Catch of the day at Sharpley Springs

Junior Troutmaster Winner recieves trophy

Recent catch at Sharpley Springs

View over Sharpley Springs from Vision Hill

On a clear day looking southeast from Vision Hill, the Scarborough coastline is visible in the distance.

It is rumoured that the naturally wet ground fed by ancient aquifers at the foot of Vision Hill (Now Sharpley Springs Fly Fishery may have been the location that St Cuthbert's coffin cart became stuck in the mud at Warden Law. 

"The legend follows the journey of a group of Lindisfarnemonks carrying the body of Saint Cuthbert in 995 AD. It is told that while they were wandering in the north, Saint Cuthbert’s bier came to a halt on the hill at Warden Law and the monks could not move it any further, no matter how hard they tried. The Bishop of Chester-le-Street (where Saint Cuthbert had previously lain) called a three day holy fast and prayers for the Saint. Saint Bede recalled that during this time, Saint Cuthbert appeared before one of the monks, Eadmer, and told him that his coffin must be taken to “Dun Holm”. After this revelation, the coffin was able to be moved again but none of the monks had heard of Dun Holm or knew where to find it. But by chance, they met a milkmaid on Mount Joy, south east of the site of Durham, who was wandering, searching for her lost Dun Cow, which she had last seen at Dun Holm. Yes! Taking this as a sign from Saint Cuthbert, the monks followed the milkmaid who guided them to a "wooded hill-island formed by a tight gorge-like meander of the River Wear", Dun Holm. When they arrived they built first a wooden and then a stone, structure of Durham Cathedral and around this the settlement grew. Dun Cow Lane follows from the East to the Cathedral in the current city, perhaps this marks the direction the monks first arrived from with the milkmaid?" - courtesy of www.historic-uk.com 

Derek grabham of nunthorpe receiving £1000 for tag fish winner at sharply spring trout fishery Seaham. Fought on a size 14 hook with a mini yellow nimph worm. Cought on the doxfird lake. Still another tagged fish at £500 + bounty.

Sharpley Springs Fishing Report July 25th 2011

Although well stocked with doubles this week the big fish have been the most challenging with a 13lb 5oz Blue being caught with a Black Fritz by Dave Robson from Seaham. Adam Brown residing in South Shields took a 7lb 1 oz Rainbow using a Grey Zonker. The evening fishing from 6pm to 10.30pm provide the best sport of the day with Peter Appleby from Bishop Auckland releasing 11 trout as the sun sets.
Bill Hope from Sunderland released a naturalised Brownie at 4 lbs. Nathan Bryant from Dunston netted fish to a total of 18 lbs.
Rod average 3.1

Tactics

For dry fly sport the hatches of midge that occur early and late in the day can be relied upon. Cdc emerger buzzers are generally the most effective,with olive shuttlecocks still the best. In the evenings and,indeed, throughout the day to a lesser extent,dry sedges can attract trout. Like with the buzzers,cdc patterns are excellent and the traditional deer hair imitations shouldn't be ignored either. Pulled wet sedge pupal flies are unbeatable as the evening light is lost. Damsel nymphs and buzzer pupae large and small are go-to flies in the absence of an obvious hatch and the resident brown trout continue to offer good marginal stalking. Fly box;

Olive shuttlecock
Black buzzer
GRHE
cdc sedge
Whidkhams fanc
Invicta
Daddylonglegs

Sharpley Springs Fishing Report 10th July 2011

Great early evening rises with swallows dipping for emerging flies. Wade Brown from Preston Village on his weekly visit to Sharpley Springs caught one of the elusive Big Rainbow trout's, returning a 17 lb 2 oz monster and also a small blue at 10 lbs.
Brad Bute from Sunderland used a Black Buzzer to take a 13 pounder and his pal T Hanratty a 7 pounder.. P Beagarie returned 15 fish and Drren Walker from lonbenton 14 again on Buzzers. Peter Hopeby from Bishop Auckland released the biggest catch of the week with 23 trout. Peter Appleby also from Bishop Auckland bring to the net 22 Blues and Rainbows

The tag fish still remain uncaught with a £500 bounty on its fin.

Rod average 3.8

Tactics

Early anglers are seeing olive spinners dancing in the still air and the trout are more than willing to accept a well-placed pheasant tail
imitation. Spent style,flat in the surface film is best. Later in the morning small green buzzer hatches are the norm with the resident fish sipping many at the point of emergence.No surprise then that shuttlecocks are the top fly pattern. Damsels are increasing in number and their nymphs are showing in
spoonings but the real excitement is still to be had as the light begins to fade and sedges of several species make their appearance. Brown cdc's
(size14 or 16),sedgehogs and invictas will all work.

Fly box;


Buzzers
olive shuttlecock
pheasant tail spinner
GRHE
Damsel nymph
Daddylonglegs
Sedgehog
Cdc sedge
Invicta