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Northumbrian Water 'Go fishing' - Ranger's weekly fishing review - 12 May 2008.

Trout fisheries	No.rods	No. trout caught	Best rainbow
Grassholme	413	1,416	9lb 12oz
Kielder	110	271	8lb
Fontburn	333	1,462	5lb 8oz
Scaling	209	1,017	9lb 8oz
Derwent	538	2,284	12lb 5oz
Hury	109	308	5lb
Whittle Dene	101

Rangers review

Fontburn

Best catch	5lb 8oz
Best flies	Cats whisker, Vivas, Bibbios.
Best bait	Pink Powerbait, Blood Money greedy bait / worm cocktail.
Best areas	North Shore.

The warmer weather is really encouraging the fish to move around at Fontburn with all areas fishing very well, with the trout now eagerly feeding on almost any bait offered to them. George Todd caught 12 fish for just over 27lbs, S Hogg took 8 for 22 lbs, T. Bell took 8 for 25 lbs and T Welsh bagged a cracking 5 1/2 lb rainbow along with 7 others for nearly 22 lbs.

With many other anglers taking limits this week we have again seen rod averages above 5 on some days, most fish have been caught on Power bait or greedy bait and worm cocktails. Fly anglers have been doing well with lures such as Dawsons olive or Orange Fritz on an intermediate line with a slow retrieve. Using this method regular fly angler J Brennand took 8 fish and returned a further 6 on Dawsons and Gold headed nymphs.

Scaling Dam

Best catch	9lb 8oz.
Best flies	Small Dawson's, Invicta and Bibio.
Best baits	All baits catching well.
Best areas	Most areas fishing well.

The very bright, sunny conditions have favoured the bait anglers during the last week at Scaling Dam. Most areas and baits have produced some excellent catches. Some of Scaling's bigger specimens have featured once again and all have fallen to bait rods. Some of the best include a Rainbow of 9lbs 8oz landed by Nick Brown from Brotton fishing the West end of the Dam Wall.

Nick also had the best limit catch of the week at 22lbs 8oz, all fish taken on Rainbow powerbait. Mr. Featherstone from Billingham netted a Rainbow of 8lbs 5oz,fishing on the South Shore, and Richard Skelton from Loftus had a Rainbow of 8lbs 10oz, fishing at the West end of the Dam Wall.

The South Shore was the favoured area for fly fishing and several anglers had full limit catches. A small weighted Dawson's on the point, teamed with Invicta and or Bibio proved to be very successful. Anglers should soon be looking out for the renowned hatches of Hawthorns on the South Shore. With a favourable wind, Hawthorn imitations and Black and Peacock Spiders can be deadly during these annual hatches, which usually occur mid to the end of May.

Derwent

Best flies	Black fritz, Black and Peacock, Bibio.
Best baits	Powerbait and worm cocktail, Greedy bait mix.
Best areas	South side next to stream and on the meadow from the North shore.

Where's there a Will!

5 years old William Spinks took the fish of the week with a beautiful 12lb 8oz rainbow trout. William caught the fish using rainbow Powerbait near the first fence, his father exclaimed: "It almost pulled him in."  The way the reservoir is fishing was personified by young William, with nearly everyone leaving the fishery with and a story to tell with the rod average peaking at 5 fish per angler over the weekend.

All areas of the reservoir seems to be fishing well Fly anglers are catching fish on small black flies and buzzers as well as the usual, reliable Black fritz. Bait anglers are finding the angling equally productive with both float and ledger fished powerbait and worm proving the order of the day. Greedy bait is also proving a good attractant when used in a swim feeder as it emits a potent cent, irresistible to fish!

More Tiger Trout will be stocked shortly these uniquely marked specimens are easy recognised and the lucky person who has their catch verified stands to win a prize fund now totalling over £200.00.

Whittle Dene

Best areas	Lower and Great Southern.
Best methods	Pole with feeder.
Best baits	Maggots.

Another great week at Whittle Dene with all lakes fishing well. J. Webster caught 26lb of roach from the Great Southern, A. Robson fishing with junior S.Robson took 21lb of Roach and Dace from the same Lake using the pole.

Many other anglers have enjoyed some fantastic sport this week taking mixed bags of quality Roach, Dace, Skimmers and Gudgeon from the Lower and Great Southern Lakes.

Kielder

Best catch	8lb rainbow.
Best bait	Worm and sweetcorn.
Best areas	Whickhope and Tower Knowe.
Best flies	Mini Cats Whisker, Orange Goldheads.

P.Fitzpatrick caught the heaviest fish of the week and of the season to date taking a rainbow of 8lb from the South Abutment. Raymond Walton had rainbows of 3lb 10oz and 4lb 2oz on fly, fishing from one of the boats at Matthews Linn, there have been many limits recorded from the mouth of Lewis Burn which is just north of the Matthews Linn car park, Tony Clark from Seaton Sluice caught eight rainbows for a weight of 19lb 8oz on Worm and Sweetcorn from the bank below the Bird hide on the Beeches Walk at leaplish. Fly anglers have had also had good catches from Whickhope and also from the lower car park at Tower Knowe Visitor Centre.

Grassholme

Best flies	Cats whisker, Devastator, Kate McLaren, Black Pennell.
Best baits	Coloured powerbait eggs & magic dust in a feeder ledgered. Float fished worm.
Best areas	West end, Pebble beach, Kelton bank.

Beginners Luck?

The fine weather has seen good numbers of anglers out on the water, this has coincided with a light SE breeze blowing from the dam up the reservoir and fishing has been challenging at times. The fish appear to have followed the surface currents and the best of the fishing has been at the western end and later in the week in the middle stretches of the reservoir. Anglers prepared to walk a little further have been rewarded with some excellent catches. Mr S Robson took a limit of 8 fish for 22lb, while G Russell also caught his limit for 24lb.

Catch of the week was complete beginner Gareth Whittaker who, on his first cast on his first days fishing hooked and landed a cracking 9lb 12oz beauty. Gareth from Bishop Auckland used ledgered pink powerbait eggs to tempt the fish, how's about that for beginners luck! Regular angler Steve Brown also had a quality fish of 8lb, taken from the disabled platform. Fly fishing has varied all week with fish rising to hatching buzzers early morning then going deep in the heat of the day.

Hury

Best flies	Kate McLaren, Black pennell, Cats whisker, Olive fritz.
Best areas	Corporal hill, How Gill point, Top dam.

The South East breeze and bright conditions has a times made the fishing on Hury challenging. The best of the fishing has been during the first couple of hours on a morning. Fish have been rising to good hatches of black buzzers in the early part of the morning before going deep later in the day to avoid the bright sun.

Small black gnats have been hatching and when they are blown onto the water the trout respond quickly. This bodes well for the first big highlight of the fishing year with the emergence of the Hawthorn fly imminent. This is the first real bonanza for fish and angler alike but conditions need to be just right for a good hatch. These large black flies are unmistakeable with their two long back legs dangling below them when in flight. Suitable hawthorn patterns or palmered black wets should do the trick.