Thrunton Long Crag and Chatton set to host high-profile fishing final with £3,000 first prize
There’s been plenty of fishing action across the region over the past few days.
This Sunday will have the top still water anglers competing in a two-day final in the Big One UK Fly Fishing Open Championship.
The first day of the final will have the competitors fishing on Saturday at Chatton fishery, while he second day will be fished at Thrunton Long Crag fishery. The combined score over the two days will reveal the overall winner, who will be presented with the wonderful trophy and a £3,000 first prize, with other cash prizes on offer too.
The weather has been kind this last week, although there has been a cold easterly breeze at times. Consequently, the still water trout have been swimming at different levels in the water. The fishing has been hectic at times and challenging at other times. However, both Chatton and Thrunton have had anglers recording bags of mid-twenties in a single session.
At times the trout have been feeding hard on the surface with many different dry fly patterns such as CDCs, Top Hats, and Popper Hoppers tempting them. Some patterns fished just below the surface - such as spiders, winged wets, and small unweighted buzzers - have been what was needed. At other times Nymphs and lures have taken good numbers of fish.
Salmon anglers are still finding it difficult to to net their quarry, but Federation trout anglers have had more sport recently because of the warmer weather. This has resulted in more fly life on the river. Dry flies and nymphs have brought success on the Coquet.