Fishery reports

I was offered the chance to take a guest ticket on the waters of The Black Moss Fly fishers club, at Barley, nr Burnley, Lancs. An offer that I gladly accepted, as I had seen these waters many times and wished that I had time to spend a few hours along the shores.

The arranged day arrived, and the journey began in low cloud and heavy drizzle, which cleared a little on route then came in again as we arrived at Barley, our host for the day was the club Membership Secretary, John, who detailed the waters superbly.
The previous evenings weather report was nothing like what we were being offered at that moment, we were expecting cloud cover, but not the half Gale that came rattling off Pendle Hill !!, home of the infamous Pendle Witches (beware of low flying broomsticks) for some idea of what this place looks like on a good day, have a look on the club website. This is a truly beautiful area.

John suggested that we begin on the Lower Res, leaving the Upper one for the afternoon
After tackling up and deciding which banks we would fish, we split up and made our way to the water, It is quite some time since I fished an upland reservoir (800ft), so I set up as I would on a Scottish Loch, Black Pennell on the point, Green Peter on the dropper and a big Bibio on the top, then after a few casts realising that the wind was not playing fair, I went to single fly, a lightly weighted size 14 PT nymph. This, after a few casts did the trick, a lovely fish of about 2.5lb was stripping line before coming to the net, fin perfect with a tail like a No2 boiler shovel, what a power house. During the next two hours, four more fish were caught and released using a mix of traditional flies and nymphs.
This all took place on the lower res. After a break for lunch we decided that the wind was far too strong to do the upper water any justice, as this is Brown trout only, so that was left till the next time, and there WILL be a next time.

Note:- The Lower res contains both Rainbow & Brown Trout,
The upper res, contains BROWN Trout only.

I highly recommend these waters to any discerning angler who finds himself in the Pendle area with time to spare, or on Holiday in Lancashire.

Fishing is available on day ticket, from a variety of outlets, all listed on the clubs website:- blackmossflyfishers.blogspot.com
Ask for directions when you buy your ticket.
The club is also on the lookout for new members, again visit the website for details.

Contact Black Moss Fly Fishing Association for tickets or membership details here

I arrived at Whinney Loch at 6am after a good nights camping at Crosslaw caravan park,as I didn't want to disturb the owners at that time of the morning I sat and enjoyed the tranquility of the area. the fishery is located about 2 miles from the town of Coldingham. As you get to the Primary school in the centre of town you go over the carpark for the school, and you will see the single track road follow it for a mile and a half and at the bottom of a dip you have a caravan site on your right and the fishery on your left.

You need to go to the house on arrival for your ticket, you then have the option of walking down into the valley or driving down. At the bottom of the hill there is a superb wood lodge, with facilities you wouldnt find in many larger fisheries. There are cooking facilities , all cutlery and crocks provided, there is coffee and tea as you need it, I started by making bacon butties for myself and a visitor by name of Dave from Newcastle,who had used the loft to stay overnight, another unusual facility. The sleeping arrangments need to be checked before you leave home, the sleeping facilities are all you need for an overnight stay. the lodge is even heated if required and the toilet facilities include a shower (these facilities are SPOTLESS.)

So, having finished my breakfast, I made my way to the lake. The path down to the lake ends at the bankside with a path that runs around the entire site, at the bottom of the path there is seating and here I tackled up with a single dry pheasant tail size 12(fishery rules).

Swish swish boom and I was into a fish, my best of the day 3 and a half pounds of rainbow that felt like five, in superb condition, like all the fish I caught that day. this start obviously was ideal, I fished for 5 hours on catch and release ticket, and had 4 fish, apart from the first one all in the 1 and 3/4 pound range to 2 and 1/2 pounds. Every fish was full finned and didnt come easily.

Whinney quality fish

The owners provide thier own landing nets (this prevents transmision of disease form other fisheries) and like evrything about the fishery they are as good as you could want for the job. As to the owners, they are both very helpful and nothing seems to be too much trouble, they have provided (FOR ME) a fishery I would be happy to visit every time I go over the border, as I have said the setting is stunning, and tranquil, the price is good for the service you receive, and the fish, the reason you are there, are more than could be expected.

So If you ever get the chance to visit Whinney Loch take it, you wont regret it.

View from the Lodge

Whinney loch is located at Coldingham (near Eymouth) in the Scottish Borders.Caravan sight just yards from school car park, also superb quality..

Contact on 01890771838 or email to wise.westloch@btinternet.com

Method. Catch and relese or catch and kill priced from £5.00 to £24.00 depending on time and method.Single hook only on floating line using conventional traditional flies.

Opening tiomes 8:30 am till dusk.

Owners Ted and Tina Wise.

I started late in the morning of 29/07/08 at around 11.00am on a grey and misty day. Ther was a slight easterly breeze. The fact it was only a breeze is unusual at Sharpley and I started fishing the east bank of the Doxford lake with a team of three wets. The top Dropper was a Green Peter, the middle an unamed orange mylar pattern with a Duck a l'Orange on the point.

