Derwent Reservoir 01207 255250

Mar 27 2011 Sunday Sun

Two tiger trout have been landed this last week both from the Bay of Plenty, the first one was caught by Bob Ramshaw on a Yellow Dancer and the second by Neil Collins on a Dawson’s Olive, both anglers had entered the pool and left a few hundred pounds better off. Fly anglers are still finding lots of fish in the Bay of Plenty area with lures still catching well, try the likes of Dawson’s Olive, Cats Whisker, Viva Cats and Orange Fritz. Multi-bait anglers have had the most success around the Pow Hill area with ledgered power bait and pellets/magic dust producing the most takes.

Fontburn Reservoir

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Lots of limit bags recorded, the average weighing over 17Ibs. Lots of good individual specimens caught too many over 4Ib in size. Anglers amongst the action included Sid Barnes who landed five rainbows and two blues for a total weight of 22Ibs. Edward Stanwick fishing with his sons, nine-year-old Kieran and 10-year-old Cameron landed two limit bags from their favourite spot on the dam wall corner. Top flies were Dawson’s Olive, Cats Whisker and Peter Ross; bait anglers have had the best success with ledgered power bait eggs in Yellow or Orange. Top areas have been the North shore and the dam wall.

Sharpley Springs/Waters

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A natural approach seems to be the order of the day now the spring-like weather has arrived, patterns such as Black Buzzer, Bloodworm, Damsels, Tinnies and GRHE have all caught well. On the cooler mornings anglers have had to fish a little deeper so Yellow Dancers and Blobs have caught well. Anglers catching well included Wade Brown from Preston Village who netted the biggest fish of the week weighing 14Ib 12ozs with Josh Fenton from Houghton-le-Spring hot on his heels with a cracker weighing 13Ib 10ozs.

West House Trout Lakes

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This fisheries Trout Master Fish Off took place last week and was won by Chris Micallef landing eight fish, his winning tactics were CDC and Black Buzzers fished New Zealand style. In second place was Dean Appleby with six fish. The rod average for the competition was 3.9. The rest of the week has seen lots of action with Kevin Henderson from Seaton landing a cracking rainbow weighing 16Ibs, Kevin also netted fish of 8Ib and 7Ib during his busy days fishing. Jonathon Healey from Durham netted a 13Ib rainbow on a Black Worm pattern this was one of 11 fish landed. The fishery is now open 8am-7pm seven days a week.

Aldin Grange Lakes

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What a week’s fishing, the sun comes out and the trout come out to play, some of the catches this last week have been sensational with many anglers recording 20 or more trout in a session. Some anglers have done better than that, Brian Dawson from Sacriston fished three times at this fishery last week netting 70 fish! Michael English from Chester-le-Street was kept very busy during his visit landing 41. Top patterns of late have included Bloodworm, Buzzers, Diawl Bach, GRHE, PTN, CDC, Snatchers and Black Spiders. Rod average for the week was 5.5.

Sleekburn Water

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Sport again this week has been challenging but for those who have persevered the rewards have been worth it. Best tactics have been a floating line fished with patterns such as Damsels, Montana’s, GRHE, PTN, Diawl Bach and Flexi Floss Bloodworm. The best out of the lot has been the Damsel, find the depth that the trout want and good results have been had. Most anglers have managed to winkle out two or three fish all are in tip-top condition and in the 2Ib to 4Ib size. The fishery is still waiting for its first major stocking of the new season, when this goes in I will of course let you know. Rod average for the week was 2.5.

Sweethope Loughs

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The weather has been much better this week and the water temperature has risen which is great news as this fishery was still seeing snow a couple of weeks ago. Trout have now started to show up top and the prospects for a great season are looking good. This last week has still seen most anglers fishing sub-surface with lures, White Fritz, Cats Whiskers, Yellow Dancers and Dawson’s Olive have all caught well. During the warmer times a floating line approach with nymphs has proved very effective. Anglers catching well-included Graham Woodey who took a four-fish bag weighing 17Ib 8ozs, Angus Slack from Prudhoe returned 10 trout and S Scott netted six fish for a total weight of 23Ib 5ozs.

