GAME ANGLING
THE cooler conditions have certainly revived sport on our local stillwaters and Northumbrian Water Reservoirs.
Changeable weather conditions have seen anglers ringing the changes with regards to fly patterns and also methods of retrieve.
Reservoir anglers had some difficult times during August and September with trout slinking into the depths. Many fish have now reappeared and moved into the margins and are chasing fry, offering some excellent sport.
Lures, especially those that imitate fry (small fish) have been effective at many fisheries. Trout have been chasing the flies when pulled through the margins. A slower retrieve can often take more fish when they are a little more selective.
On the smaller stillwaters, the imitative approach has been the most successful. Buzzers, Daiwl Bach, various nymphs, spiders, bloodworm and various dry flies have produced good catches.
Anglers who have been able to locate the feeding depths have done very well. When fish have been at the surface a well-presented dry fly has produced some fine sport.
Sharpley Springs Trout Fishery turned on some top-class sport for the Jack Charlton Disabled Anglers Association Children’s Day on Sunday. Anglers taking part averaged around 4.5 trout per angler. Star of the show was Travis Hetherington, from Carlisle MENCAP, with a super rainbow trout of 9lb 8oz winning him the Sunderland Echo Trophy.
The heaviest bag of fish was caught by Sophie Armstrong of the Percy Hedley Academy. The Seaham Town Council Trophy for the winning school went to the Percy Hedley with an average catch of 7lb 2oz per angler.
Kourosh Hoseiny (10lb 7oz), Bradley Grant (10lb 2oz), Michael Easton (10lb 1oz) and Daniel Patton (9lb 11oz) won their respective age groups, on what turned out to be a wonderful day for all present.
As we approach the last knockings of the salmon fishing season on English waters, sport has been patchy. Some areas have been productive where others have been hard work. Lots of coloured fish are in the pools and those caught require careful release.
While beats such as Warden caught 26 salmon to 25lb last week, Styford had 14, Dilston 11 including a 25lb salmon and Chipchase Castle 11. Some Tyne beats struggled to produce fish. A total of 90 salmon were landed last week on the River Tyne prime beats and 28 sea trout.
Wild brown trout fishing closed on 30th September and river enthusiasts will be looking to the grayling for their autumn and winter fly fishing sport. While some anglers travel to the Tweed and its tributaries, the River Wear, Derwent and Tees have good stocks of these sporting fish. Some 74 anglers caught 195 trout to 4lb 2oz. Fish were shoaled up and feeding well at times. The weekend saw plenty limit bags caught. Kacy Halliwell had four nice fish to 3lb 2oz. John Hunter landed nine trout. Tony Middleton took four trout to 4lb 2oz. Sin Hui and Steve Vivian Booth recorded 8 fish limits. The next two tagged fish caught will be worth £400. Orange Fritz, Daddies and White Muddlers were the top flies. Pink Powerbait Eggs and Garlic Dip were best baits. A total of 67 anglers caught 266 trout to 4lb in a fine week’s sport. Mark Davis landed his eight trout for 20lb on Orange Comet Powerbait Garlic Eggs and float-fished worm. A Cartwright took his limit bag which included a 4lb rainbow. J Watson from Bishop Auckland landed six good trout on the Consett Budgie. Top flies were: Consett Budgie, Cats Whisker Dawson’s Olive, Orange Blob and Black Fritz. Orange and White Mice Tails, orange Comet Garlic Eggs and worm were best baits. Anglers averaged 3.4 trout per visit in a week when blustery conditions kept rods away. Fish are feeding hard in the margins on minnows and roach fry. Fry imitating patterns are the go-to flies at present. Cats Most rods were catching up wards of four trout for their visit. Regular John Daly had 10 on lures while Paul Rae caught nine on Grizzle Cat. Flies taking trout were: Grizzle Cat, Blobs, Rabbits, Buzzers, Dries and CdCs. Buzzers, Black Crunchers, Hare’s Ear and Black Dries were the choice for the fly box this week. Windy conditions made for difficult presentation of flies. The Lower Lough fished well when conditions improved. Anglers fishing the Great Lough experienced some choppy conditions. Rods averaged over two fish per visit. Anglers that coped with the changeable and often windy conditions did really well. Fry patterns were very effective and some fine trout were caught. Among the bib catches were: Matty Divine from Hadston with 20 trout caught on nymphs. Mick Brown from Bedlington also landed 20 trout on Zonkers and Buzzers. Davy Kay from Morpeth caught 20 and 16 on lures and Blobs. Jim Lumsden returned 16 trout to 9lb over two sessions on Olive Afghans and Tenby Terrors. Tony Bell from Sunderland caught 12 on lures while Tony Patterson from Newcastle returned 10 caught on Buzzers and Bloodworms.