THERE has been a change in the date for the opening of the 2011 season at South Linden Fishery.
The bait lake – well stocked with quality over-wintered blues and rainbows – opens this Saturday as scheduled but the fly lake will not open until March 5. The fishery will not take delivery of their fresh fish in time for the earlier opening date.
The Northumberland fishery’s management team has made many improvements to both lakes over the winter, including six new fishing platforms on the bait lake.
Caistron Trout Fishery, Northumberland, also re-opens for the 2011 season on Saturday. In addition to a good head of quality over-wintered fish in the lakes, there will be a bumper stocking.
The opening weekend sees prizes on Saturday and Sunday for the first fish landed from the bank and boat.
The lake at Naworth is clearing well. Catches were picking up towards the weekend but the sudden cold snap pushed the fish deep and rods had to work hard for their fish. The two best catches were made by B McNeill with 12 rainbows to fly and J Wardrope with eight, within 30 minutes to a Black Fritz.
The recent strong winds and heavy rain slightly coloured the lakes at Chatton Trout Fishery, making fishing a little harder although this did not stop Ethan Appleby, 10 of Bedlington and fly fishing for the first time, landing a quality rainbow on a fly he tied himself at the Hirst Park Trout Ticklers Fly Fishing Club in Ashington.
Langley Dam continues to fish well with Jim Tuck of Ashington landing the heaviest fish of the week at 8lb 7oz and safely returning a 5lb brown trout. Neil Mason enjoyed fantastic sport, safely returning 43 fish.
It was a good week at Jubilee Lakes with a rod average of more than four. John Self from Maidenlaw had the largest fish of the week, an 11lb 9oz rainbow, on a Black Daddy.
Witton Castle Lakes continued to fish well through the weekend despite the bitter cold, Barnard Castle rod Jim McDade took the weekend’s best bag, nine with the best fish a brownie of around 8lb.
It has certainly been the case of the early bird catching the buzzer hatches at Sharpley Springs/Water this week with those anglers arriving before mid-morning and prepared to match the hatch enjoying superb sport with takes coming thick and fast.
Anglers among the double-figure fish at Sharpley springs/Water this week included Glenn Appleby from Peterlee who had one of 13lb 8oz and another, five days later, at 14lb 8oz.
At West House Trout Lakes, Jonathon Reid from Newcastle landed six rainbows, including a nice fish of 13lb; fishery owner David Leak caught an overwintered rainbow of 9lb and also a fin perfect 6lb brown.
The fishery is now open from 8am to 5.30pm, seven days a week.
FLY BOX
Chatton: Yellow Dancer, Buzzers, Montanas.
Jubilee: Black & Green Lures, Black Zonker, Pink or Orange Nomad, Cat’s Whisker, Lime and White Bunny Leech.
Langley: Cat’s Whisker, Buzzers, Black Fritz, Black/Green Fritz.
Sharpley: Black/Olive Buzzers, Diawl Bach, Bloodworm, Pinkies, Dinky Doo, Shuttlecocks, Cat’s Whiskers, Pennell Nymph.
West House: Cat’s Whiskers, Dawson’s Olives, Zonkers, Pink Buzzers, Hare’s Ears, mini lures.
Witton Castle: Lures, Cat’s Whisker, Dawson’s Olive, Zonkers fished on intermediate or slow sinking line.
