will they say they had a good holiday? No. They will go home and tell their friends it was nothing like what they had been sold. Great marketing.
Happy days.
Time for a new approach? Has to be.
7 comments:
Well Said. Your words are the thoughts of more and more Tweed Fishers and Boatmen. Con Merchants and Tricksters-- Spin ,Spin, Spin.( no pun intended ). This river should be controlled by people outwith the ( Silver Spoon Brigade ), Those Riparian Owners with a financial vested interest .
Latest rumours are that " Total Catch and Release"will be implemented for the rest of the Spring Season. Clutching at straws - Rabbits in the headlights come to mind. Catch and Release is the biggest "CON" ever to afflict this river - a licence to fiddle the numbers, every Feb/Mar for years now , Kelts Kippers and Baggots are counted as Springers - Ghost Fish and fish that are caught several times throughout the season. " The Numbers Game Con ". Will those greedy Beat Owners reduce the unrealistic rents they charge ? Will they hell as long as they can con daft buggers to keep coming to fish this river, which is one in serious decline mode. If the present regime showed less arrogance and more honesty they just might reap some respect from those long standing fishers and boatmen of Tweed .
It is my humble opinion that the website FishtTweed now FishPal is - no Pal of this river. Without uncertainty Salmon Fishing is nothing, and I believe Agent Leemings website should not be supported by Tweeds Salmon Beats. He, along with others have changed this once magical proud river steeped in tradition into a numbers obsessed conveyor belt - highly over promoted and grossly over priced river. Let me vent my anger on the " Latest Catches " page. This is nothing but a directory for Poachers to admire and a catalyst for Greed Jealousy and Dishonesty . And finally whoever writes the weekly report (drivel) stop trying to make "honey out of dog shit". The Third Reich would have been proud of your propaganda! P S. The latest craze born out of this website is "Cherry Picking" There is a new breed of fisher who follow the catches on site and only book if weather and fish are in their favour- not booking in advance as is tradition. This ploy is already seeing beats unlet and will result in Boatmens jobs being at risk. The beginning of the end . Ban the bloody website and let Tweed get back to reality..
Is Tammy troot saying that the Ghillies and Boatmen on Tweed cant recognise a Kelt/Baggot or Kipper when they get one and add it to their totals
It is obvious to me Grant that you are either very ignorant or nieve, possibly both , as to the ways and workings of Tweed Salmon Beats. Let me explain. Many years ago before all this "Catch and Release Nonsense" , in times of plenty, Rods would return to the hut with their catch,and if it was not the real thing , Boatmen /Ghillies would say you silly bugger that is not a proper fish and it would be either buried or given to the Hens. Not recorded as a clean fish . In the present circumstance, with most fish being returned many Beats have one Boatman/Ghillie looking after ,( due to the greedy money making ways of many Tweed beat owners )many Rods, sometimes 4 -6 -8 even 10 rods. What does the Ghillie say to those daft buggers who dont know their arse from their elbow. Do you call these people liars ? Do you say well done, thats another fiddle in the book? No Grant, the Ghillie cannot be everywhere at the same time . My life is this world you question. You would not believe the (jiggerypokery) that thrives on this river to create personal gain and falsification of fish caught. By the way Grant, can you smell a rat ?
Possibly both! I've a terrible sense of smell so doubt if I would smell any rats. What do you mean?
Dear Mr Speycaster,
I have moved your comment to the main page. I hope you do not mind.
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