River fishing rights?

[Fishery Pokery]

Hi,
I would like to start fishing the Lower River Wear and the Tees, but am struggling to find where I am allowed to fish either for free, or which clubs own the rights for which bits.

I did find a site that explained a little about the Wear in Durham, but went no further downstream.

All the shops I ask seem to suggest there is little fishing locally, and I'd be better driving to Scotland!

Does anyone know of a map or similar that highlights who owns what? Any links?

Cheers in advance for any help!

[Bushwhacker]

Below Durham there are only 2 clubs you could join,Chester le street and Harrraton on the tidal waters.The rest is syndicate water.
There is also Finchale water which you can join or get day tickets.
On the lower Tees at Bowersfield i think 4 clubs have that stretch.
Google "Angling clubs in Ne England" and most of the clubs come up.

[bigblock]

im a one finger typer ive pm you davey

[Fishery Pokery]

Thanks for the replies.
I've googled the different clubs, just find it hard trying to workout who runs what.
I suppose I've got used to sea fishing where you can roam where you wish (well, even that's changing!).
Think I will concentrate on the Tees, it seems easier to fathom out, and definitely has the fish I'd like to target.
Thanks again.

[Lynnzer]

Thanks for the replies.
I've googled the different clubs, just find it hard trying to workout who runs what.
I suppose I've got used to sea fishing where you can roam where you wish (well, even that's changing!).
Think I will concentrate on the Tees, it seems easier to fathom out, and definitely has the fish I'd like to target.
Thanks again.

Durham free stretches do fine by me.
These are from the boathouse which is at the end of the road which goes from the prison (beyond the cricket pitch) to the bridge downstream.
Slow and deeper than the other free stretch. It's got a good mixed bag of fish on there ,mostly in the way of coarse fish. It's also largely overlooked by other anglers too so you'll get some peace and not much competition. (Oops, have I just blown that away?)

The other free stretch is where the Ice Rink used to be and is now overlooked by I think a new Raddison hotel with more being built on the opposite bank. Last time I was there a young lass was standing at her room window on the top floor and flashing her boobs to the world while her fella was doing a moonie. I guess there was at least one empty bottle of liquor in the room. ??????

This is where I do my fly and fishing and spinning for brownies, the odd grayling and perch and I even hooked a dace with a 4" Toby lure, all 3 hooks in the mouth too.
This gets very overgrown with the invasive Himalayan Balsa weed on the banks during the summer.
Put on waders and fish the faster flowing stretches over shallower runs and it's great fun. You can target fish showing at the surface. You can see where they are from the riverbank with a decent pair of polaroids and go after them.
Caught pike there too as well as sea trout and smallish salmon in season.

There's a stretch of free water up the Tyne around Hexham where I suspect you'll get some good trout, sea trout and salmon fishing. Just Google it or ask at a local tackle shop.

The Tees at Yarm has a good free stretch. A 30lb pike was pulled out of there a few weeks ago and there's a good offering of other species too. I used to go to school in Barnard Castle so know all about the free stretch up there as well. Good sport again mainly trout, sea trout and salmon in season.
Between these there's the stretch by the waterworks in Coniston Rd, Darlington which holds a mixed bag of fish then another stretch down towards Croft. It's years since I was there but I believe it was free then and still is right now. Did you even think of the small river that runs from Newton Aycliffe to the Tees through Darlington. The Skerne has been showing some good sport lately by all accounts. At least some of this river is free and some is in the control of a club from Aycliffe. I'm thinking that the part that goes through the South Park will be free as it's on council land. It's a better spot too as it's nearer the Tees and is where fish often take refuge when the Tees is in spate. You may well find that the riparian owners would allow you to fish the river where it runs in their farmland. Just turn up at the farm with a bottle.

Apart from those known spots there are loads of other places to drop a hook where you don't have to pay for the privilege.
The ponds in and around Washington, I believe in James Steel Park, Herrington Country Park etc are free. There's an intriguing pond at the side of the road at Testo's roundabout, called Boldon Pond. I believe it may be free too although I do see mention of some club having the rights from time to time but don't know if that's correct as they may well have opted out of running it.

I have a topic running on the River Team where there's just been a restock of 3000 chub and a couple of thousand dace. Same thing as well on the less likely River Gaunless.

If you would like a club with decent waters then I'd opt for Bishop Auckland Angling club. It has some fantastic spots along the wear from just outside Durham to as far as Witton le Wear. A 3 mile stretch of the Tees is there's too.
I'd say to do a bit of sea fishing but spend the summer warmer months doing freshwater and then hit the beaches when the cod are likely to have appeared. Get the best of both.

[IANG]

ponds

Check carefully before fishing the ponds mentioned id be very surprised if they weren't run by a club.

[Lynnzer]

Check carefully before fishing the ponds mentioned id be very surprised if they weren't run by a club.

