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Spring Fishing (Part Two): Spring and Summer Fly Fishing for Trout on Rivers in Northumberland & County Durham

A New Article with Info on ALL Trout Fishing Rivers in The Northumbrian Region

Fly Fishing on North East Rivers:

The season for trout fishing in the Northumbrian Region begins again on March 22^nd, and not a moment too soon after all that sleet, frost and snow we endured during the long winter months! However, that longing to just get out there and start fly fishing in earnest has more often than not to be put on hold, as, sadly, the inclement weather can last right through March and on into April. For this we can blame our close proximity to the still freezing cold North Sea and rivers throughout the region will usually bear more resemblance to those observed by the winter grayling angler than any of the rapidly recovering streams further south.

Because the temperature of the water will usually take weeks to rise, the first problem the trout angler will encounter in March and early April will be the near complete – or absolute – absence of any insect life above the surface of the river. As a direct consequence, the conclusion many a spring angler will draw is the absence of any trout – those same ones that so readily give their presence away with characteristic dimpled or splashy surface rises later in the season. However, this is rarely the case, and besides the worming tactics outlined the companion trout fishing article to this, there are a number of fly fishing techniques the angler can employ while the fish are still stationed deeper in the stream. All that’s needed is the right tackle and the correct flies. For the smaller rivers in the area, a 7-8 ft fly rod taking a #3/4 AFTM fly line will suffice, for medium-sized rivers an 8½-9ft rod and a #5/6 line is sufficient, while for the Tyne and the Tees, a 9½-10ft rod and #7/8 line may well be required.

Nymph & Wet Fly Fishing:

These techniques generally correspond to the nymph fishing tactics employed by the autumn grayling angler (see here), but also include wet fly fishing, a technique that employs the use of subsurface fly patterns designed to imitate those few aquatic insects that are active in these early months of spring. Patterns such as the March Brown or Iron Blue Dun will suffice in the wet fly department, while the favourite nymphs used in this region are the Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear (GRHE) and the Pheasant Tail Nymph (PTN).

Unlike the general rule for grayling fishing, however, wet fly and nymph patterns will work for trout when fished both up and downstream (and indeed straight across). As with grayling, wet fly and nymph fishing for trout is generally practised using two or more flies tied onto the same ‘cast’ (the nylon or fluorocarbon ‘leader’ or ‘tippet’ attached to the end of your fly line), the first fly being attached to the free end of the cast in the manner of a hook in bait fishing (the point), and all additional flies tied onto ‘droppers’, which are short lengths of the same material attached to the cast using a four turn water knot. The fact that you can use two or more flies in this fashion also lends itself to a hybrid technique combining both nymph and wet fly patterns. The advantage in this is that, with the stronger currents usually encountered at this time of the year, the more heavily weighted nymph patterns (particularly copper, brass or tungsten headed ones), when used on the point, will sink more quickly, getting all the imitations down to where the trout are likely to be feeding.

The upstream method of nymph or wet fly fishing is done by either casting directly upstream (where this is possible) to fish the flies on a ‘dead drift’ back towards you, or at an angle upstream and across, letting the flies swing in the current – the drag that this imparts often stimulating the aggressive predatory instinct of the trout. This drag is even more apparent in the downstream version of nymph/wet fly fishing, as the initial cast is usually made at an angle anywhere between directly across and forty five degrees downstream, with the flies allowed to swing round until they are directly down-river of the angler. In the downstream version of this kind of fly fishing, the all important ‘take’ from the fish is usually felt as a sharp snatch on the line, an indication that must be responded to instantaneously with the strike. In upstream nymph and wet fly fishing, meanwhile, the take is seen and rarely ever felt, as the angler is retrieving fly line all the time to stay in contact with his flies. Takes can resemble anything from the end of the fly line shooting sharply and unmistakably upstream or across, to more subtle variations on this theme, to the line simply stopping dead in the current. In any of these circumstances the strike should also be made without any delay. Nymphs, especially the more heavily weighted variety, will catch the bottom in this form of fly fishing – only trial and error will tell you when this happening, and even still there will invariably be the odd case when repeatedly ‘hanging up’ is actually a fish!

