Where would you like us to take you?
Lowland rivers, fast-flowing headwaters, mountain streams, tiny tributaries or upland lakes and tarns; we've got you covered!
The Tees
The River Tees rises on Cross Fell, high up in The Pennines and flows south eastwards before reaching Cow Green - a reservoir that is an outstanding fishery in it's own right!
From Cow Green, the river cascades over hard basalt, creating an impressive spectacle; Cauldron Snout.
The river is wild and fast flowing here, huge boulders interrupt it's flow all the way down to the infamous High Force waterfall. The river through Middleton-In-Teesdale and down through Barnard Castle, boasts a series of small cascades, gorges and fast riffles.
Beyond Barnard Castle, through Winston, Gainford and Piercebridge, the river offers some deep pools and gravel runs.
Once it passes Croft, the river starts to become much deeper in places and before long, you reach the brackish water and the industrial areas of river.
James knows and understands the Tees like no one else possibly could, he has covered much of its 80 something mile length, countless times over many years and in all conditions.
Whatever your wants and needs, the Tees can likely provide it and if it can, James is the guide you need!
The Eden
The Eden rises near Mallerstang, on the Cumbria - North Yorkshire border before dropping down into the valley and flowing north towards Kirkby Stephen.
The river slowly bends round towards Temple Sowerby, flowing through Warcop and Appleby-In-Westmoreland on it's way. On the approach to Penrith, it bypasses the town to the East, heading on up to Lazonby and Armathwaite before eventually rounding Carlisle and entering the Solway Firth.
Our attention is focused on the areas around Appleby, where the clear water and higher banks can often offer vantage points to spot your target. The river is littered with runs and pools that hold beautiful golden trout - some of the prettiest you could hope to find, anywhere!
The Eden, here, has a much more gentle flow and the wading, in the most part, is comfortable; gentle gravel slopes and plenty of access points. It's a far cry from the boulder hopping shenanigans you'll encounter on parts of the Tees.
Mountain Streams
The Lake District and North Pennines are littered with small mountain streams. Not all of them hold fish but the ones that do, are a beauty to behold!
I have dedicated a lot of time, over the years, to fishing these streams and finding reliable fish-holding waters. The majority of these streams are difficult to access and there's often call for a hike of 2hrs or more, just to reach the stream. It's unlikely you'll see another sole, all day!
This is not an option for the feint of heart but for those that are up for a challenge, these streams can be immensely rewarding and no two streams are the same.
Lakeland Tarns
Much like the mountain streams, the tarns can be an unknown entity...until you've fished them!
Again, not all of them are productive and often, the conditions need to be right but they're a wonderful option to have, particularly if you enjoy hiking and want to add some fishing to your day.
Some tarns are tucked away in places that are beyond the scope of most people but others are easily accessible and offer better prospects than you might think - just be prepared to encounter hikers on the more popular routes.
Cow Green Reservoir
This is where I cut my teeth in the world of wild brown trout fishing.
Cow Green is a huge expanse of water (comparatively speaking), high up in the North Pennines AONB. It's a wild, unforgiving landscape, where no two days are the same!
To illustrate this - I fished it on the same day in late May, two years running; one year it was -2° and snowing, the following year it was 21° and I ended the day with quite the sun tan!
This is an exceptional fishery, with a huge head of truly wild brown trout. It's not impossible to catch 50+ fish but it's also quite easy to draw a blank! It's a place that holds a special place in my heart and truly is a magical environment in which to fish.