The big fish are biting at Derwent

May 28 2008 The Journal

IT WAS the best week’s fishing of the season to date at Derwent Reservoir with several anglers reporting fish of between 7lb and 10lb in their bags.

Mr Cleminson had the week’s heaviest fish on the fly with a 10lb rainbow taken on a Dawson’s Olive at the Meadow.

Bait anglers have also been among the big fish with Mr Kuhmbrum also landing a 10-pounder from the disabled area.

Many anglers at Fontburn took home eight-fish limit bags with regular Greg Robinson, fishing Powerbait, landing 16 fish in less than three hours on two permits, M Dawson took eight in three hours off the north shore and J Wilson and B Proud also had their limit bags before lunch. Fish of the week – a fully finned 7lb rainbow – was brought to the net by Newcastle angler G Watson.

The continued good weather has kept the rod average high at Kielder water with bank anglers enjoying good sport from Hawkhope Bank. The best fish of the week, a 5lb 8oz over wintered rainbow, was also a personal best for Thomas Chambers.

Two boats remain available for Saturday’s first heat in the Kielder WaterAid Fly Fishing Pairs Competition. Entry per pair is £65 with free fishing in the final. Registration will be between 8am and 9am at Leaplish Waterside Park with fishing, under Kielder rules, from 10am to 4pm.

Five boats remain for the second heat which will be fished on Sunday, June 22. The seven top boats from each heat will go through to the final on July 20. Anyone interested in taking part should contact Leaplish Waterside Park on 01434 251000. Fly fishing is starting to take off at Grassholme with the recent hatches of small black gnats and Hawthorns appearing in numbers with the occasional stonefly also showing on the water bringing the trout on to the feed.

This week also saw the first major fly activity of the season at Hury with the trout cruising in the top two feet of water feeding on Hawthorns, black gnats and daddies.

It was another good week at Scaling Dam with regular angler Les Wheatley of Skelton, fishing a Damsel Nymph, landing the fish of the week – a 10lb rainbow. The heaviest limit bag at 19lb 10oz was taken by Middlesbrough bait angler Dave Mead.

FLY BOX

COW GREEN: Black dries, CdC patterns, Bibio, Black Pennell.

DERWENT: Black/Orange Fritz.

FONTBURN: Cat’s Whisker, Viva, Black Foam Hopper.

GRASSHOLME: Hawthorn, Bibio, Black and Peacock Spider, Dawson’s Olive, Black Fritz.

HURY: Black Hopper, Hawthorn, Black CdC, Sedgehogs, Kate McLaren, Black and Peacock Spider.

KIELDER: orange Fritz, Claret Bumble.

SCALING: Various wets especially Sedges and blacks.

BAIT BOX

COW GREEN: Float fished worm.

DERWENT: Powerbait and worm cocktail.

FONTBURN: Light green Powerbait, Blood Money Greedy bait and worm cocktail.

GRASSHOLME: Greedy Bait/Powerbait cocktail, worm, Flying C.

KIELDER: Worm and sweetcorn, orange Powerbait.

SCALING: Worm, rainbow Powerbait.