Later in the spring, as currents lose speed, a turn to lighter nymphs will be the order of the day, and while many of the same patterns will remain effective, the introduction of some of those designed to imitate the now more frequently emerging adult flies will pay dividends. The hatches of these mature insects will be evidenced by often frenzied activity as the trout chase the insect larvae up to and at the surface of the water, then feed on the adults thereof as they hatch through the surface film and again when certain species return to the river to lay their eggs. Wet flies fished across and down, and close to the surface (ie without the added weight of a nymph) mimic the last stage of these emerging insects’ rise to the surface film, with many patterns designed to produce movement as drag is imparted, making them behave uncannily like the real thing!

Dry Fly Fishing:

Once the insects have hatched (that is, they have emerged from the surface film and become adults that are able to fly), the angler’s aim is to mimic them using what is termed the ‘dry fly’. The word ‘dry’ pays deference to the fact that, while nymphs and wet flies are fished beneath the surface and as a consequence get wet, flies which are designed to imitate adult insects sitting on top of the surface film must remain dry in order to stay floating. This is achieved through the far more abundant hackles that are tied onto dry fly patterns, a design feature which helps trap minute pockets of air when the fly lands on the surface, helping it to float. Even still, the fly would eventually become waterlogged and sink after several casts were it not for the drying effect of the false casts the angler has to make as he lengthens his line. Floatation of the dry fly is also helped by the use of ‘gink’, an aerosol spray that can be bought at most tackle shops, the application of which gives the hackles still greater water resistance and hence a greater ability to resist becoming waterlogged.

In conventional dry fly fishing (except for those modern variations, such as ‘the duo’, which involves the combination of both a dry fly and a nymph) you use just the one fly, this single artificial being presented on a length of monofilament line tied to the end of the fly line that is identical to a wet fly or nymph ‘cast’ in everything other than the fact there are no droppers. The length of this cast depends on a number of factors, as well as the angler’s personal preference, but a good rule of thumb is to begin at around six or seven feet, going longer with the increasing size of the river, although a shorter cast may well be less problematic in windy conditions.

The floating fly is of course a prerequisite to this type of fishing, and like with the other two forms of river fly fishing, a floating fly line is also essential. In dry fly fishing, however, if the cast floats, it will cause very unnatural presentation of the fly that will almost certainly cause the trout to distrust the artificial. Like all monofilament fishing lines, tippet line is virtually invisible when underwater, so a mixture of a substance called ‘Fullers Earth’ and washing up liquid is used to degrease the leader and help it sink into the surface film – a putty-like mixture which can also be bought inexpensively at most tackle shops, and can be used for wet fly fishing with un-weighted patterns as well

Unlike nymph and wet fly fishing, however, the only directions in which you can ordinarily dry fly fish are either upstream or across, although a very accurate cast made downstream to a fish that rises as you are lengthening will sometimes tempt an instant response. The reason for this is that, unlike the other two forms, the dry fly has to be fished on a dead drift, with no deviation from the natural flow of the current. This is because, with very few exceptions in terms of angling, insects that either land or fall onto the surface of the river are always carried downstream with the current, unable to move in any other direction unless they take flight.

This may seem like a straightforward consideration – just cast the fly and let it drift – but in fact it is never so, as the action of the current on the fly line and ‘cast’ on different parts of river will always cause them to move faster or slower (or both) than the fly itself – a situation which, if not compensated for, will cause the dry fly angler’s biggest nightmare: ‘drag’. Drag is in effect any unnatural movement of the fly on the surface of the water, caused by differential movement of line between the fly and the angler: the net effect being that the fly will usually either skate along at a speed faster than the real rate of movement of the water in that area, or be slowed down and appear to drag – with either variation being an instant signal to the waiting trout that the imitation is not natural. On most parts of most rivers, the rates of flow are different everywhere, so drag will occur with even a cast made directly upstream. Nonetheless, it follows that the more square the cast the more acute the problem becomes, with a cast made directly across likely to start pulling the fly back towards the angler within a split second unless some compensation is made.

Dealing with drag is never easy – only practice is the real answer – but a ‘wiggly cast’ – one made so that the line lands on the water with ‘wiggles’ in it that straighten out, alleviating drag as it moves downstream – is as good a method to start with as any. Simply add extra force at the end of the cast to the deliver the line so it lengthens fully and then springs back slightly before landing on the water. Another consideration is that although dealing with drag on a slow flowing stretch of river is easier, fooling trout in this type of water is much harder, as the slow movement of the water allows the trout more time to inspect the artificial fly and become wary of its presentation. In faster water, the fish have much less time in which to make their minds up, and although drag will be spotted in an instant, the fastidiousness nature of many a wily trout is less likely to be evident in these areas.