The ripple was about 20 yards out so that was my target, I cast the team just past the ripple and retrieved with short sharp pulls on the line. It wasn't much later that this resulted in two fish to the Green Peter. The fish were clearly on the sedge pupa and were willing to give chase. I had missed a lot of takes within the first half hour.

I changed lakes to see if the team of wets would perform on the Albert and Alice, twin lakes behind the lodge joined by short narrow shallows. The edge of both Lakes was thick with blanket weed and most of the pegs were unfishable as landing a fish through this mess would be impossible. (The weed problem has now been sorted) 11/10/2008

I took the peg nearest the point on the larger of the two lakes, pulled out the blanket weed, and cast out, three sharp pulls and smack first miss, the next fifteen minutes was filled with takes and misses with two fish to the net. The first to the Green Peter and the other to the Duck a l'Orange.

Unfortunately the blanket weed got the better of me, tangling my line as the second fish dragged the dropper through the weed causing a right mess and tangle trying to remove it. This made the decision to return to the Doxford simple.

The next half hour or so was full of takes, fish on and off and one more to the net to a Butcher varient on the point in place of the Duck a l'Orange. Cup of tea time. The Lodge at Sharpley is good with comfortable seating and free tea and coffee and the use of a microwave. The conversation in the lodge is good humoured with some friendly ribbing thrown in.

After the cuppa about 12.30 the sun had burn't off the mist and the fish had stopped moving. The rest of the afternoon resulted in one more fish from the Albert and Alice with me leaving about 6.00pm.

Sharpley Springs is found easily from the A19 south bound or the A690 Sunderland to Durham road on the b1404 between Houghton-le-spring and Seaton and is run by Carol and Simon Weightman. Payment is via an honesty box and tickets covering 4 hours catch and release to a full day taking 3 fish.

The Hangman's continues as a specimen lake with some monster doubles stocked this week. All the lakes have some specimen trout so don't fish under gunned, tackle up strong just in case.

Here's an example of one of the recently stocked Monsters taken by Dave Mordue of Durham. A specimen Blue Trout weighed in at 21lb exactly.

I Started the afternoon session at 12.00 and boy was it hot. The lake was flat calm and I was having second thoughts.

The lake was too tempting, it has really grown up this summer. This is a new lake and I have fished it occasionally since before it opened. The only guy fishing was John, he is pretty much a resident in the porta cabin that serves as a lodge at Lambton. If you want to know whats working John is the man.

I decided to have a go for four hours taking one fish, at a tenner it's great value, you can fish four hours catch and release for just £6.00.

The Lake is about one acre in size with an island and I started at the shallow end nearest the entrance on the right in the picture above. There was the odd rise to the sedge so on went a Goddard's Deer hair Sedge, which tempted the fish but no tight lines. On went a yellow shuttlecock, another favourite when the fish are on the sedge, and pretty soon I had two to the net, both hard fighting rainbows.

I then moved right to the top end next to the deep water(Note the Golden Orfe in the right of the picture above), No rises so on with a buzzer, retrieving very slowly I tightened into a hard fighting and very fast fish. In the net it turned out to be a Brownie. Beautiful fish, and quickly followed by another full finned rainbow.

I finished the session early with one last rainbow from the very bottom of the lake, again to a buzzer retrieved very slowly.

Lambton is found at the end of Henry Terrace in fenchouses in what was once a timber yard and is still surrounded by workshop building. Despite this you will struggle to find a more peaceful environment to enjoy a days fishing.

Facilities are basic with a toilet close at hand and a portacabin to sign in and make yourself a cuppa.

We are very lucky that we have one of our favourite fisheries only a 5 min. Drive away, Farleton View.

This is a man-made fishery brought into being since the Foot and Mouth scare made the local farming family find other means of an income............ A family run business, Mother and daughter in law running a terrific cafe, son, grandson and help, looking after the farm and fishery. We have always felt that they have everyone’s interest at heart. A touring caravan site and somewhere to pitch a tent is also available. The fishery is exceptionally clean and tidy, toilets could not be bettered, there is even a shower unit. The food is out of this world, home made cakes and snacks are always there waiting when you have finished fishing.

The weather had settled down a little over the last few days, so when we woke and saw the early morning mist lingering over the fields, and Farleton Fell, it was ‘up and out’ as soon as breakfast was over.

It was flat calm when we arrived at the fishery. Not a breath of wind, no ripple.... Caddi(Tony) tackled up two rods, I just kept to the one with a floater on to start with. Needless to say and I HATE to admit it, but once again, Caddi was right..(only please don’t tell him !!) With in half an hour, my floating line needed to be changed as there wasn’t a single fish showing.

Caddi was way out in the distance, so when I saw him hauling in a fish he was too far away to ask ‘what did you get that on’ . For a while I tried everything but the kitchen sink. But the sun was warm, and it was so great to be out. What the hell, have a sit down and give this fishing lark some serious thought.

‘Scruffy Nymph, which was one of the first flies I ever made, more years ago than I care to remember.

Moments later..... Success..... Fish on.......nothing can stop me now !!!, well that is what I thought. The fish weren’t giving in so easily.

Caddisman had caught his limit, we were both happy, it had been a perfect day and one to remember, we will be back.......