Angling Report

Mid April 2007

The days of cold east winds in March when there was little surface activity have now been replaced by bright hot sunny days with trout feeding from dawn to dusk.

The silver Humungus and orange blobs were definitely most successful in late March until the water warmed.  In the space of 14 days the water temperature (taken in the margins) rose from 8C to 15C and this has had a dramatic effect on the trout’s feeding habits. Small midge flies have been hatching and the first of the hawthorn flies have just been seen.  Anglers are now successfully using small Klinkhammers in black and olive. Green and black buzzers sometimes suspended under a dry seem to work well.  On 27th March Martin Harriman from Penrith caught 23 fish on a green buzzer and on the 29th March, Mr Raj from Manchester caught 27 also on buzzers.

On the 14th march Mr Brown and Mr Roe from Bishop Auckland caught and released 40 fish between them using green buzzers.

The Trout Masters fish off was held at Bessy Beck on the 27th March in very windy and wet conditions, 12 anglers took part and 79 fish were caught.  The winner was Peter Crowe with 18 fish. 

The North heat of the individual Airflo/CEFF competition was held at Bessy Beck on the 12th April in warm and sunny conditions. 15 anglers took part and 130 fish were caught. The winner was Ryan Barrow with 19 fish, second was Jeremy Lucas with 16 fish.  The team event will be held here on the 3rd May.

Bessy Beck open day will be on the 16th and 17th June when we shall be featuring casting events and involving many local angling clubs and bodies associated with rivers and angling. 

Regards Ian and Shelley