Robinson top rod in rivers championships

Jul 8 2010 by George MacIntyre, The Journal

WHICKHAM angler Simon Robinson was top individual rod while the England team lifted the gold medal in the 2010 International Rivers Championships fished on the River Tees last weekend.

Simon, who is the only angler ever to be two-times International Rivers Champion, took first place in all his four sessions.

With the river rising approximately six inches following rain on the evening before the competition, England switched their game plan to use mostly short line French nymphing tactics on the water.

Simon caught 40 measurable trout during the six-hour competition. In the afternoon session he took 11 fish on his beat just below Low Force Waterfall.

Apart from being the overall winner, he just failed by 6mm to win the trophy for the largest trout with a fish of 30.2cm.

The fourth lake has opened for bait fishing at Witton Castle Lakes with the south lake reverting to fly only.

Bishop Auckland’s Alan Ross returned the best fish this week, estimated at 15lb 8oz on a Damsel variant, returning a further six in a great four-hour session.

On Friday there will be another all night session at the lakes. Call (01388) 488691 or visit www.wittoncastlelakes.co.uk.

It has been another good week for rising fish at Waskerley where Dan Sefton of Burnopfield had 33 fish in two visits last week. Dan was fishing with NWDAA Bailiff John Liddle who also had a big double figure catch. Both these anglers fished the south bank with small black dry midges.

Fly fishermen struggled at Naworth this week where there was little or no surface activity with the fish lying deep. Worm fishing, however, has been good, with many bag limits taken. The fishery recorded 200 fish landed for the week, the best at 6lb.

It was another challenging week’s fishing at Chatton due to the very hot weather conditions with good numbers of fish being caught on sinking and intermediate lines around the eight-foot mark.

Those anglers among the fish included Matty Divine from Hadston (14) and Peter Davison from Newhartley caught a 7lb 8oz Rainbow on Black Buzzer.

Chatton Lake is fully booked from 4pm until close on Wednesday, July 14, but the Ross Lake will be open as normal.

The evening sessions are still giving the best sport at Sweethope Loughs, although in the recent cooler conditions good bags have been taken throughout the day.

Matt Eyres from Newcastle, on only his second fly fishing outing, had the best fish of the week, a cracking 7lb 6oz rainbow, and another at 3lb 7oz.

The fishery has introduced a weekly draw for a free full day sporting ticket from the catch returns. This week’s winner was A Morrison from Blyth who fished on Monday, June 28, on ticket 869.

Lewis Hirst from Staindrop landed a 11lb 12oz rainbow, the only double of the week at Jubilee Lakes where 13-year-old Thomas Mackley landed his first ever rainbow, a well-conditioned fish of 3lb 1oz, on an orange lure.

The fishery will remain open until 10pm for the next six weeks to allow anglers to take advantage of the evening rise.

The Fishing For Everyone Ladies Fishing Club is holding an event on the Ross Lake at Chatton Trout Fishery, Northumberland, on Sunday July 18. The event will run from noon-6pm.

FLY BOX

Caistron: Mini lures, natural imitations.

Chatton: Buzzers, Bloodworm, Pheasant Tail Nymph, small lures.

Jubilee: Damsels, Blue Zonker, Olive Zonker, Dawson’s Olive, Buzzers, Diawl Bach, small nymphs, various dries, CdC patterns.