hi guys and girls,l'm working away from home for a few months in hartlepool in the north east of england,l'd like to do some flyfishing while l'm up here to break the work up.l was thinking of going to hury,balderhead or selset as brownie's are my favourite quarry,any help on these places would be much appreciated and contact numbers be helpful,thanks

Hury is a great place, very big and open though so wrap up warm. You have to ring to book ticket, there used to be an honesty box but think it got nicked.

Here's the site with number to ring at grassholme Northumbrian Water - Hury Reservoir

Pay by card over the phone, don't use fishpal as they'll charge for the privilege. If you're in Hartlepool, there's a few other day ticket stillwaters to go to aswell:

Aldin grange
Sharpley springs
West house

Enjoy

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Thou shalt have a fishy on a little dishy

Hi', My favourites used to be Blackton and Grassholme; but Blackton is now out of the picture. Have fished Balderhead and Selset, but prefer Cow Green to either of those. Only problem with Cow Green is that it tends to be wilder than the Balderdale and Lunesdale reservoirs; and you don't know what it's like until you get there; unless there is info at Grassholme Lodge availalbe by 'phone.
jadaTC

there used to be an honesty box but think it got nicked.

Made me laugh,so much for honesty then.
Paul.

Coddy,

If you only want brown trout fishing you will probably have to fish Balderhead or Cow Green. All of the others have been stocked with rainbows at some time.

I have heard that Cow Green has also been stocked with browns in the past.

I learned to fly fish on Balderhead back in the early 70's

Balder is a typical upland reservoir with mainly steep banks.

I used to stand well back from the bank edge and fish my flies right up to the waters edge. Quite often a fish would take the point fly as the droppers are lifting out of the water.
The fish were also typical of this environment usually 3 to the pound with a 10ozs fish being a better specimen.

Pick you days carefully as the rain can often be horizontal. Have fun.

John H

How did the fishing go. I'm interested because I'm planning my return to fly fishing after atleast 20+ years away from the sport.

I started my reservoir fishing at Cow-Green in Teesdale in the 70s.I fish Selset and Balderhead also.
I loved Blackton but it seems we have lost that place ,though i know their is some big browns in there after it was shut.

Back to the fishing Balderhead North bank is a fairly easy bank to fish.
I like to usually fish with walking boots on ands a rucksack on my back.
If you are wadeing on these reservoirs you have usually scared any fish in front of you.
My floating line with a three fly cast has a Bibio on the bob,a kate mclaren in the middle and my point fly is usually a Teal and Black size 10-12.
If the fish are on dries i like a Bibio with cul-d-cunard wings or a kate jungle cock wings.
Selset is usually warmer and the bottom is sandy. Its also been stocked with rainbows in the past so you might catch one if you are lucky.

Balderhead and Cow-Green have never been stocked the fish in them two reservoirs being locked in when the reservoirs flooded the streams.
Cow -Green fish feed on Bull heads and also the worms that are washed in from the feeder streams.
Cow- Green has the infant River Tees at the top end of the reservoir and that is a good place to start from and to steadly make your way back to the car park fishing like you would a river.

Beware of the soft sand in places its frightening when you sink past your knees.
You dont want flat calm because the midges will eat you to death get some jungle formula on your bare skin.
10 -12 inch fish are common and i was told many years ago that their was no need to worry about overfishing in these wild reservoirs because they needed culling because of lack of food.
Day tickets need to be bought at Grassholme these days.

Cow Green is the godhead for me. I've fancied fishing Blackton too but no fishing available last time I visited three years ago. Had some lovely feisty tasty stockies at Hury. Grassholme is multi-bait.

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I follow the catch reports ect on fishingforanglers.
This site is a must have fav for anglers in the North East with up to date fishing reports.
They will help with a lot of information.

With regards Blackton i try to encourage it to be opened every season but i get told that its the cost of acess and public health and safety ect.

Waskerly was a reservoir i always liked to fish. That place got its ticket box stolen and now you have to become a member .
If i win the lottery i might join Waskerly one day but till then i will carry on getting a day ticket for the wild fisheries of Teesdale.

not many brownies in hury nowadays but plenty rainbows and blues
jakesy