Blyth 11th May

This report along with pics of my efforts will be on mre blog in a day or two.....


Today was a typical spring day I guess up here in Newcastle.. some short heavy showers on the morning interspersed with some nice sunshine in between, I decided to go out a little later today after a couple of baron sessions where the river wasn’t giving much up, I set off today about 2.15pm and was on the farm stretch for something like 2.45.

There has thankfully been a little bit of rain over the week and upon arrival I noticed that the river looked a lot more like it’s old self, a slight tinge to the water and slightly higher (although still well below normal levels). The water just doesn’t look “right” when it is totally clear, hopefully the rain had stirred a little life in to the water.

I was set up with a cochybhondu on the point and a scruffy March Brown spider on the dropper. Ten minutes in and I see a fish rise on the far bank on the bend, I think this is the fish I have had a few gentle plucks off over the last few weeks, a few cast to where he rose.. nothing. So I think I will cast a few yards downstream of where he rose to give him a rest.

No rise.. but the line tightened and he was on, he kept deep and bent my rod hard, then he made one good run to the far bank but I stopped him about three quarters of the way across the river and turned him towards me, at this point he jumped clear of the water but he was well hooked and quickly came to the net, a healthier looking stock fish than the last one but only came in at just under a pound.

A very good start to the session, one in the bag taken on the March Brown.

Moving down to right opposite the farm where the ducks sit I saw another small rise on the far bank but it did look like a smaller fish, I covered him and he took about two yards down from where he rose.. he was just a bit smaller, coming in at about 4” a beautifully marked little fish this one taken on the cochybhondu.

A decent start 2 fish to hand in the first 20 minutes or so and some signs of life in the river with the odd fish rising here and there. Off I went upstream towards the viaduct... I was stopped by another fish showing in the pool above the farm but despite my best efforts he didn’t want to know.

So off up to just above the viaduct... it was a quiet-ish spell for about twenty minutes until I stepped into the pool right under the viaduct, I took three wild fish in this pool all between 4” and 8” all falling to the March Brown spider.

I worked my way back down to the farm as time was now marching on toward 5.30pm.

Special thanks go to a kind gent who I got talking to who reads the forum and kindly gave me a couple of cracking flies! Thanks a lot it was very kind, I will give them a good swim and let you know how they do....sorry I didn’t get a name!

So that was me for the day as I had told Mrs Blood I would be back for tea around 6pm. I might have stayed longer as the fishing was pretty good today... that is the first time I have felt like that this season, March Brown spider was the go to fly today and they seemed right on it when it was given a little twitch in the water.

So hopefully the river has turned the corner and finally starting to fish something like decent, I am not counting my chickens just yet though!!



As a Post script.... I have been pondering for a few weeks or so about getting shot of my waistcoat and going back to a shoulder bag..... a few suggestion on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and a bit of a scour around ebay brought nothing of interest...more likely down to my tightness with cash!

So I took a trip down to my local tackle shop ID fishing in Byker. The guy in there must have seen me struggling to choose and after a quick chat pointed me in the direction of exactly what I needed.. at a very decent price too, just goes to show there is still room for the good old tackle shop amongst the online competition!



Stephen

Good report Stephen, a nice read. Hope the river gets back to normal in the next few weeks. The lakes are a little out of sorts at the minute too. Should be getting them on dries but this cold wind is keeping them down, apart from the odd day.

I hope this is the start of things to come. I'm going to give it a good go at the weekend. Do you have a pass out?

likely but for Sunday I think