With things starting to get more consistent on the lakes in mid October after some tricky summer fishing, it was a welcome message to get off Robbie saying he had a place on his boat on Coldingham Loch, near Berwick Upon Tweed.
Coldingham is a very special place.
First is its location relative to the North Sea. The loch is virtually in it. And a very short distance to the spectacular St Abbs Head.
It truly is a stunning area and ideal for a holiday. So it’s handy the fishery has cottages available that also allow you to fish the loch.
These are critical if you want to fish here on a one-off basis. We’ll discuss the options later, but look at the pictures of Lochside Cottage! You’ll spend the day floating around convincing yourself it’s your next bucket list item.
On one side of it you’ve got the 22-acre loch, a balcony, and a bedroom that overlooks it. On the other, you’ve got a cliff and the North Sea. And underneath it, you’ve got your own boat. Imagine that.
The forecast for our day was bright sunshine and flat calm. And so it was on arrival.
There were very occasional fish rising, but not enough to suggest dry fly would be the first port of call.
Having guided and taught on Coldingham for many years, you really couldn’t have a better boat partner than Robbie Bell. A man with a wealth of fishing experience from all around the world and knowledge of the industry, having run the tackle shop in Berwick for many years. He has some great stories about all of these, which had me chuckling all day.
He also supplied boat seats, nets and charged motor. Which he would steer. It was going to be armchair fishing at the other end of the boat and I couldn’t wait.
Robbie suggested we each took two rods to save overfilling the boat. I tried to think of all options and pick the two best all-rounders from our range.
No-brainer was the Cadence CSM 10ft #5. As it was calm, this would do the job with the small indicator to start with. The lighter weight line would pick up on the strike at the shortish range I would be fishing absolutely perfectly.
And if things warmed up on the dries, it is the perfect rod for the same reason — compared to a slightly shorter rod of the same line weight.
The CSM 10ft #5 really is a specialist dry fly rod due to its exceptionally accurate casting.
Absolute dead eye dick when it comes to putting the fly on the spot quickly with momentum to turnover perfectly. And the carbon is lovely and soft to cushion very small hooks and light leaders.
I know I bang on about this rod, but it really doesn’t get much better. Plus it is as light as a feather and will also do buzzers and nymphs perfectly in a light wind as well. Fishing is just a nicer experience with a lighter rod. And easier on the aging muscles.
The only thing that would steer me away from the five weight is if the water was shallow and weedy. Not remotely an issue at Coldingham, so that went in the boat with the matching CSM WF5 Cadence floating line and CF20 5/6 reel.
You get the fly line free if you buy the rod, by the way. The same lines now being used by some very good anglers as the Cadence reputation builds. The feedback has been outstanding. And most importantly, it’s genuine feedback at that.
Next rod choice was heavily guided by the fact I wanted to use an Airflo 7/8 Slow Intermediate. It’s really worth having a 0.5 inches per second line in your armoury. First and foremost, to bite under the surface drift, but still keep the flies highish in the water. If the wind gets up, and you’re stuck with a floater, it will get pulled around and speed your flies up unnaturally. Drop the line a couple of inches below the surface and your presentation is immeasurably better in most circumstances.
I also like the super slow sink rate to retrieve flies ultra slowly as well. Snakes in particular. There’s something about a slowly retrieved snake that makes the fish slam it really hard. Very similar in feel to buzzer fishing, unbelievably.
The final plus point of a slow intermediate is that floating lines might just distribute sunlight and shadows down below in a flat calm. It’s a tricky one to explain, but basically any movement patterns on the surface are magnified underneath. I think. So I’m much more confident when not leaving footprints on the surface when it’s glassy.
And even if we might be grasping at straws, confidence is your very best friend in fishing. So if you fish better because you are confident, you will catch more fish. Even if the initial theory may not be 100% correct. Maybe the casting shadows thing is nonsense, but it pleases my mind.
As said in a couple of the Cadence Fly Fishing YouTube videos, this particular 7/8 Airflo goes perfectly with the CSM 10ft #7, so in that went with the Cadence CF20 7/8 reel.
(The 7/8 of the Di-3 and Di-5 go best with the #8 Cadence Rods).
Worst case, we could come back in and change set-ups, but as it turned out, we weren’t far off.
Setting off from the jetty at 9.15am, Robbie pretty much cut the engine immediately, and we started fishing Boathouse Bay — just where the depth starts to drop off. Robbie was pulling, and I was on the indicator, changing depths one foot every couple of minutes. Starting at 2ft and gradually dropping to 12ft, if necessary.
