Coarse catches
A stunning barbel of over 9lb figured in match catches as Tees events returned to their normal stretches, with the river finally showing signs of recovering from the coloured floodwater.
The river was running well above normal level for Sunday’s matches at Croft and Over-Dinsdale, but because the rain had been mainly over the Pennines, the water was clear.
This was in contrast to the previous six weeks when the water was so heavily coloured due to the influx of dirty water from tributaries and fields that the matches had to be either cancelled or postponed.
Of the 10 Billingham AC anglers double-pegged along the full stretch of the NYSD waters at Over -Dinsdale from pegs 1-33, only four managed to take fish to the scales.
Billingham’s Dave Munt was clear winner after landing a barbel weighing 9lb 2oz from peg 29 just upstream of the green field.
Dave, who is the Lower Tees Angling Association chairman and Angling Trust Regional Liaison Officer, fished a small blockend maggot feeder with maggot for grayling but after missing two quick bites he decided to try a bit of punched bread.
He immediately connected with what he thought was a submerged log but when it shook its head he realized he was into a monster fish. After the fish initially slipped his landing net and darted downstream he gradually coaxed the fish back safely to the net.
Kevin Parker landed a 4lb 2oz chub on legered bread from peg 20 to take runner up spot while two big grayling from peg 14 was sufficient to give Steve Wathey third place with 2lb 4oz. Jonathon Yardley was the only other angler to catch, with a 12oz grayling.
Bream showed in the Harry Wilson Memorial on the lower Tees as Andy Hamilton took advantage in a match fished by 27 anglers.
The Maver Newman Scott ace weighed in 25lb 6oz made up of two bream, and skimmers, caught on feeder and worm, from peg 167 below the Leven Mouth, where there is a shoal of bream.
Stuart Bell, also of Maver, was runner-up from the same area. He weighed in 17lb 11oz from peg 163. Craig Stockton of Yarm, came third from the end peg, 193, which often produces.
Paul Stevenson of Yarm, also cracked double figures. From peg 159 he totalled 13lb 15oz.
A total of 24 anglers weighed in as better conditions brought fish on the feed, though there were fewer perch caught than anticipated.
And for tomorrow’s Stuart Meehan Memorial weights could be even better for the river is continuing to fine down.
For the Thornaby AA Ernie Reynolds Memorial the river carried one metre of extra water as 25 Thornaby anglers competed between Croft and Hurworth.
A strong, blustery wind made fishing difficult. However chub and grayling obliged in a match where the outcome was uncertain until the final whistle.
Darlington’s Barry Stevenson landed a hefty 4lb 15oz chub which accepted bread legered close in on peg 23 just downstream from Boro’s training field at the Hurworth end of the match length, to seal his second consecutive victory on the venue.
A hefty grayling that slipped the hook proved costly for Durham’s John Hay who had to be content with second spot with his 4lb 7oz chub from peg seven, just above the railway bridge, which was also taken on legered bread. Thornaby’s in-form Anth Smith secured third spot with a 4lb 6oz chub using legered cheese close in from peg 47, nudging Thornaby’s Graham Ellison, whose chub from peg 72 at the Hurwoth end of the match length weighed a mere ounce less at 4lb 5oz, into fourth spot.
Darlington’s Mick Clitheroe caught five grayling to stick float for 3lb to complete the frame.
On the stillwaters Shane Atkins of Daiwa Cleveland Angling, was a winner on The Oaks. He won the Thursday match on Cedar Lake with 103lb 6oz of carp on pellet, from peg 56. Rob Minikin (Sonubaits) was runner-up with 99lb 7oz, then came Simon Medd (Daiwa Cleveland Angling) with 67lb 3oz.
Sea scene
A lesser spotted dogfish - a rare catch from the area’s shoreline - featured in the latest Saltburn match.
The 1lb 7.75oz fish, the biggest of the match, was caught by Chris Wood, who offered a cocktail worm bait of rag and lug at Newholme. He added three flounder and a whiting, for 2lb 10oz and runner-up spot.
The match, for the Johnson No 1 Cup was won by Stan Preston, who fished Newholme and caught three flounder and three whiting for 3lb 1.25oz.
Dan Redling came third with three flounder and a whiting for 2lb 5.75oz.
The other angler to weigh in was Mick Gray who landed two flounder, a dab and a whiting for 1lb 9.25oz.
The match was fished from the South Gare to Whitby, up to high water, from 5-9pm.
The club’s next event is the first of the Summer League season and is fished in May.
Dogfish normally prefer deeper water, but occasionally venture inshore, and are sometimes caught from Saltburn Pier.
- ONLY one of the 11 who fished the Redcar N and G match weighed in.
Although the weather stayed fine and the sea conditions were good, the fish were elusive.
Stan Preston took the houours with a single flounder of 9oz caught at Coatham.
It won him the match and, of course, the heaviest fish of the match.
The club still has a few matches left before a break of a few weeks.
And, while the fish tend to dwindle in early spring, the club hopes enough will hang around to make for some decenet matches.
Trout topics
The trout fishing season on the Northumbrian Water reservoirs starts a fortnight today, with prices pegged to last year’s level.
Don Coe, operations manager of the fisheries, said: “We appreciate that in these tough economic times many of our anglers are finding it increasingly difficult to fund their fishing - and it’s not easy for us to meet the costs to sustain our fisheries either.
“We continue to look closely at our budgets and believe that we can still offer the reduced charges we introduced last season. We hope that anglers will find it that bit easier to enjoy their pastime and support our fisheries with their visits.
“Northumbrian Water is determined to maintain and enhance its position as the leading provider of stillwater game fishing in Northern Europe.”
An eight-fish day permit cost £23, and a concessionary £21. Advance day permits can be bought at www.fishpal.com
The company runs trout fishing at Scaling Dam on the North Yorkshire Moors, as well as Teesdale reservoirs Grassholme and Hury, Derwent Reservoir near Consett and Fontburn and Kielder in Northumberland.
Around 20,000 fish will be waiting for anglers on the opening day.
During the season 42,000 prime conditioned, home grown rainbows from the water company’s own fish farms in Northumberland and the Tees Valley will be introduced as part of the minimum total stocking of 100,000 trout.
Bait fishing is permitted on all waters except Hury, which is fly only.
Rainbow trout marked with special sweep tags will continue to be stocked in Fontburn, Derwent, Grassholme and Scaling. Anglers who catch one of these marked fish and who have joined the over-18s sweep for a £1 stake before fishing could win up to £400.
- LOCKWOOD BECK opened today and with mild weather the fish will feed freely. Floating lines will be best with lightly weighted nymphs, including Buzzers.
The reservoir has been well stocked and fish are expected from all areas.
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