Good sport on way

06/03/2008

AFTER last week’s gales the stillwater trout fisheries should now produce some good sport for North East rods with mild weather on its way.

Anglers are spoilt for choice with some top-class rainbows to be caught all over the region.

Given milder conditions, the more imitative patterns should score as things begin to wake up and hatches of buzzers, etc, interest the trout.

While the lures often do the trick, the smaller, more food-like offerings, should begin to take trout more regularly as they hatch off.

The message from local stillwaters has been that anglers who persevered in the difficult conditions were rewarded with some excellent fish even during the gales.

With only just over a week to go before the opening of the Northumbrian Water reservoirs, anglers will be getting ready for their early-season outings.

Lures fished slowly and deep will be the order of the day on fisheries such as Derwent, Grassholme, Fontburn, Hury and Kielder Water. However, make sure you renew your leader material before setting up a cast as old mono can become very brittle and needs replacing – it could cost you the fish of a lifetime.

Meanwhile, local rivers are falling nicely after yet another rise of water at the weekend.

March is normally a more productive month than February and more salmon should be entering the River Tyne and other local rivers. The Coquet is still quiet even though it had a 12in rise in water earlier this week. This may have brought in some spring fish with the tidal at Warkworth and areas such as Morwick, Jack Rock and Black Doors worth a go.

Gary Hillary, who fished at Bywell on Sunday, caught an excellent 16lb spring salmon on the fly at Broomhaugh. It was his first ever Tyne springer and was carefully returned.

The Redscar beat on the Till has produced one sea-trout this season – a 6lb fish caught by Darlington angler Ray Mullis using a Mepps.

I have not heard of any other fish caught on the river during February.

Out on Tyneside Anglers’ Syndicate waters, Geoff Peart from Teesside landed and returned two sea-liced salmon, both caught on fly fished on an intermediate line weighing 8lb and 7lb 8oz.

Salmon anglers who fish the fly will be in with a better chance of catching a fish this month with hopefully more on the move.

While many anglers are using patterns such as Cascade, Ally’s Shrimp, Pot Bellied Pigs and Coneheads, there is still plenty of support for the more traditional salmon flies.

Patterns such as the Garry Dog, Willie Gunn and Munro Killer still catch many Tyne salmon each season.

Patterns with yellow, red or orange in their dressing are often taken readily by fresh-run salmon in the main and lower river. Anglers looking for guided salmon or trout days can contact me by e-mail or on (0191) 413 3789.

:: THE Eltringham Estates Fishings on the River Tyne are now available to salmon anglers. Any one interested in booking rods on this 1.6-mile Main Tyne beat should contact (0191) 421 4493 for details. The beat has some excellent fly water as well as big holding pools.

:: A REMINDER to all would-be Float Tubers. The British Float Tube Association in the North East, who regularly fish Sweethope Loughs, invite float would-be tubers to come along and give the sport a try. There is an open competition at Sweethope on Saturday, July 12 and most weekends see float tubers fishing the loughs. Log on to www.bfta.org.uk/ or e-mail gonedowntheriver@aol.com

ChronicleLive - www.chroniclelive.co.uk