A TOP angling expert has declared the upper Tees as having some of the best fishing in the country.
Writing for The Times, angling guide John Bailey rated his 21 best places for fishing, including ponds, rivers and the seasides.
The Tees at Barnard Castle was one of eight rivers listed and is described as a “treasure trove”.
The expert, who is a consultant on the TV programme Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing, said: “The upper Tees offers spectacular wild brown trout and grayling in breathtaking moorland scenery. Barnard Castle is the central hub and the river around offers great fly-fishing sport at a surprisingly reasonable price.”
Barnard Castle Angling Club secretary Gareth Hinchcliffe welcomed the publicity, which coincides with the start of the trout season on March 22.
The 51-year-old, who started fishing at the age of two, said: “I think the trout fishing is the best I have known it. The top of River Tees is some of the best fishing in the country, undoubtedly. All the international competitions, and qualifiers, are held up there in the Raby water – but nobody fishes there, it is unbelievable.
“Cow Green is probably one of the best reservoirs in the country for wild brown trout.”
He noted that there are very few genetically true Tees wild brown trout downstream from High Force because the population had to be restocked after a quarry pollution incident some years ago.
He said: “All the fish above High Force are totally natural because they have never been stocked. They are a true genetic strain of Tees trout. There are some wild fish downstream but it is a genetic mix up.”
Part of the reason for large fish being caught in the Tees is because of the invasive American crayfish, which have become a source of food for trout, he said. The pest is also enjoyed by otters and herons.
Mr Hinchcliffe said: “When I was young a 1lb fish on the River Tees was a big fish, but I caught five over 2lb last year and one over 3lb – and I know of two fish over 6lb. That is why a lot of people have started coming again to the Tees.”
The additional anglers coming to the dale are also good for the tourism economy, Mr Hinchcliffe said, with a lot of them bringing their families who go visiting local sites while they enjoy their dale fishing.
“There are quite a lot of people coming and they will rent a cottage in Barney and just pick different beats to fish throughout the week,” he said.
“Fly-fishing is getting quite funky now and there is a bit of a trout bump going on – it is not the old stuffy fishing like it used to be.
“Quite a few young people have joined our club lately with no connection to fly-fishing. They’ve just seen it on YouTube and it is a big wellness thing.”
Anyone interested in learning more about the club and its waters can visit bcaclub.co.uk.
