Details

Written by Jonathan

Category: Fly Fishing

Published: January 19, 2017

Hits: 1515

This section is available to all members of the Northumbria Police Sport and Social Club be they Police officers or support staff.

Further information can be obtained from the Secretary.

 2018 EVENTS

Menteith. 3 way match with Fife & L & B (Dates to be confirmed)

EPFFA individual Boat comp. Rutland Water

Friday 6th April 2018 Langley Castle

Thursday 3rd May 2018 Coldingham Bank / Boat 10am Start

Wed 16th Thurs 17th Fri 18th May 2018 Rutland Water No 2 Regional’s bus booked

Police Sport UK Fly Fishing Section North East region Championships Grafham Water 17th May 2018

This years NE Regional event was held at Grafham Water on 17th May 2018. The match was preceded with a practice day which saw straight-line buzzer fishing the best method; if you could find shelter from the wind.

The weather was overcast and white horses galloped all over the southern half of the reservoir with some large waves didn’t bode well for a good buzzer fishing however there were some sheltered areas along the north shore and these produced some good, hard fighting fish.

The biggest fish was a 20lb Pike caught on a size 12 sunburst yellow blob on the hang by Malcolm Naylor.

Savages was apparently the ‘hot spot’ with numerous boats anchored in the bay preventing any form of drift. (I’ll not mention the boat who had a great time in the nature reserve and caught lots of fish!!!; I am however advised that an appointment has been made at ‘Specsavers’ in Alnwick for the two anglers who didn’t see the line of buoys across the bay!!)

There was a brief respite from the turbulent weather and poor fishing for a 10 minute period when most anglers stopped fishing to watch the fantastic aerobatic display provided by a Spitfire in the blue skies above us. The roar and majestic tones of the Merlin engine overhead put our little 2hp petrol engines to shame. A lot of jealous guys looking up to the skies and dreaming!! A big thank you and well done to the unknown pilot for a great display and brightening up our afternoon!!

The match day was bright and sunny but that cold northerly wind was still blowing but not as strong as the previous day . The NE Region were not the only Region fishing that day, No 2 Region were also out in force for one of their annual matches so it was great to meet old friends.

20 anglers representing 5 of the 7 regional forces participated in the event; it was a pleasure to see friends from the West Yorks team back in the mix for this years event after a few years absence.

The wind was persistent throughout the day and dare I say it – most of the No2 Region boats sought shelter in all the best areas along the north shore and dropped their anchors – preventing decent drifts for us; fishing International Rules as part of our qualifier.

Those who found shelter and areas unaffected by the anchored boats were able to catch fish on the buzzer but conditions were difficult.

Speaking personally, fishing with Bob Seeber (North Yorks); we started off on the north shore near G buoy. There were several boats drifting and one or two anchored but there was very little being caught so off we went to the north
Police Sport UK Fly Fishing Section North East region Championships Grafham Water 17th May 2018
end of the dam where it was sheltered but full of anchored boats but who also appeared to be struggling to catch.

After a drift with no offers or takes we headed back along the north shore to Sanctuary Bay and fished the tree line toward Savages. Again after several drifts, changes of lines, flies and tactics - still nothing, and hadn’t even seen a fish being landed!

On the basis of ‘no pain no gain’ we decided to try the rougher areas of water down the western and southern shore and as such we made drifts across the mouth of Savages and Rainbow Point, down to the Nature Reserve Bays and then into Valley Bay where numerous common terns and black headed gulls were feeding on the wing and off the surface. ‘A cork in a barrel’ comes to mind and it was quite uncomfortable conditions.

Another angler told us that he’d had a ‘couple on orange’ but we saw no evidence of that and so plodded on flogging the water– still nowt!

We eventually decided, ‘enough was enough’ and headed up towards the south side of the dam to look for some more shelter from the wind.

As we headed east past Gaynes Cove, Bob Spotted more terns and gulls Feeding in the south west corner of the bay and suggested a go in that area..

Success, Bob had a couple of misses and this raised our spirits and hopes….then at 3.0pm, bingo!! Bob had the first fish to the boat, then a second, third and fourth in quick succession.

At 4.0pm I eventually got two fish after missing a couple of earlier chances but I couldn’t match bob and he eventually had 8 to the boat. Well done Bob. The success was down to a pink blob on the top dropper with a buzzer on the middle dropper and pheasant tail nymph on the point fished on a DI5 line. The difficult conditions reflected the results with only 38 fish being caught with a rod average of less than 2. There were 8 blanks. Bob walked away as the clear winner with his 8 giving him a total weight (including 8lb bonus) of 19lb 6oz. Rory Noble was 2nd with 5 fish and a total weight of 10lb 2oz. North Yorkshire won the team event with a total weight of 29lb 5oz, beating Northumbria into second place with a weight of 27lb 1 oz.

Congratulations to Bob and the North Yorkshire team and Rory who will represent the Region in next years National event.

Friday 1st June 2018 Whinney Loch Bank 10am Start

Tues 5th Wed 6th Thurs 7th Friday 8th Draycote Water Nationals Bus booked

Friday 15th June 2018 Watendlath Bank/Boat minibus booked

Thursday 5th July 2018 Sweethope Force Open 10am—6 pm

Thursday19th July Derwent Reservoir Alan Burrows Trophy Bank 14.00pm

Thursday 26th July 2018 Thrunton Long Crag Bank 10am start

Wed 8th August 2018 Chatton Geoff Hobson Trophy 10am Start

Tuesday 21st August Langley Dam Bank / Boat 14.00-20.00 (Evening Session)

Friday 7th September 2018 Belflask Bank mini bus booked

Thurs 20th Sept Sweethope Loch 10am
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Tues 16th 17th 18th Fri 19th Oct Menteith England v Scotland Bus Booked

Wed 24th Oct 2018 Thrunton Long Crag 10.00 Start (End of Season Event)

If any members are wishing to attend any of the events please email me or contact me via telephone.

I will send reminder emails prior to the events to confirm numbers, this helps when booking venues.

Nathan Crain
Mobile 07984354810
Email nathanc111172@aol.com
Work Email Nathan.crain.8833@northumbria.pnn.police.uk