Herrington Country park (link now added to my post) is free and will remain so forever apparently.
Not sure on James Steel and supposedly the Boldon Pond at Testo's roundabout is also free.
My take on fishing confined lakes and ponds such as these is that if the fishing is club waters there should be sufficient notice given on site. Failure to properly sign a pond would suggest free fishing, or landowner permission needed at the most. It would be hard to see how any case could be made against an angler when the club has failed to bring to the notice that the fishing isn't free.

Nevertheless it's always best to check it out if you are able.

I used to fish in the lakes at Witton Park which runs alongside the Wear and which became a fish refuge when the Wear was in flood as it linked up with them, then separated when the river level dropped.
These aren't the Witton le Wear trout lakes but are now called something like Paradise lakes, not sure though. Best approached from Witton Park down to the junction of Low Queen Street and Main Street.

I can't find any info at all on these now though. I can't believe that they aren't still fishable so if anyone has any clues as to what gives with them I'd appreciate it.

[discodazz]

Check carefully before fishing the ponds mentioned id be very surprised if they weren't run by a club.

Totally agree. Id say the same for the rivers too. just because you havent seen a sign doesnt mean its free. Clubs are only obliged to put a sign at the start and end of their stretch, not at every access point. Every stretch of river in England is owned by somebody (even the free stretches) and fishing without permission could see you in court on trespass and poaching charges.
The default position should always be to assume you cant fish without permission. Not 'well I couldnt see a sign so im fishing it anyway'.

I cant say ive ever heard of a free stretch of the tyne at hexham but may be wrong. Theres a day ticket stretch at tyne green and the rest is syndicate or club water. There is a free stretch at corbridge for residents only.

I dont believe testos pond is free either. there are signs saying otherwise.

There is a big difference between genuine free fishing and somewhere that people fish because theyve never been told not to.

There are plenty of clubs in the north east many of which are pretty cheap to join or offer day tickets and they usually have the better stretches of water anyway.

If its fly fishing youre after then id suggest looking at the Tees thread on fly forums.River Tees - Fly Fishing Forums

[IANG]

fishing

Totally agree. Id say the same for the rivers too. just because you havent seen a sign doesnt mean its free. Clubs are only obliged to put a sign at the start and end of their stretch, not at every access point. Every stretch of river in England is owned by somebody (even the free stretches) and fishing without permission could see you in court on trespass and poaching charges.
The default position should always be to assume you cant fish without permission. Not 'well I couldnt see a sign so im fishing it anyway'.

I cant say ive ever heard of a free stretch of the tyne at hexham but may be wrong. Theres a day ticket stretch at tyne green and the rest is syndicate or club water. There is a free stretch at corbridge for residents only.

I dont believe testos pond is free either. there are signs saying otherwise.

There is a big difference between genuine free fishing and somewhere that people fish because theyve never been told not to.

There are plenty of clubs in the north east many of which are pretty cheap to join or offer day tickets and they usually have the better stretches of water anyway.

If its fly fishing youre after then id suggest looking at the Tees thread on fly forums.River Tees - Fly Fishing Forums

Well said

[Bushwhacker]

Boldon pond/Testos roundabout

The fishing has been stopped on there now.

[Lynnzer]

The fishing has been stopped on there now.

Must be complaints about long casting and pulling in the odd motorbike from the roundabout.
So, stopped altogether, or just for free?

[on the mark]

it's had no fishing signs up for a while now, the ducks and swans seem happy enough

[Lynnzer]

it's had no fishing signs up for a while now, the ducks and swans seem happy enough

Makes you wonder why?
If there's no fishing at all then it generally means the actual landowner has banned it.
Is it a club water and are the signs for Fishing by members only I wonder.

Now, have had a word with a lad in Dragon Carp in Peterlee this morning.
His dad owns the Paradise lakes at Witton Park. He says they're well stocked with everything from carp to gudgeon.
Season permits are £99.

The lakes over the road at Escombe are free by payment at the riverbank if the farmer catches you.
Could well be worth a trip especially as there's supposed to be some big pike in there.

[on the mark]

the pond at testos roundabout "boldon" has never been a club venue that i know of, there is a pond opposite aswell but thats fenced off, i've noticed when passing that it has been getting cleaned out of alot of reeds and weed, i've a feeling the electricity board might own this one as it seems to be on there land, mind i was told that both these ponds were there so the electricity board could draw off water as a coolent if needed?

[Bushwhacker]

Silksworth pond is a very good venue with a lot of species.Bream,Roach,Perch and Carp.The Carp are up to small doubles.
Just go and fish it and you pay your money if any of the SFAC club bailiffs come round.Its only 3 or £4 a day.
Park in the Sports center car park as Sainsburys don,t like anglers parking in there spaces.
.