Let’s start with the positives. There certainly is no shortage of water, and there are new fish moving into the system in reasonable numbers, and anglers are seeing good numbers, even if they are not taking as well as we might like. However, there is sure a lot more excitement along the system, even if this is not “the run” we have been waiting and hoping for. Perhaps the last couple of years have spoiled us a bit.

The trapnets were up for a couple of days last week due to high water, but started fishing again on Sunday. Sunday there were 13 grilse and one salmon at Millerton, three grilse and two salmon Tuesday and nine grilse and five salmon on Wednesday. Generally the counts at Cassilis were about the same.

To date the cumulative counts at both these sites since the beginning of the season are as follows: At Cassilis, 19 salmon and 108 grilse, while Millerton had 75 salmon and 121 grilse. (See the charts near the end for comparisons)

The two key words this week are “slow” and “low”, and by the weather forecast, we might add “warm”. The traps nets at both Cassilis and Millerton were averaging less than five fish a day. There are small squirts of fish moving through, but in no great numbers. A few were seen jumping on the weekend in the city area. So, we are still in the waiting mode for the June run to begin. However, the fish go by their own calendars and they know water conditions a lot better than we do, so we have to trust them and be patient.