Cow Green

[Charlie_Thompson]

Had a few hours up there on Sunday for the first time - it's a big old place and a bit spooky when the cloud / mist came down. Caught and realised 5 wild brownies.

Thanks go to mark for removing a fly from the back of my neck (I will crush barbs properly from now on) Also caught one of my own flies I had lost after being broken off by a decent fish earlier in session.

Absolute nightmare of a drive back off the tops, pitch black with thick fog, visibilty about 20 feet for about 6 miles, all with a lunatic 4 wheel drive up my backside

 

[mick dunn]

I remember this old thread and looked it up again. I,m fancying a look up some time. Someone told me its a canny walk when you leave you motor.

 

[mark]

I remember this old thread and looked it up again. I,m fancying a look up some time. Someone told me its a canny walk when you leave you motor.

the walk can be as long or as short as you want it to be! you can park 50 yards from the waters edge, but this is real wild trout territory, stay rooted to the spot as is the way in many stockie waters and you'll catch nowt, well you'll maybe get one, the rest of them will bugger off cos they'll have heard about the strange being above trying to pull their lips off

the best fishing is a good way from the car park, right at the western end where the river runs in. best bet is make a day of it, tackle up at the car, walk down to the water, have a few chucks then move on and work you way along

or hike along to then end and fish you're way back... or both

the walk from the car park to the far end takes half an hour to 40 minutes, easiest way is not the direct route, follow the track for about 25 mins then cut acrross to the water

 

[Charlie_Thompson]

I remember this old thread and looked it up again. I,m fancying a look up some time. Someone told me its a canny walk when you leave you motor.

Let me know when you fancy mick, I'll have a bowl up with - you can carry me gear

I'm a lazy raas but it's not a bad hike at all, blows the cobwebs etc. It's nice to catch wild fish as well. Mostly lickkle uns but tha neva naars

 

[yorkio]

I'm determined to make it up there this year too. The only time I've been up there I didn't have a rod with me and the weather was somewhat inclement, to say the least. It was quite a pleasant day when we left Gateshead but Cow Green was about 10 degrees colder and a bloody sight windier too - we got a few hundred yards down the bank before turning round and heading back to the car! I can't imagine anywhere better on a balmy summer night though...

How are the midges up there BTW?

 

[willywetegg]

I had a drive up with SixfootSteve last week just for a look. It was a lot bigger than I expected but certainly as cold as I thought it would be lol. Even with the warm sun that cold breeze cut straight to the bone lol. Not sure if I would make it to the far end though Mark, I was surprised at how big it actually was.

Jim.

 

[mark]

I'm determined to make it up there this year too. The only time I've been up there I didn't have a rod with me and the weather was somewhat inclement, to say the least. It was quite a pleasant day when we left Gateshead but Cow Green was about 10 degrees colder and a bloody sight windier too - we got a few hundred yards down the bank before turning round and heading back to the car! I can't imagine anywhere better on a balmy summer night though...

How are the midges up there BTW?

depends how tasty you are


there's nearly always a bit of breeze though which keeps em away

 

[DaveMcK]

It is my favorite wild brownie water in England. To get the best out of it you need to fish the far bank where there are about 5 streams that flow in. mind you its a 40 minute walk to the mouth of the Tees or 30 minutes over the dam, you then just cast and walk. No need for waders, bags or landing nets, just a fly jacket and plenty of water because if you do a full circut its 7 miles. Small black flies and a floating line are the tactics and you'll soon be getting plenty of takes from completely wild brownies. I've spent many a time there and bags of over 20 fish are common, whilst the best I've landed was 1lb 2onz.

Cheers

DaveMck

PS I'll be there on 2nd Saturday in June if anyone wants a walk on the wildside

 

[bazw]

i went up there a couple of years ago in feb , no wind , you could hear birds far away and 50 odd feet of ice to open water ( think i still have a photo some place )
beautiful it was , never had a chance to fish it yet ( me or the wife always seam to have health problems when we look at going )
when we did go to fish it it was blowing so bad the birds were walking and granny's were bundled up in the kiosk so it was off to derwent and hide under the bivie with a worm out