Hooking a fish is much more straightforward in dry fly fishing, as the take is much more clearly seen – follow your fly as it floats down the river and strike when a trout rises and takes it! As with the other two forms of the discipline, striking promptly is still a necessity in river dry fly fishing, but as you are responding to the actual take and not to the line movement that indicates it a moment later, it is possible to strike too quickly in this game. Generally speaking, though, as long as you aren’t too keen, the amount of time it ordinarily takes to react will allow the trout to properly take hold of the artificial. Like the other two forms, however, the fish will reject the imitation as soon as it realises it isn’t real, so the strike cannot be delayed for too long!

Lastly to the types of dry fly patterns to try and there are four main groups of fly that these imitate on rivers in this area – the upwinged flies (olives and mayflies), the stoneflies (including the needle flies), the caddis flies or sedges and the midges. In early season, once the trout have become active on the surface of the river, the olives will often provide the most reliable sport and depending on the river, imitations of the large dark olive or the iron blue dun will be often be effective, with the greenwells glory a pattern intended to imitate a variety of northern olive species. Very early in the season, an imitation of the March Brown can also take trout. In early June, any characteristically large white upwinged pattern that looks similar to our native mayfly E.danica will drive the trout crazy, and later in the summer the blue winged olive (emerger – afternoon) and its fully mature variant the sherry spinner (imago – evening) will temp trout.

Needle flies are small flies that are often seen in great number whizzing around just above the surface of many North East rivers from early summer onwards and a small grey duster will often score in this situation. Keeping a variety of sedge patterns in your fly box, in a variety of colours, is also recommended, as the bigger caddis flies are a common sight in the margins on late spring and summer days. I’ve most often had success with the brown varieties. One ‘exception to the rule’ is the hawthorn fly, which is actually a terrestrial insect but is blown off fields close to the river and onto the water in late April and May whereupon, if they appear in sufficient number, they can frequently whip the trout into a feeding frenzy. These cumbersome black flies are easy to spot if they happen to end up over the river, so have an imitation ready!

There are, of course, very many other good trout dry fly patterns with a variety of names (usually non-biological) that imitate natural species specifically, collectively and even non-specifically. The best course of action is a good old-fashioned reference book or, nowadays, there are an ever-increasing number of fly fishing websites that will explain what a specific fly pattern is intended to be with just a simple search.

So that’s the basic principles of North East river fly fishing taken care of, how about a few places to test them out? Listed below are most of the beats available to the river trout angler in the region, with information on all the main trout rivers found in Northumberland and Durham.

Trout Fishing Rivers in the Region (from North to South):

Fishing Locations on the Trout Rivers of Northumberland and Durham

River Aln: A small river that runs through Alnwick and on to the sea at Alnmouth in north Northumberland. Regarded primarily as a sea trout and salmon river, it is nonetheless of interest for brown trout as well. Fishing is available on five miles of banks downstream of Alnwick through the Aln Angling Association (1 – see map). Permits can be obtained through Hardy & Greys Ltd, Willowburn, Alnwick, tel:01665 510027, or Jobson’s of Alnwick, , Tower Showrooms, tel:01665 602135.

River Coquet: An excellent medium-sized game fishing river famous for salmon and sea trout but also an excellent brown trout water as well. The Northumbrian Anglers Federation have three stretches available to trout anglers, 2a, 2b &2c on the map, with inexpensive season permits available to fish for brown trout only, if you don’t want to fork out extra for salmon and sea trout. The beats in question are a short stretch at Harbottle in the upper reaches, a five mile mostly uninterrupted stretch between Rothbury and Pauperhaugh, and three miles immediately downstream of Felton. The NAF website is here  with all the ticket information and contact details.

River Wansbeck: A small to medium-sized river, the Wansbeck is a trout stream, with no coarse species present and negligible numbers of sea trout or salmon running it. The Wansbeck Angling Association (3) have a mile and a half of single bank water upstream of Morpeth and five miles downstream running through the hamlet of Bothal and on beyond to the tidal limits at Sheepwash. WAA permits and day tickets can be bought from Game Fishing Supplies, 3 Fawcetts Yard, Morpeth (opposite the new bus station), tel:01670 510996, and McDermott’s Fishing Tackle, 112 Station Road, Ashington, tel 01670 812214. There is also a mile of ‘free water’ in the centre of Morpeth -see The Credit Crunch List  and Spring Fishing Part One. In recent years, this river has turned up an 8½lb brown trout. See also the detailed description of Scots Gill, further down the article.

