River Team. Chester le St to Team Valley

[johnny h]

The River Team looks a fab little stream but there's nothing there. I have walked that stream for years but its dead. Yes, it used to get a run of Eels (no longer), yes if got the odd Sea-Trout/Salmon (from the Tyne). The Stocking was in Dunston (Garden Festival downwards), but I think the majority of fish were washed away in the floods.
My son and me ferret the banks for Rats (lots of) and the odd Rabbit (which we always release).
There's a few Otters as well but they seem to be happy munching on the semi-tame Ducks!

[dale19]

some good info and pictures ian

[johnny h]

Down the Team today, nothing!

[Juliogeordio]

The River Team looks a fab little stream but there's nothing there. I have walked that stream for years but its dead. Yes, it used to get a run of Eels (no longer), yes if got the odd Sea-Trout/Salmon (from the Tyne). The Stocking was in Dunston (Garden Festival downwards), but I think the majority of fish were washed away in the floods.
My son and me ferret the banks for Rats (lots of) and the odd Rabbit (which we always release).
There's a few Otters as well but they seem to be happy munching on the semi-tame Ducks!

Agree... Live and work that way and I have never ever seen a fish... Dead as a doornail... Not worth the effort guys

[bushwacker]

T.v.t.e river

when my mother was a young the river was called the GUT and the song went GINGER NUT FELL IN THE GUT AND SWALLOWED AL THE FISHES THE TIDE CAME UP AND FLOODED THE GUT AND THAT WAS THE END OF GINGER NUT

[johnny h]

Down on the Team Valley today saw a school of fish!

Think (not scienctific I know) but they looked like Chub.











d

[Lynnzer]

Down on the Team Valley today saw a school of fish!

Think (not scienctific I know) but they looked like Chub.


d

Chub and dace is what were put in Johnny.
What sort of size were they. They should be around a pound in weight now I guess.

[johnny h]

Lynnzer,

they were about 4-5 inches (so not about a pound weight),

so (thinking about this perhaps Dace?).

Furthermore my friend saw a school of fish on the Team while watching from where the road crosses it at Lamesley (next to the Ravensworth Arms),

Anyway,

It's all good!

[Lynnzer]

Fish release was in November 2013 I believe.
They would have been a bit bigger than that size so there's either been a further release or they've gone and multiplied.

Whatever they are it's really good news.
Of course it's always possible that there were some native stock already in the river before the stocking programme that has made an appearance.

[johnny h]

Or it could be Lynnzer that the river quality is p**s poor that the fish just aren't growing?

I was watching the stream that runs along the Westline Estate at Birtley (it joins the Team near the Bewicke Main gypsy site) and it looked pretty colourfull/bad/smelly/dead.

[Lynnzer]

Or it could be Lynnzer that the river quality is p**s poor that the fish just aren't growing?

I was watching the stream that runs along the Westline Estate at Birtley (it joins the Team near the Bewicke Main gypsy site) and it looked pretty colourfull/bad/smelly/dead.

It would be nice to get some water quality sample results from the E.A. wouldn't it?
From my various journeys over it, it looks no worse than a lot of small rivers/streams; muddy when it rains but clearing in times of sunshine.

The point where it goes under the bridge before Team Valley looks pretty clean to me. I haven't looked closely mind you but it seems fine.

Wherever you get water, even dirty stuff, there should be some sort of decent insect life as well. Like I said, without a proper water analysis it'll never be clear what's going on. I suspect that was all part of the pre-stocking programme though. They wouldn't introduce fish into a dead river would they?

[johnny h]

Lynnzer,

There's a bird hide opp the Ravensworth Arms and talking today with a Twitcher he told me that theres a Kingfisher hunting there but he followed it with the killer punch 'and a couple of Comorants'

Fish-yes

Much longer-?

[jonny_s]

I walked the river at the south ( ladypark ? ) end of the team valley frequently last summer with my dog. I frequently saw small fry but never anything bigger than an inch or so. I occasionally took a few slices of bread and threw some flakes in trying to tempt a rise / take but saw nothing. It does look like a pretty healthy river to me though.

I did see a kingfisher on the bend at the top of the field where there are a lot of trees ovehanging the river, next to a small footbridge. I only spotted it after hearing a plop when it dived.

A word of warning though, some of the horses that occasionally get in the field are non too friendly. One in particular races across the field if it sees you in there. This one tried to stamp on my dog, I had to shout and wave my fleece very aggressively to make it back off. If the cows or horses are in the field he always stays on the lead and we keep our distance. I never go in the field any more if it is occupied