Caistron Fishery

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Sport has been excellent with lots of trout now moving and feeding close to the surface. Anglers fishing with a floating line and natural patterns have had some top-class action. A few such anglers included Peter Stonehouse who netted eight fish, Ian Purvis landed seven trout, Dennis Smith also landed seven fish and Les Downs caught five fish. The big stocking of double-figure trout that went in last week have been causing a stir with lots of anglers hooking in to things that they can’t control. If you hook one of these monsters please take your time it’s the only way to land them. Patterns worth a try are Buzzers, Bloodworm, Diawl Bach, PTN, GRHE, Damsels, Montana’s and Dawson’s Olive. Rod average for the week was 3. The stretch of the River Wear that the fishery controls for brown trout is now open with the cost of a full day ticket only £12.

Langley Dam

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Fish of the week weighed in at 5Ibs caught by Eddie Simpson. The best tree-fish bag tipped the scales at 14Ib 4ozs caught by T Lamb and G Arckle had a very busy six-hour session landing no fewer than 30 fish. Top patterns this last week have included Cats Whisker, Bloodworm, Buzzers, Black Fritz and Montana’s. All of the lake continues to fish very well, the shallower areas have fished really well during the warm overcast days. If it’s very bright the trout have headed for the deeper areas in the lake, but follow them down and the action has been none stop. The stocking policy at this fishery is superb insuring a very big head of quality trout at all times for anglers to fish for, a good number of fish in the 6Ib to 8Ib size should continue to pull anglers string and keep those rods well and truly bent.

Knitsley Mill Trout Lakes

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Top rod this last week was Bill Wilson from Delves Lane who landed 12 fish, his best-weighed 3Ib with P Rowland from Consett also having a busy session landing 10 fish, his best was also 3Ibs. The fishery has fished very well with footfall good for the time of year. Nothing big this week but that just means that all the big ones are still there for the taking. Top patterns have included White Fritz, Cats Whiskers, Blobs, PTN, GRHE, Damsels, Buzzers and Bloodworm. Rod average for the week was 4.

Witton Castle Lakes

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For those anglers who found the right tactics the action has been explosive at times. Small Black or Olive Buzzers, Bloodworm and Diawl Bach patterns have landed a lot of trout, also Mini Cats and Natural Zonkers for the lure men have worked very well. Anglers getting it right included Dan Sefton from Burnopfield, who returned 15 fish during a very busy four-hour session, Ryan Mathews from Cockfield returned 11 fish. Bernie McKewon and John Bean from Meadowfield returned 13 fish between them, including a rainbow of 10Ib 8ozs for John and a golden trout weighing 4Ib 8ozs for Bernie. Top rod of the week was A Copeland from Delves Lane who returned 11 rainbows and a massive brown trout weighing in at 15Ib 8ozs tempted on a Mini Cats Whisker.

Chatton Fishery

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The Eye Water Angling Club had a competition at the fishery last weekend with the winner being Robert Thompson from Dunbar with a cracking rainbow weighing 15Ib 8ozs. Ian Callow also from Dunbar fishing the same competition netted another nice fish weighing 9Ibs. The rest of the week has seen lots of action with M McKenzie from Cramlington landing 17 fish, Robbie Bell from Berwick-Upon-Tweed netted 14 trout, Peter Brack from Ashington landed 13 fish, P Dickinson from Ellington and Les Short from Berwick-Upon-Tweed both caught 11 fish and Dave Jackson again from Berwick-Upon-Tweed caught four fish his best was a cracking brown trout weighing 8Ibs. Congratulations goes to Trevor Robson from Cramlington who won the Benedictine Fishing Club Competition that took place last Sunday, his winning bag weighed 13Ib 13ozs.

Jubilee Lakes

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Trout started the week on Thursday taking Buzzers and Bloodworm and with the warm overcast conditions the fishing was top class, although natural patterns seemed to be the order of the day. One angler Andy Hall tried something completely different and it worked. His tactic was a Black Creeper Cat fished on a floating line, the trout were hitting it as soon as it hit the water. Friday and rest of the weekend proved challenging with a lot of anglers hooking fish but losing them. Top tactics was a floating line and long leader with patterns such as GRHE, Damsels, Small Black lures and Diawl Bach’s. Best fish of the week went to Bob Holmes from Murton with a rainbow weighing 8Ibs with Gary Hester from Newcastle not far behind with a cracker weighing 7Ibs.