A River Wear 5lber

After some chub success on my first trip to the river wear last week, I got out this afternoon in search of something bigger. What a contrast a Saturday afternoon in Durham was to early sunday morning....canoeists, dog walkers, joggers etc. As I set up, and with a load of boats messing about downstream, my plan was to fish half heartedly until the sun went down and it quietened.

Despite all the racket, and the bright conditions, the rod soon flew round and I hit into something pretty solid. Once again, the acolyte distance feeder tamed the fish nicely, and it was soon resting in the net. A gem of a fish at 5lb 4oz. These wear fish really do fight well and are solid fish. To catch a River Wear 5 on the second attempt is fantastic, and gives me real confidence of adding the Wear to the Tees and Swale 6's.

Try as I might, I couldn't buy another bite but really happy to get my first wear five on only the second trip

Wear chub campaign

Got out this morning for my first attempt at wear chub (other than one or two half hearted attempts a year or two ago).

Walked downstream for a while and stopped at a peg, with the idea of roving back to the car. First cast and I was getting touches quickly, but with it being a new river to me you don't know if it's minnows or what. Struck a couple of times at some proper knocks but missed. Re- cast, the rod flew round and this time I hit something very solid. Felt like a proper chub, took some line, and held solid in the flow. I got it close to within netting and it came to the surface, proper lump, decided to kite to the left and straight into a snag - the inevitable happened.

There was obviously a few fish in the swim so another cast and 20 mins later again I struck into something solid, this time I knew what their game was and stopped it from getting near the snag, netted and weighed at 4lb 9oz. Judging by size, I reckon first one was close to a 5.

Couldn't buy another bite in that swim, or any other swim, but really happy with catching a 4 at first attempt and some of the pegs fished looked smashing. Going to give it a late night go next time I think. After catching sizes from the swale and tees now, i'd love to add another river to the list!

First trip on the river wear

Living in the north east, I tend to fish the river tees or Swale, which offers an excellent variety of species to go at. The rivers further north, i.e. the Tyne and Wear tend to be classed in the 'game fishing' category, and offer excellent sea trout and salmon sport. However, the last few years I have heard excellent reports of coarse fishing on the river wear, for chub, dace and more recently, barbel. 

Subs paid, and this morning I was walking the hard frosty ground in search of a river wear chub. The river was low, clear (although I'm told the wear tends to run clear because of the rocks it percolates through) and sun was bright. I had feeder tactics, but failed to catch on the usual baits. I was shooting myself in the foot slightly, and wishing I had some stick floats and two pints of maggots. 

I've had a taste of the river, and like the feel of it. Expect some future catch reports (hopefully!).