In a nutshell: There is no free water on the Derwent, however most of it is fishable with a season permit or day ticket. Almost the whole of the river from immediately below the dam on the reservoir down to the tidal stretch at Swalwell (half a mile above its outflow into the Tyne) is under the control of two clubs, the Axwell Park & Derwent Valley AA (lower club) and the Derwent AA (upper club). [*NB. In England & Wales, you need an Environment Agency Rod Licence as well]. There are easy to follow maps on both club's websites and alsmost all of the river is easily accessible. I think both currently have vacancies for new members and they both sell day tickets - available from Frasers Angling on Coatsworth Road in Gateshead, among other outlets. Further details on their websites.

The Derwent is a small(ish) river, but it has a reputation for being one of the best brown trout streams in the area. There are grayling also, these being more prevalent the further downstream you go, dace in the very lowest reaches (tidal) and there is a modest run of sea trout helped in recent years by the installation of fish passes in various weirs. Both clubs are essentially fly fishing clubs, although the lower one allows coarse fishing (from June 16th) for the dace on the tidal stretch as well as worm fishing for trout and grayling in Rowlands Gill Park, and the upper club permits the use of worm using fly fishing tackle after July 1st. Owing to the large reservoir in its headwaters, it tends not to spate, but because of this, any colour produced by rainfall can be quite slow to clear. By and large though, the level remains fairly constant through the trout season and, with none of the tributaries being more than burns, flash flooding doesn't happen.

Tactics. This time of year, nymphs do the best business. PTN's GRHE's being my go-to's, but everyone on the river has their own favourites. Spiders will work once the trout move into the riffles, which will hopefully start to happen soon, with this week's better forecast - for patterns, go with what is seasonal for the dry flies. Dries can work from the word go in a good year (not this one!). Early doors, the large dark olive is the mainstay. Small sedge imitations will do for the grannom, although the trout often ignore these. F-flies will imitate the prolific midge hatches that occur right the way through - they don't often refuse these! - and from May, a Greenwells Glory will imitate the spring olives. Look out for hawthorn flies in May - the Derwent's trout go crackers for them when they're blown onto the river. Then from late May- early June there's the mayfly hatch, which can be prolific on a good days and usually lasts a good three weeks. After that, sport inevitably slows, but you'll be able to spot a rise most days without having to travel too far.

If you're using public transport, the 45 and 46 Go Ahead services from Eldon Square Bus Station or the Central Station will get you to within a short walk of the whole of the river as far upstream as Shotley Bridge. If you like quieter stretches, the woods between Rowlands Gill and Lintzford is good on the lower club ticket and the Sneep, controlled by the upper club is completely wild fishing. Look on the DAA's website for an article called 'The Sneep: In Pursuit of Wild Trout' by Ian Colbourne, the club's membership secretary - that will give all the info you'll need to know.

W_n_D

When the Float Comes In: A Year's Fishing on River, Lake & Sea in North East England

The Lambton Worm: The Definitive Guide to Angling in North East England

 

Thanks very much for the great info! Wasn't expecting to get so much good stuff. I think I'm going to give the woods at Rowlands Gill a shot first and then up to the Sneep the next time!

I don't have too many nymphs in my fly box but I'll head on down to the tackle shop and pick up a few. I did venture out a couple of weeks ago but as didn't know the area I got the bus to Swallwell and walked along the Derwent, the path was very busy with dogs jumping in the river and lots of people about .

By the time I got far enough to a good spot it was getting dark so safe to say I didn't catch much that day. Good to know where the quiet spots are now so I can get a peaceful days fishing!

Thanks again!

 

I also meant to ask, are the fields across from Rowlands Gill caravan park and the field with Gibside house on the hill ok to fish or will I need to get landowners permission?

 

Jonathan Barnes (Onstream Guide) lives on the river and knows it very well. He guides on it too. You could much worse than book him for a session and have him show you a few spots and tactics .

 

I also meant to ask, are the fields across from Rowlands Gill caravan park and the field with Gibside house on the hill ok to fish or will I need to get landowners permission?

Those fields are controlled by the lower club and you'll need either a season permit or a day ticket from that club to fish there. If it's open for business yet, you can get day tickets from the Rowlands Gill Caravan Park (Derwent Park) Shop. A map of the lower club's waters can be found here [http://www.apdvaa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/APDVAA-Updated-Map-2.pdf]. Banks coloured blue can be fished on the day ticket, red are private. Most of the red coloured banksides downstream of Rowlands Gill are conservation areas, so public access is forbidden. The north bank upstream of seven arches viaduct in Rowlands Gill consists of the houses on that side's private gardens, and the one facing that belongs to the farmhouse half a mile upstream of the viaduct on the Burnopfield (south) side of the river. Don't know whether they would give permission or not. The big field u/s of Lintzford with the highland cattle in it is strictly private and the landowners (not to mention their cattle) take a dim view of any transgression. Upstream of there, the upper club takes control of most of the river.

And yes, I agree with the last poster, Jon Barnes is good and knows the river well.

W_n_D

When the Float Comes In: A Year's Fishing on River, Lake & Sea in North East England

The Lambton Worm: The Definitive Guide to Angling in North East England

 

Hi fella,

I read this thread with great interest. My mate and I have fished this river for several years now every single week religiously. We love it, and have good returns on both WBT, SBT and Grayling. We are in the 'Upper Club' - Lintzford up to the reservoir. During this time we have continually fished every single inch of the club's waters - so we know the river very well indeed and have our firm favourite spots.

A word of advice..... The Sneep is a deep stone gorge, heavily wooded and overgrown - and like the land that time forgot.... quite inhospitable and I'd seriously buddy-up with someone before you venture into there alone. There is very little civilisation up there and lots of potential for an accident...and you won't get any mobile phone reception. Be warned!!

Where are you in Newcastle?

If you PM me, then I'll have a chat with you if you wish and keep you right... possibly even a trip out?

 

Thanks again for the advice! I'm just living in the city at the minute but I am open to fishing both the upper and lower parts of the river. I'd probably give the lower part near Gibside a go first and then try out the upper river. If the Sneep is like that then I will definitely buddy up but it sounds like just my kind of place! Thanks bud I will PM you shortly for some more info or maybe a trip out!

 

All I can add is that the Derwent is a cracking little river to fish and all the advice provided is well worth following up. I fish the lower river as it holds better stocks of Grayling. If any 'uppies' can prove otherwise, I'll fish both. There are some good stretches at Gibside, but the downstream ones are quite hard to access (and right next to the busy path). Further down the river at Winlaton there are more accessible stretches (although also close to country park paths) and accessible by bus too.

The main interest in the replies to this question/thread is that people appear to be actually fishing on the river!! My last trip was on 28th February and, monitoring the EA river levels website, today is perhaps the first time it might have been fishable since then! My first trip of the Trout Season will be Friday and, if this thread is still running, I'll post a catch (or lack of it) report. Probably lack of it knowing me!

 

Tyne & Wear | Who's Counting?.............. A Fisherman's Journey

Hope this informs...
Good luck
TM

 

I grew up within walking distance of the river and fished the lower stretch. Its a cracking river with some of the best river trout fishing in the North East. Great olive, BWO, iron blue and sedge hatches and hawthorne falls can be quite prolific. If you want to go the traditional route then its a great river for getting into spider fishing - Snipe and purple, Waterhen bloa, February red and Stewarts black were my most effective. Just above the bridge called the nine arches is the "meadows" section which was always my favourite.

Think I might just revisit the river at some point in the summer.

Steve