Low River Tees means tricky fishing conditions

RAIN at last – not much, but any is welcome after such a dry start to spring.
Nor was it a wet winter. As a nation of weather watchers – and moaners – we complain about the cold, and wind, and rain. We don’t complain about dry weather.
But after weeks of it, it becomes a problem. When as an angler, gardener, or farmer (some are all three), we are waiting for rain, it’s galling when the television weather forecasters appear on our screens, all smiles, because they are about to forecast yet more sunshine. They assume that we all permanently want blue skies and sunshine.
The Tees trout and grayling, like most freshwater fish, need rain from time to time, and rising rivers. Fresh water brings more food and a varied diet. Worms and grubs are washed from the banks as rivers rise, while bottom dwelling insects, nymphs and larvae are dislodged from under stones, and intercepted by the fish.
Bait fish, such as minnows and bullheads are washed from the safety of the bankside and into the path of hungry trout. And insect life increases when rain arrives.
And extra water increases the oxygen levels in the water, and gives the fish more scope to move around, seek out new lies, and find food items in what was dry land before the rain came and swelled the river. And the salmon and sea trout need fresh water to leave the sea and move up the rivers. At present there will be very few of them in the Tees.
A few anglers have had the salmon tackle out in the hope of a spring fish, but it is the trout that are the main quarry at this time of year.
Usually in the spring they feed in spells throughout the day, but this year their habits have been different.
Low, clear water with the sun beating down, have led to fish feeding mainly early and late in the day.
I’ve had a few sessions where fish have been forthcoming in the first hour or so, then little or nothing, until the sun dips. That often happens in mid-summer, but not usually in April and May.
Even when there has been a good hatch of olives, only a few fish have shown interest. Most years, in overcast conditions, there are spells where the river surface is alive with rising trout, taking olives that are struggling in the surface film.
I’ve known half hour spells where almost every cast results in a fish hooked, or missed. Not this year. Those prolific spells have been non existant. It’s been a case of fishing long and hard to pick up an occasional trout.
At times I’ve wondered if fish numbers have declined, then suddenly, towards the end of the day, the rings of rising fish have returned, and all’s well with the world.
It appears that it is the dry bright weather, and low water to blame. As the season progresses, if there is rain, perhaps we will see a return to normal sport.
Of course much of the appeal of angling is the uncertainty, and adapting to conditions. Fish caught on hard days are often more welcome and memorable, than the spells where fish are throwing themselves at the artificial fly.
 Another effect of the mild winter and early spring is that the fish are in very good condition, firm and muscular. In past years many early season trout have seemed to be all head and tail, with a thin undernourished body in between. They quickly pile on weight, but this year the feeding must have been reasonable over the winter, for even in early April the trout were in good condition.
We may be at the whim of the weather, but it is good to see that the Angling Trust and World Wildlife Fund UK have got together to push for the new government, after the June election, to take leadership on water and land management, to ensure our rivers and lakes are healthy.

MEANWHILE on the reservoirs rainbow trout action has been plentiful.
At Grassholme the rod average is 4.6, with trout to 8lb 4oz caught, that one falling to Alan Todd. More trout to a whopping 15lb have been stocked.
Worm has accounted for a lot of fish, while fly anglers have had success with Hawthorns, Dawson’s Olive, Black Fritz and Cat’s Whisker.
At fly-only Hury, the rod average is 3.7, with trout to 3lb 12oz caught. Buzzers, Black Blobs and Cat’s Whisker have all been successful patterns.