Sharpley Springs Fishing Report

How's it Fishing
Yet another excellent week with lake olives,hawthorns and black gnats all occupying the attentions of the trout 
The biggest of the week caught by George Martin from Weardale releasing a Rainbow if 16 lbs  using a Buzzer. Ses
Goyne of Houghton le Spring took a 10 pounder again using a Buzzer.
The biggest catch of the week was caught by Dean Appleby from Newton Aycliffe with a whopping 26 in number. Peter Appleby 15 and Glen Appleby topping the Appleby family with 25. The Appleby family certainly know how to fish Sharpley Springs !! Howard Robson from Ryton using a Damsel released 16 Trout.
The Albert and Alice lakes fished especially well, a great time of Year for fishing.

Tactics
Yet another excellent week with lake olives, hawthorns and black gnats all occupying the attentions of the trout at one time or another-this in addition to the usual,and reliable,midge hatches.
Black gnats have been around all week and some of the lakes have responded superbly,with great dry fly angling to be had with close-copy imitations allowed to drift at the same speed as the naturals. At some times the trout wanted them high on their legs with,say,a black and peacock dry whereas at others the patterns needed to sit low, in the surface film.At these times, flies incorporating foam fitted the bill nicely.
This same scenario applies also to the hawthorns which have really put in an appearance this week and have been mopped up with gusto at times.The Albert and Alice lakes fished especially well to both of these flies.
Any cooler, blustery moments saw hatches of lake olives with the usual , splashy takes-and the immediate need for either an emerging olive or up winged dun pattern. Green f flies are as good as anything.
Incase we weren't already spoilt for choice,daddies abounded and Alders put in appearance at the weekend. 
Some would argue (me for one) this is the best time of the year.

Fly box:
Hawthorn
Black gnat
Black and peacock spider
Black beetle
Black hopper
Green f
Hares ear shuttlecock
Daddy
Black muddler
Black buzzer
Rod average 4.9

Sharpley Sharpley Fishing report

How's it fishing

Another excellent week at Sharpley Springs with a variety of midge species being augmented with seasonal terrestrials. Hawthorne's have been prolific as well as attracting good sized double this week.

The best beening a 15lb rainbow returned by Paul Kirkhouse from Sunderland, also a 14 pounder taken by David Kay from Morpeth using a buzzer. Other doubles were caught by Tom Jones from Houghton-le-Spring and Dave Mull from Sunderland both  weighing 12lbs. Another 12 lbs 5 oz trout using a Cats whisker by Andy Bowtell from Newton Aycliffe . Colin Grey from Gateshead caught a naturalised Browny at 9 pound. Ian Stoneman from Sunnyside to get a 6 pounder on an Olive lure. James Stevenson from Great Ayton had the biggest bag of the week with 18 to 10 lb 4 oz.

Rod Average 4.4               Tactic.                           Another excellent week at Sharpley Springs with a variety of midge species being augmented with seasonal terrestrials.

Daddylonglegs have shown up in numbers and this means that imitations can happily be used ( usually in the absence of a recognisable hatch ) right up until late Autumn.They are deadly twitched across the surface-and equally so pulled underneath! Experiment between the yellow and fawn-bodied species.
The cool north-easterlies on Friday, coupled with bright skies,saw perfect conditions for black gnats to hatch and mate.Wind-blown unfortunates that found themselves on the water were easy fodder and superb dry fly sport was had using traditionally hackled black gnats or spiders.
Success was not a given though and careful presentation-with a downwind drift was usually required.
Any warmth in the week to come should see hawthorny action too.

Fly box:
Black gnat/spider
Black beetle
Knotted midge
Black/green buzzer
Olive/hare's ear foam-head emerger
Olive shuttlecock
Lake olive dun
Damsel nymph
Sunburst blob
Sedge hog,Hawthorne.         Hares Ear

Sharpley Springs Fishing Report week ending 27th April.

How's it fishing
Suberb dry fly sport last week with a plethora of image small rape beetles, daddies and olives were also thrown into the mix.
The biggest of last week a Whopping 18 pounder caught on a Black Buzzer by Grant Downie from Blagdon. Plenty of other doubles in the 10 to 14 pounders , caught by N Hart from Stanley a 13 pounder on a Olive Hopper from a great bag of 19 Trout. Keith Barker from Peterlee using a Zonker for a 12 pounder also Derek Brown visiting from Dumfries with two at 12lbs and 14lbs 8oz using a Yellow Dancer.
Brian Ogden from Trimdon a 11lb 8 oz using a Sedge.
Steven Greathead from Lumley with a fine 15lb 3 oz caught from a bag of 8 using mainly Buzzers. Dave Robson from Seaham is amongst the big fish catches with a 14lb 13oz Rainbow. Gary Steele from Howdon and Trevor Robson from Cramlington both had 10lb plus trout. Another big trout surfacing after warm weather was a 16lb 4oz Rainbow caught by Paul Runce from Great Ayton . Been a good week for 6 to 8 pounders with plenty of Anglers catching in this range.
Trout Master National Qualifier  Fish off was won by 
Glen Appleby with 11 trout and runner up 2nd Jim Tuck and 3rd James Stephenson. 
Thank you all for taking part, Sharpley Springs is look forward to sponsoring Glen to the final.
Rod average 5.1