River Blyth: Slightly smaller than the Wansbeck, and only a few miles further south, the Blyth, too, lacks any significant run of migratory fish but is an excellent trout stream with grayling and a scattering of coarse fish also present. Several miles of fishing on this river, from the A1 bridge near Stannington down as far as Bedlington, is controlled by the Bedlington & Blagdon Angling Association (4) .

River Tyne: The main River Tyne is extremely large by comparison with all the other rivers in the area, with the exception of the Tees. It is widely regarded as the best salmon fishing river in England and, as such, several of its finest beats are preserved exclusively for this type of fishing. There are still some places you can fly fish for brown trout, however, and around Wylam, there are several such stretches – firstly the river close to the village itself which is controlled by the Wylam Angling Club (5), for whom information and day tickets are available from the Spar shop in the village or by phoning 01661 852214. The Northumbrian Anglers Federation (6) controls two sections of the Tyne near Wylam and Ovington – details as for the Coquet.

Upstream at Hexham, the Tyne Green beat (7) is controlled by the local council and day and season permits are available from the Hexham Tourist Information Centre, Wentworth Car Park, Hexham, tel:01434  652220. Around a mile long, this stretch is more suited to fly fishing in its upper reaches.

The Tyne Angling Passport is a scheme run by the Tyne Rivers Trust which gives access to a number of fishing beats in the Tyne catchment, including some of those listed here, through the purchase of tokens from the trust. Full details of the passport can be found here.

The Tyne has very many tributaries, some of them important rivers in their own right. The River South Tyne has two beats open to trout fishing, at Haltwhistle and near its headwaters at Alston in Cumbria. Tickets for the Haltwhistle Angling Club’s six miles of river fishing (8) can be obtained from Gregg’s Sports, Main Street, in the town, tel:01434 321297. Permits for the Alston & District Angling Club’s stretch of the river (9) between Alston and Langley Viaduct can be bought from Alston Post Office and Tourist Office.

On the River North Tyne, trout fishing is less accessible, with only a stretch about four miles from Bellingham (10) bookable in advance on 01434 240239. On its tributary, the smaller River Rede, the situation is similar, with fishing on the Otterburn Tower Hotel’s beat (11)  available at a special rate to residents.

The River Derwent is the Tyne’s last major tributary and it offers excellent fly fishing for trout (and grayling), controlled by the two clubs on the river. The Axwell Park & Derwent Valley Angling Association (12), has around eight miles of the river’s lower reaches (the last half mile is tidal) running from Lintzford, via Rowlands Gill down to Swalwell. Details here . The Derwent Angling Association (website here) controls much of the upper river, which is divided into several sections. There is a long continuum of water beginning immediately below the dam at Derwent Reservoir and stretching almost all the way down to Shotley Bridge (13b). This water is preserved as a wild trout fishery above Allensford, but suffers frequent invasions by escapee rainbow trout from the reservoir, some of which can run to several pounds! The DAA also controls several miles of the river downstream of the village of Ebchester (13a), a beat that continues almost all the way to the commencement of Axwell Park’s water. Both clubs issue both day and season permits. The Derwent is similar in size and character to the Blyth.

River Wear: Regarded by many as England’s premier sea trout river, the Wear is also an excellent brown trout fishery and in addition contains grayling and numerous coarse species in its lower reaches. Chester-le-Street Angling Club has several miles of the lower river (14), beginning near the tidal limits, between CLS and Washington, and continuing to a mile or two upstream of Chester, with day tickets available in certain areas. Information is on their website here .

There is also a short section of the lower river available to fishing by day ticket and by season permit, at Finchale Abbey (15), situated between CLS and Durham City. The river here is streamy and well-suited to fly fishing, but the Abbey is popular with tourists at weekends and on bank holidays in the spring and summer, so it may be best to try a weekday! Finchale’s website is here.

Also located between Chester-l-s and Durham is a stretch of the Wear belonging the Felling Fly Fishing Club (18), a local club that has water on several North East rivers. This section is located near Frankland Farm, just outside of Durham City, details on Felling’s website here.

The main club in Durham itself is Durham City Angling Club, which controls or shares the rights to four beats in and around the city (16), totalling around five miles. The pick of the fly fishing is found at the excellent Shincliffe Hall stretch. DCAC don’t do day tickets, details about membership can be found here.