The music stopped at 6ft.
Or at least that’s the depth it was set at. The fact that the bung didn’t settle when it should in the countdown confirmed the fish had taken on the drop above this. The fly was a FNF Biscuit coloured Slushy Bug. The fish, a lovely bright silver rainbow, about 1lb 8oz. Good start.
Despite catching in the first 20 mins, it seemed like there wasn’t much else in this area. So we moved a hundred yards towards the reeds and bobbed around the point next to Gull Rock. This turned out to be an excellent spot for both of us throughout the day, with regular takes each time we fished it. The killer spot on each drift seemed to be in line with a quad bike track near Gull Rock itself.
My first fish here was a nice surprise — a good-sized brown trout in immaculate condition and maybe 2lb 4oz? Robbie said there were plenty of browns and that was a tiddler. The set up was the same as the first rainbow but shallowed up to 4ft. Robbie was also getting taps on his snakes in this area and eventually got one to stick. Another nice rainbow.
By now, a breeze was unexpectedly starting to get up and blowing towards the sea. So off we drifted. Things quietened down for a few minutes over The Narrows, until we ended up near the opposite bank and both missed takes in quick succession.
And that was a theme for the day. On four separate occasions we were both playing fish at the same time following periods of low activity. And from four different areas, which lets you see how important location is. You beat up yourself you’re doing stuff wrong, when the reality is you just don’t have fish in front of you. Sometimes we were drifting for 15 mins with no interest and then boom.
In other words — go and find them.
As we went through the morning, we were getting plenty of interest around Gull Rock. And also along the east coast bank between the Lochside Cottage and Rainbow Corner, with a particular area just to the west of the cottage that seemed to have plenty of fish.
Some other boats were huddled up in Swing Gate Bay and seemed to be getting odd fish as well. So in summary, there were fish all over.
Conversations with passing boats really showed the club members up in such a good light. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming, and it was great that they’d all caught fish and had a few takes. The perfect day, therefore. I was really enjoying it.
While we’re on the subject, I’d also like to mention JJ, who was running the fishery the day we were there. A more welcoming and pleasant person you could not wish to meet. Nothing was too much trouble and despite not being a fisher he was great craic and a credit to Coldingham. Thank you for everything, JJ.
By half-time, we’d shared 10 fish to the boat. Half of which were brownies from 2-4lb. All the fish were in superb condition and fought so hard, but there is something special about a well-spotted Brownie.
For the most part, we’d been fishing intermediates with various mini-snakes and lures. I’d found fishing it ultra slow was best (as in, only a little faster than keeping the line tight). Almost static. The takes didn’t half wake you up, though.
Robbie seemed to be doing well hanging the flies a fair while, but honestly, there didn’t seem to be any stand out method. I tried the dries for 10 mins with no interest around 11am and assumed that was it for the day with those. Nothing came to have a look, let alone stick its nose out.
Chatting with Bob in another boat, he’d had a couple but also lost an awful lot. Including some on the dries. Turns out Bob knows his stuff on Coldingham, and he managed to put this right.
In the second half, he was catching steadily along the bank near The Rocks. He sneaked off before we got to see what he was catching on, but the return sheet said ‘dries.’ He ended up with 12 or 13 from memory. Not a bad afternoon, and what good fishing is all about. You learn your way through any given day and put that into practice later on — if the fish allow.
Our second half was also better than the first. Not that we were doing much different, to be honest. But the fish were a little more active as there was now a little more cloud cover.
Gull Rock remained a good spot. As did the Cottage. But this time there was space to get into Swing Gate Bay.
I think Swing Gate is my favourite spot on the lake, as you’re enclosed by high banks either side. It’s a gorgeous spot. We were catching down here as well. Right up until the drift had to stop before running aground.
By now, I was happiest on an Olive Mini Snake (5 cm) with some blue flash in the head. Fished on a 14ft leader of 7.6lb Edge Tackle Fluorocarbon right through.
The fur has dark bars similar to perch, which are in the lake, but I’d be kidding myself if I’d thought it was fishing imitatively. The truth is, we had probably coincided with the cooling down week that brings the fish back on the feed from the summer slumber.
Takes were spread out, but regular enough to make us think we were fishing the correct layers — somewhere around 2-3ft. There were odd takes the second the fly hit, but generally, it was subsurface stuff.
And it was really exciting to know one of those could be one of the big browns I’d seen another boat catch earlier on.
My chance came in an area we hadn’t really had much action. With the ever-changing wind, we had started drifting out of Swing Gate back towards Gull Rock and just decided to carry on fishing. Lucky choice.
