Angling: Spinners are out in force on the Wear.

Byline: GEORGE MACINTYRE

THE rivers Wear and Tees were in full flood this week with fish moving to the upper reaches and the resulting lift allowing fresh fish to move in. These will be held in the pools as the waters begin to drop back and fine off.

Bishop Auckland Angling Club members have been out in force spinning although the water is now ideal for fly-fishing with the river running just under one foot above summer level.

The first sea trout of the season at Witton was weighed in by Kevan Stewart who took the fish on a Blue Flying C on the lower reaches of the Wear at Pagebank.

Application forms to join the BAAC can be picked up from Witton Castle Lakes fishery. Fees for 2007 are: ordinary - pounds 100 plus pounds 50 joining fee; juniors - pounds 25 no joining fee.

The rising water level at Witton Castle fishery has freshened everything up and as fly life explodes the fish have been feeding hard. Jim Allaker, fishing with his father William on Father's Day, caught a superb 19lb 4oz fish and went on to complete his bag with two twopounders on a Goldhead Hare's Ear.

David Risby, and son Sean, from Willington, had a 17lb 8oz and 2lb 8oz rainbow on a Green Blob while Alan Place from Evenwood, with a traditionally fished Black Buzzer swinging in the ripple, landed quality fish of 11lb 8oz and 3lb 12oz. Noel Garside had fish of 8lb 8oz and 2lb 8oz on a White Zonker with Pearlised body.

Sporting permit anglers also enjoyed great sport. Terry and Darren Murgatroyd returned eight fish between 3lb and 5lb up to 10lb with Alan Tait of Dalton safely returning a fish of 20lb-plus that had fallen to a Goldhead Brown Damsel.

Darlington angler Dave Cardwell, fishing an Olive Zonker, had the only double of the week at Jubilee Lakes - a fine rainbow of 16lb 12oz.

B Armstrong, with four for 14lb 8oz, had the week's best bag at Langley Dam, which fished extremely well at the weekend after the water had cleared off following last week's rain.

At Sweethope Loughs, where the water rose 12 inches in the last week, A and D Slack, from Prudhoe, fishing Muddlers on the surface, had five for 20lb, safely returning a further nine.

Jimmy Dunn of Burroden took three for 11lb 8oz on Damsel Nymphs while Cramlington's Dave Foster, also fishing Muddlers, had three for 10lb 8oz. On Monday, D Todd of Morpeth, fishing Black Buzzers, brought 14 fish to the net, weighing in three for 12lb. R Soulsby from Cyprus had three for 10 1/2 lb on a Black Midge and A Howell from Westerhope had two for 11lb, safely returning several more. P Coutland had the week's biggest bag at Sharpley Springs Water, bringing 18 fish to the net.

Winlaton angler R Thompson had a good day at Knitlsey Mill bringing eight fish to the net, the best taken on a Cat's Whisker at 6lb 4oz.

Gary Renwick Jr of Delves Lane took six, the best at 5lb 8oz, on a Black Fritz and Stanley angler S Cragwell had five, the best at 6lb, all on a Black Buzzer.

C Graham had the best at Caistron Lake this week with a fine 8lb 8oz blue trout.

A Campbell, fishing the worm, had three for 12lb 8oz, including a wellconditioned rainbow of 5lb 4oz.

GEORGE MACINTYRE [phone] [e-mail]

Fly box

CAISTRON:Buzzers, PTN, small lures.

JUBILEE:Lower Lake, or in the wind, black lures such as Nomads or orange lures such as the Blob. Top lake, or where sheltered, Black Buzzers, emergers. Olive Zonkers or Damsels were also taking trout on both lakes. Rod average: 3.2.

KNITSLEY MILL:Cat's Whisker, Black Fritz, Mayfly, Black Buzzer, Pheasant tail Nymph, Hare's Ear. Rod average: 3.9.

LANGLEY DAM:Dawson's Olive, Black Hopper, Hare's Ear, Black Buzzer.

SHARPLEY:Olive Buzzer, Hare's Ear Sugar Cube, Pheasant tail Nymph, Olive/Brown Fs, Beetles, daddies, Wickham's Fancy, Waddam's, Sedgehog.

SWEETHOPE:Muddlers, Black Buzzer, Black Midge, Damsels.