Tactics

Superb dry fly sport last week , not only were there the plethora of midge, small rape beetles, daddies and olives were also thrown into the mix.
The lake olive fishing was particularly fascinating as the fog and easterly wind combination meant ideal hatch conditions.
Many hare's ear patterns were effective but those of olive hare's ear outperformed the rest.
The mist had trout rising all day and the evening sport was every bit as good as the best of the morning.
A variety of tactics were successful-twitched and pulled dries,drifted wets and suspended pupae.This will be some of the best angling of the year and expect hawthorns very shortly!

Fly box:
Olive shuttlecock/foam head
Black buzzer
GRHE nymph
Hare's ear emerger/shipmans
Daddylonglegs
Sedge hog
Lake olive dun
Green f fly
Black beetle
Black and peacock spider
Emerging spiders
Dry Shipmans
Black Tadpole
Dawson Olive 

Sharpley Springs Fishing report Week ending 13th April

How's it Fishing

Great week for Big Fish with big catches of 16 lbs and over returned. Prolific Midge hatch and Dry Fly angling. 

The biggest of the week where both caught on the Doxford an enormous Rainbow Trout weighing 18 lbs caught by Barry Nicholson from Stakeford, using Olive drys. 

A 17 pounders was also returned by  Brian Quigley and three doubles by Ian Smith from Middlesbrough of 14lbs, 14lbs, and 18 lbs using a Spider Sedge and Bibio.

Paul Runec also from Middlesbrough caught a 16lb 4oz Rainbow an Olive Worm.

Plenty of big bags netted at 15 fish caught by Mitch Fawcus from Blyth and 16 by Micky Bell of Gateshead also 13 by David Robson from Seaham.

Tagged fish remain at 2 with £500 tag

Rod Average

4.7 

Tactics

Milder temperatures and cloudy skies have done nothing to temper the prolific midge hatches.
They have again ensured excellent dry fly angling with patterns that hang below the surface film and mimic the final metamorphosis of the buzzer into adulthood.Foam -heads and closely cropped CCDs in shades of brown and green were the best.
The buzzers are getting larger now  with olives,blacks and grey all showing.
The week just gone also saw the first daddies of the season-another arrow in the angler's quiver.

Fly box:
Brown foam-head

Brown Spider
Olive/black/grey buzzer pupae
Green cropped shuttlecock
Hares ear emerger
GRHE nymph
Damsel nymph

Cats Whisker

Sedge

Shipman 

Sharpley Springs Fly Fishing Report March 31st

How's it Fishing
Excellent midge hatches have occurred most days,despite the relatively cool  
Great catches despite the cool weather the biggest a 16lb 7oz Trout returned on the Doxford by Malcolm Robinson from Bedlington. Jon Fairburn from Sunderland also returned a 14 pounder using a Damsel from a bag of 4 on a 4 hour ticket. 
John Whitelock returned a fine naturalised Brownie again caught on the Doxford. Big catches this week came from Ian Richardson from New Hartley and Steve Harding from Sunderland both netting 14 fish.
The best bags netted by Mitch Fawes from Blyth and Dave Leonard from Felling both with 17 Trout each.
Howard Robinson from Ryton caught a fine 9 pounder from a bag of 33 using a Blob .
Paul Steward visiting from Guisbough using a combination of coloured Buzzers caught a fully finned 14 pounder.
Try a dry fly on your next visit ! 
Tagged Fish @£500
Rod average 4.2
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Tactics
Excellent midge hatches have occurred most days,despite the relatively cool conditions.Indeed,given cloud cover,rises have been quite consistent,all day.
Dry fly angling has been very good,albeit not simple-quality ,challenging angling.
Though midges of several species have been evident the majority of the trout fell to either medium sized blacks or smallish browny olives.The latter initiated steady rises from margin -hugging residents and these fish could be fooled by tiny brownish emergers-so long as they moved on a drag-free path,downwind.Effective presentation was essential.
Non-imitative anglers successfully plied their trade with a variety of lures such as zonkers,blobs and Montana nymphs,whilst damsel and hare's ear nymphs did the business for those trying to match naturals.
Now is a great time to be out.