Look at the map of the lake, and you will see the mid-point of this drift is the deepest part, dropping to 48ft. Not bad for 22 acres.
It was our only interest on this part of the drift, but gave an adrenaline rush on the smash of the take alone. This is why you fish stronger and top grade line when you use snakes.
The electricity was buzzing after that jolt — not helped by the fact I got an early look at what was a big brown. The fight didn’t disappoint either. With downward deep runs, hooping the rod under the surface many times. But eventually, it came in and looked a picture lying in the net. I’ve no idea what weight it was — the video clip confirms that. But let’s call it 7lb with a case for bigger if you have an optimistic hat on. It was a stunning fish regardless, and I was chuffed to bits. Robbie thought it wasn’t too bad either. Which was quite positive for a fella whose daily greeting is he’s happy cos he’s above grass!
As with any fish like this, it’s worth letting it get its breath back so it can swim away upright under its own steam. Too many times, people turn the net upside down and forget a tired fish can drop into the weed. It may take a minute or two, but stick with it.
This one went back great after its breather. Albeit in a new location after we had drifted/been pulled a fair way from where it had been hooked.
Robbie got another ‘tiddler’ of a brownie as this fish was being returned. ‘Only’ about 2lb. It was turning into a red letter day for both of us.
The next drift near Gull Rock produced another highlight. In the hotspot alongside the Quad Bike tracks. This time it was one of those takes you only get regularly with a snake. The multiple gentle bump version.
Where you are bringing the fly back and think you feel a tiny knock. Then convince yourself it was weed. Then it happens again. And by the time the flies back at the boat, you’ve been nudged six times.
This time, though, the culprit kept following and was still darting left and right coming to the hang. Without taking. So I hung it longer and round it came again and took it properly. It looked like a big fish a couple of feet down, but as the seconds ticked by it dawned this wasn’t your standard slightly bigger than average three pounder. Robbie seemed unimpressed.
I was starting to think 4-5lb maybe? And then 6lb. By the time it was netted, it had gone up to about 8lb. This time a Rainbow. Incredible to have this within 20 mins of that brownie, and what a lovely fish.
The day could have stopped there, and it would have been perfect, but we carried on as Bob picked up a couple more from his boat a hundred yards away. Robbie said he thought he’d be on the dries by the way he was casting short and regular. Good spot, it turned out.
By now it was starting to get cold and what, I assume, was a sea fret started coming over. Drizzly stuff without being rain? It’s not something an inland fisher encounters very often.
It was our prompt to head back after a 20-minute try where Bob had been resulted in a couple of lost fish. The fishing seemed to be quietening right down as the sky darkened.
It had been the absolute perfect day. One of those days you remember when you’re frozen under a hood, catching nothing.
Sometimes you can catch it right.
We signed out with about 25 to the boat. Half of which were brownies.
Pretty much all on snakes or Robbie’s Humungous. A couple on the indicator and one on a Black & Peacock Spider on the dropper before I took it off.
This place could absolutely boil on the right spring/early summer nights. And I dread to think what the buzzer fishing could be like. The whole place is a wildlife haven and will have many strings to its bow as you fish at different times of the year.
So how do you fish it?
Coldingham is a member’s only water, first and foremost. And members can have guests — which is how I managed to sneak on.
The owners limit the membership to a maximum of 100 per season, and people are encouraged to contact them directly if interested in becoming one of the Coldingham Loch Fly Fishers.
There are different types of membership available, including the obvious ones you would expect alongside a Bank Only version plus the interesting ‘Country Membership’.
The latter is a really nice idea where folk who live over 90 miles from the fishery can get on a few times a year without having to pay full membership, but instead top up their reduced annual fee with a daily payment each visit.
Obviously, each version of membership will have its limits, so it’s best to contact Carmen or Gareth at info@coldinghamloch.co.uk
Another way you can fish is if you rent a fishery cottage. It’s worth it as the fishing can be incredible. There are three stone cottages and three chalets dotted around the site.
The fishing and boat hire costs are additional to the accommodation, so have a look at www.coldinghamloch.co.uk and see what tickles your fancy.
The final option is official fishing clubs can book a day for their annual members competitions. Be warned that these days are strictly limited over the year, and you can’t just book the week before and expect to turn up.
To fish Coldingham, you have to pre-plan and commit. Might’s, maybes and night before won’t do you any good. I’d highly recommend you drop your caution about potential dodgy weather and take the risk.
It is something else.
