If its fishing your into then the
famous River Tweed is one of the best rivers in the world for fly and bait
fishing for catching salmon, sea trout or grilse. If your a professional
fisherman or just starting out then the beats at Norham are three of the best
spots on the entire river. Horncliffe, Pedwell and Ladykirk are situated on the
bottom stretch of the Tweed at Norham and "Sunny Patch" cottage is perfectly
situated next to the river near them all making it an ideal base for the perfect
fishing break.
Horncliffe's fishing consists of 2.5 miles of single bank fishing on the right
bank of the Tweed. The upper limit of the fishing is at Norham Castle and the
lower limit is at Horncliffe Mill Burn mouth, approximately six miles inland
from Berwick upon Tweed. Horncliffe, like the adjoining Ladykirk and Pedwell
fishing, is essentially a low water beat which fishes best at heights below one
foot. The lower water below St Thomas's Island in particular is reached by high
spring tides and although this may affect the fishing, it has the great
advantage that in low water conditions fish will build up throughout the whole
length of the fishing. Grilse and sea trout can be caught in the early morning
and in the evening in the hottest summer days. Long stretches of water offer
easily wadeable fishing over smooth gravel. Other stretches with rocky shelves
are more difficult to wade but here the fish lie quite close into the bank.
Pedwell Beat provides approximately 1.5 miles of productive fishing on the
English side of the river and lies immediately above and below Norham Bridge
providing a backdrop to the lower pools. The beat excels in low water conditions
when beats higher up the system suffer a lean time.
Ladykirk is a 2 mile double bank stretch of fishing and has achieved record
catches in the past few years, upholding its reputation as a beat which excels
in low water conditions, at times when others may struggle. This is partly due
to its position next to the tidal waters which can allow large quantities of
fish to accumulate while they are forced to wait for higher water. Primarily a
salmon beat, it also has a steady run of sea trout and grilse.
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Fishing permits are
easily available from the Mace convenience store, the fishing department
next to Foreman’s butchers, the Victoria hotel, Mason’s Arms and from
Castle Gunmakers all within the village.
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