Fly box:    Black/olive/Red/Green  Buzzers
Damsel
Kate Mc Karen 
Bloodworm
Hare's ear emergers
Black/olive foam heads
Brown f fly
 Zonkers
  Hares ear nymphs
  Montana nymph

Best Wishes
Carole

Sharpley Springs Fly Fishery Report : 14/1/2014

Sharpley Springs Fishing Report: 14/1/2014

Hows it Fishing

The mild weather brought a Sharpley Monster up from the depths on the Doxford Lake. Trevor Jones a local from Houghton-le-Spring returned the biggest fish of the week a huge 18 pounder. Derrick Grabham from Middlesbrough also returned a great fully finned 15 pounder, from a bag of 5, again from the Doxford. 

Plenty of other notable doubles this week with Clint Hallam from Longnewton with a 12lb rainbow using a snake, Paul Green from Wigan with a 13 pounder, caught on a blue/black Buzzer., V Henry from Whitley Bay took a 10 lb trout netting a bag of 12 also Jack Henderson living in South Shields a 10 pounder from the Albert Lake.  Andy Grabham netted the biggest bag of the week with 16 fish.

Tagged fish

£250 and rising

Tactics

Though temperatures plummeted at the weekend the previous few days were relatively mild for the time of year and the taking flies followed the pattern of recent weeks. That is; black buzzers during the mildest part of the day, pinky bloodworms during pre and post-hatch periods and black or white lures when all else fails.

The current cooler weather will necessitate a slowing-down during the retrieve and possibly a near static approach with small indicators. Cool breezes should also render the flat, upwind pegs the best bet for a change, as the warmer water should be here under these conditions.

These Stunning Photo's are courtesy of Gary Pescod, taken on a stary night at Sharpley Springs Fly Fishery :-) 

Fly box;

          Black buzzer

          Pinky bloodworm

          Yellow worm

          Okey dokey

          Black/white zonker

          Cats whisker

          Appetiser

          Damsel

          Dawsons Olive

Sharpley Springs Fishing Report: 7/1/2013

Sharpley Springs Fly Fishery has had a cracking start to 2014, with some great fishing had by all despite yet another week of changeable weather!

It seems to have been a week of all weather, we had a mild start to 2014, however as the week has progressed we have had sunshine, rain, blustery, windy weather and frosts!!

Tom Stevenson from Rowlands Gill was the First Angler of the New Year and had the best fishing of the day, catching 6 fish in total using a Damsel.

Thursday 2^nd was a busy day on the lakes; the weather was bright, mild, but windy. The fishing was mixed with better fishing had in the afternoon. Lee Cartman caught 6 fish from the Hangman in the late afternoon using a Cruncher.

Friday 3^rd saw some great fishing, with a variety of flies used. Peter Davidson and Rob Frame caught between the two of them 37 fish in all from the Doxford, Hangmans and Noose using Bloodworm.

Andy Saunders from Aycliffe caught 13 fish on the Albert and Alice and Doxford using a Zeech.

On the Saturday the 4^th is was a damp wet day, but good fishing was had particularly in the morning. Paul Ronee and Ben Race from Great Ayton caught 30 between the two of them, but chose to keep their fly choice a secret!

On Sunday the 5^th we hosted the fritznflies competition organized by Jim Turk, with Lee Cartmail being the overall winner, catching 8 fish in total off 6 pegs. There were 58 fish caught in total over the competition with an average of 3.8 per competitor.

We would also like to commend Tom Snowdon, Tom Stevenson and Peter Mathews who where all new qualifiers to the Fritznflies competition.

The Big Fish of the week!

We have had a good week for large double LB trout being caught.

Of particular note was Ryan Coldwell aged 14 yrs from Durham who caught his first double a 14.5 lb Beauty on the Doxford with a Blue Flash Damsel using his new Sonic SK8 rod he got from his father Glenn for Christmas. Ryan has been coming to the lakes since he was 4yrs old, starting on the children’s worm lake before progressing to the fly lakes.

Congratulations also to Luke Radcliffe from Sunderland caught a 20lb Stunner on the Alice and Albert using a Bloodworm.

A Double Congratulations should go to Lee Cartmail also caught a 20lb Head turner during the fishing competition that took place on the Sunday at Sharpley – Fritznflies

Fly Box

Damsel                Buzzer

Black Fritz         Cruncher

Black Buzzer     Bloodworm

Black Orange    Lure Cats Whisker

Zeech                 Olive worm

Olive Nymph    Diawl Bach

White Zonker   Blob