By now we are into the middle reaches of what ranks as the region’s third largest river and Ferryhill Angling Club (17) controls several miles of water between Durham and the next major town on the Wear, Bishop Auckland, including Croxdale (shared with DCAC) and the adjacent Brock Bank, which are both excellent fly waters. Information about the club can be found here .

Bishop Auckland is home to another River Wear-based angling club, named after the town itself. Bishop Auckland Angling Club controls some twenty miles of bank on the middle and upper reaches of the river (19), with information about how to join the club available here.

There are also several other stretches of the upper Wear available to fly fishing, with the Upper Weardale Angling Association controlling six miles of fishing from Cowshill, in the upper dale, down to Westgate (21). Permits can be obtained from the Post Office in St. John’s Chapel or the Blue Bell Inn. Weardale Fly Fishers have four miles between Eastgate and Stanhope (20). Day tickets for this stretch can be bought from Stanhope Newsagents in Front Street, Stanhope.

Last but not least, on the River Wear’s tributary the River Browney, the Malton and District Angling Club controls about two miles of the upper river near Lanchester (22). Further information here.

River Tees: The second largest river in North East England, the Tees is essentially a river of two halves – in its upper and upper to-mid reaches, it is a game river, and on its mid-to-lower reaches it is a coarse river. The river offers excellent fly fishing for trout at several points in its upper course. Near Middleton-in Teesdale (23), Upper Teesdale Estates have a couple of miles of single bank fishing just to the west of the small market town. Permits are available from Raby Estate Office, High Force Waterfall Gift Shop and Raines Ironmongers in Middleton. Telephone 01833 640209 or email teesdaleestate@rabycastle.com for further details.

Further downstream, there is fly fishing at Barnard Castle controlled by the Barnard Castle Angling Association (24). Permits can be obtained from Wilkinson’s Gun Shop, Castle Café and the Tourist Information Centre in the town, and just a few miles further down, the Bishop Auckland Angling Club has a stretch of the river above and below Egglestone Bridge (25). For details see entry 19 above. Similarly Ferryhill Angling Club controls around a mile of the river at Middleton One Row (26), near Darlington – see entry 17 for further details.

Featured Beat:

River Wansbeck

The Wansbeck at Scots Gill

Scots Gill

is the only section of the Wansbeck Angling Association’s water that is fly only for the entire season. It consists of about half a mile of classic trout fishing water, with the whole beat well featured. There are two short pools and two longer ones, with the uppermost reaching depths of around ten feet in places. All of these pools have their individual merits, but the uppermost reaches of the top one is arguably the best place to try for a bigger trout.

Parking is in the public car park for ‘Scotch Gill Woods Nature Reserve’ (no charge), situated next to Morpeth Rugby Club. This is just before you get to the first bridge over the river on the B6343 Mitford Road, which itself is found by taking the road north out of Morpeth Town Centre and turning left towards Scots Gap. The beat is about a fifteen-minute walk from the town centre, following either Mitford Road, or the Lady’s Walk footpath and crossing over the bridge opposite the rugby club.

From the car park, follow the footpath that goes down the hill towards the river and you’ll immediately come across the second pool on the beat (the first one being just upstream of the road bridge and a scramble down the high bank that’s topped by the car park’s access road!). A set of rapids ensues as the path heads upstream, crossing an area of boggy ground as it goes, with the third pool (which is a bit longer than the second) mainly comprising a slow-ish far bank run. At the top end of this pool, a very shallow glide separates it from the uppermost pool, which begins as the woodland to your right starts to become more dense.

The path moves a few yards away from the riverbank at this point, with access to the deeper parts of this pool by following the tracks that lead down to the river. If you continue on a hundred yards or so, however, the path moves back towards the river and you’ll see the point at which the main river and a mill race (now dry owing the collapse of the weir half a mile upstream!) converge as they break into the top of the uppermost pool.

There is a shingle bank on the nearside and wading towards the deeper run hard in on the far bank is relatively straightforward. You can either head a few paces downstream, wading as deep as you can go and then work back, casting upstream at the deepening run at the head of the pool, or you can fish across and down, allowing a team of flies to swing across the dark water where the whole pool begins to deepen.

Tickets: Wansbeck Angling Association Membership or Day Tickets from Game Fishing Supplies , Fawcetts Yard (near the bus station), Morpeth.

Flies: Iron Blue Dun, Black Gnat, Snipe & Purple.

©The Fishing Archives 2011. All Rights Reserved. 

Posted by Pete on Mar 15th, 2011 and filed under Where to Fish. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site

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