Members may interested in some interesting links to web sites about fishing in the Scottish Borders:

Fish Tweed - www.fishtweed.co.uk - A very comprehensive site covering all aspects of fishing in the Tweed system, including links to individual beat and association/club sites, which provide details of catches, prospects, rod availability and a booking facility.

Tweed Guide - www.tweedguide.co.uk - A small, fairly new, guiding enterprise based in Selkirk and run by Bill Drew, with the assistance of two others. Tweed Guide offers a range of customised trout, grayling and salmon fishing packages, from individual guided days for trout and grayling to ghillied/guided trout or salmon corporate or individual expeditions (they have even arranged a salmon/falconry package for a Dutch stag party!). The great advantage is that the package can be entirely tailored to your own specific requirements, to suit your level of experience, knowledge and interest, with waders and tackle, including flies, provided if required.

I used Tweed Guide to organise a few days in the Borders at the end of June 2006 and was very pleased with the three full days of fishing we arranged. On the Tuesday I had a day on my own fishing the Yarrow above Yarrowford (many mini browns and one good rainbow, around 2lb, from close to the outlet of a fish farm!). Wednesday was a guided trout day, fishing two beats on the Upper Tweed near Caddonfoot; again many small browns but nothing of any significant size. Nevertheless, an enjoyable day in beautiful upland country and no other fishermen to be seen. Thursday was a guided/ghillied day at the salmon on the Tweedswood Beat of the Middle Tweed near Melrose.

No salmon and only a small brown but a very enjoyable day for my first serious attempt at salmon fishing, with friendly and patient advice and guidance. In summary, an enjoyable and instructive few days and a great opportunity to learn new techniques and methods in beautiful surroundings and good company.

Contacts: Bill Drew of Tweed Guide - info@tweedguide.com or 01750 22279. Bill is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable organiser and guide who provides much more than just the basic package in the way of advice, companionship and additional items e.g. he has a good source of some beautifully tied and killing Polish nymphs and was even able sell me a brooch from a local artist as a compensatory gift for the Rev Mrs!

Kevin Patterson of Tweedswood Fisheries - www.tweedswood.com or Kevin Patterson. A friendly and patient ghillie who gets you fishing reasonably competently very quickly.

Hotel: Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, on the banks of the Tweed just outside St Boswells - www.dryburgh.co.uk. Not the cheapest but very comfortable with friendly staff and excellent menus and free fishing for guests.

Mike Britchfield