John Gierach finally gets Kindled

Just noticed today, Amazon UK are finally offering one of John Gierach's great books on the Kindle - Where the Trout Are All as Long as Your Leg.  Lets hope this is the first of many they offer electronically. I find it much easier to carry round one e-reader than 3 or 4 books when I go on a trip.

Anyway - happy reading ~ Chris.

Spring has Sprung ...... 

Saturday morning; the kids are at grannies, my wife is in the US, and the sun is out.  Its a few days before the season opens for trout on the River Tyne catchment, but its a great time to have a pre-season scout.


This is beat 5 of the Tyne Angling Passport scheme, its a lovely stretch of water.  Hidden from the road, nestled among the alder trees, its quite sheltered. As I arrive the sun hasn't quite burnt through the last of the early morning cloud, but there's still signs of insect life.  A pair of yellow wagtails are busy catching gnats by the waters edge and the grass is full of small black spiders.  More interestingly there is a dipper in the river, there must be something moving under the surface, large dark olives?  Lets hope so.


The sun finally burns through and the celandines respond by opening up their glossy yellow petals.    There's not too many of them open yet, but its certainly a sign that spring is finally here.

As I approach a nice slow glide, there it is, something rising..........its picking off something below the surface.  Its sat right under the bank, occasionally dashing out to nab a nymph, but is very, very wary.  

So a few days to go till we open on the 22nd - but its looking good ~Chris.


Note to self :  next time take your waders else its a right PITA to hack through the vegetation / clarts.

Filling out the Box

Size 14

Body - Pearsall's Silk, Olive

Hackle - Olive Dun CDC

Head - Peacock herl

So..........before the season starts – what is a Reiver?

From the late 13th century to the beginning of the 17th century - stuck between the warring ‘powers that be’ in England and Scotland – the borderers had a pretty tough time of it. This gave rise to a tough breed of local – the Border Reiver.

Friend to neither side – utterly loyal to their families – the Reivers were a predatory bunch who raided both sides of the border impartially, so long as the people they raided were not their own kin. Much of this wonderful border country is hilly moorland, unsuitable for arable farming but good for grazing - livestock were easily rustled and driven back to raiders' territory by mounted Reivers who knew the country well. (Still happens today – but the horse has been replaced by the lorry). The raiders also often acquired household goods and valuables, and took prisoners for ransom.

Now hidden within the hilly borderland are any number of small wooded vales – with their own burn or river – with the most beautiful wild broon troot you’ll ever set your eyes on.

This blog – at least to start off with – will focus mainly on the waters of the River North Tyne catchment, courtesy of a great organisation The Tyne River Trust (TRT).

The TRT have a great ‘passport’ system that allows access to some truly beautiful waters. But, with the proximity to such great waters as the Tweed catchment, River Coquet and Tees close-by, we’ll also do a bit of legal raiding in other near-by waters ~ Chris.