Fishing for Spring Salmon at Styford, River Tyne.

Fly fishing for spring salmon in Northumberland

[@jerryglover5435]

Top credits for braving the cold conditions Rob. I was there last year on the 1st March when the first springer off the Tyne 0:45 was taken in that pool. To top it off it was the fellas birthday too.

[@abakerslife]

I was a couple of days early this year as Bywell got the first fish not long after. At least you know you have a chance if covering fish there so it's worth a roll of the dice.

[@luckyguliver]

What are the chances of catching fish in April - May in lower Tyne?

[@abakerslife]

I don't know, I couldn't get one last year and I tried pretty hard. By all acounts the fished bombed straight through the lower Tyne and got caught a bit further up. Warden would be a good bet at that time I think. Bywell will always give you a chance lower down. Fish will be caught but not in numbers so you'd be taking a chance.

[@Kevin-f1r]

Hi rob quick question what is the rod you are fishing with mate

[@abakerslife]

In that case it was a Hardy NSX Ultralite 13' 6 #8/9

[@Labs.Fishing.hunting]

Funnily enough I lost a head in a similar way 2 years ago, I went back over the stretch with a spinning rod and flying c and caught the line back. Give it a try anyway

[@abakerslife]

I would but it would cost me 80 quid to go back and try! Thanks for the suggestion but it's gone, claimed by Neptune I fear.

[@AboveAverageAngler]

Hasn't Styford got loads of pools, why just fish that one? How do the Kielder releases work? Are anglers given warning? Like the glove idea, might give that a try.

[@abakerslife]

The fish don't usually go up the fish pass at this time of year. They wait till the water is warmer and the flow is easier so they bottle up there. There is a website that publishes the kielder release in advance so anglers are able to plan ahead.

[@DaiHGowerWales]

Great stuff as always Rob.

[@abakerslife]

Thankyou

[@tomjones7593]

Well done-can't resist saying I plucked one out on Leap Year day- at age 69 I've never had a fish before late May/June before. I sympathise re your feet-you can get heated skiing boots so why not wading ? I don't like copper/etc tubes- I'd rather look a T@rt trying to cast a heavy sink tip/leader and a light fly. Tight lines to you and all for '24 !

[@abakerslife]

Congratulations, you must have been over the moon. I hope you belted out a couple of verses of "It's not unusual.." to celebrate 🍾

[@seatrout61]

Looking forward to watching but I doubt you are fishing Stafford 😢😢…good luck this year and if you fancy a day at Haltwhistle (HADAA) let me know

[@abakerslife]

Nice one, good spot. Sounds like a good offer, I'd love more goes at that water. Tight lines yourself

[@MalcolmPatterson-p7p]

Hi Rob, bad news about losing your line etc. Not sure if you are aware but the fish caught off Bywell this week have been on floating lines with a sink 3 tip so they are not fishing too deep.

[@abakerslife]

You win some you lose some I suppose. I didn't know that but thanks for the info. I'm going stick with my bottom dredging policy for a little longer though, till it warms up a bit more. It's working so far.

[@stuartnicklin4101]

Good to see your back at it 👍 could you explain about shooying heads / tapers etc. Im a would be starter and not totally familiar eith leaders, Thankyou.

[@abakerslife]

As far as I understand it a shooting head is just a short front loaded line that loads the rod quickly and has enough mass at the front to create momentum. It's the momentum that is required to unroll the leader and turn over the fly. Usually the shooting head is attached to a thinner running line that has less resistance off the reel and through the air so theoretically you can cast further. The problem is that the running line eventually gets kinky and causes you problems. Just go with any modern floating weight forward line with an integrated running line and you will be fine. Most people attach a polyleader/sink tip of varying densities to try and achieve different depths. If you go with a 10' fast sink for when the water is high and a 10' intermediate for the rest of the time you will be covered.

[@magnetchi]

O yes another great video. Better luck next time 👍👊

[@abakerslife]

Thanks, something tells me next time will be my lucky day

[@MrKveite1]

That isnt supposed to happen, i know guideline and nextcast have that problem so it does happen but very rarely. The safe way is to make your own connections but that's not for everyone to do since it need to be done right. I strip some of the coating off and tie a loop with 5 layers of kevlar fly tying thread with superglue over each of the 5 layers and then i apply Aquasure as coating. A loop made like that wont break anytime soon. Something ellse will break first. It will take about 2 inches off the shootinghead but that doesent really change much in my opinion.

[@abakerslife]

I'm not sure I fully grasp the concept. Are you tying a loop in the exposed braided core?

[@MrKveite1]

@@abakerslifeI dont tie a loop, i just make one by putting the end piece back towards the main line and tie it with tyingthread so it makes a loop, superglue and repeat that 5 times, then when it's dry i apply aquasure as coating.

[@MrKveite1]

@@abakerslifei dont do this on all my shootingheads, just the ones from a brand i know is sketchy when it comes to the factory velded loops

[@abakerslife]

Ok I see, thanks

[@crabacle]

Rob, great to see you out again. Excellent channel. I would appreciate you getting in touch please for a couple of reasons, I’m interested in your shooting head setup on the Hardy DH you are using, and also me and some friends are due to fish the Tyne/Coquet in June on the Federation ticket and would appreciate some advice as you obviously fish it a lot. Thanks and keep going with the videos. By the way Karla is class, what a great dog.

[@abakerslife]

Hi, I was using a Hardy rocket intermediate head. I liked how it cast and cut through the water but I was never able to find a good running line that didn't kink. I also found the connections between the head and the changeable tips very clunky for landing a fish solo so mixed feelings about losing it. I'm back to using Rio Scandi outbound floater now with a fast sink polyleader. The head ballif of the federation is the guy to speak to. His number is on the website and he will be far more able to put you in the right place for the conditions. The ticket covers a lot of water so you will have a lot to go at. That being said at that time of year unless the Tyne is very low then I would concentrate on the Coquet. You won't need more than a switch rod even if the water is up. The Tyne requires a bigger rod.

[@crabacle]

@@abakerslife Thanks Rob. Just one more thing, I think that your rod is an 8/9 - which outbound did you use to balance it? I find that I have to over line my 9/10 by 1 (I use an 11 weight line on it)

[@abakerslife]

I use an 8/9 and it seems spot on to me. Been out today and really enjoyed casting it.

[@crabacle]

@@abakerslife Thanks Rob. Enjoy the new season. Apparently it may be a little better than the last 3 for various reasons. Let’s hope so.

[@ibana8449]

Instead of buying another shooting head, try one of the composite lines from Gaelforce. No running line and much easier to handle with wet hands .

[@abakerslife]

Thanks for the tip.

[@Gamefishing111]

Wake and bake man,,Scottie at logie on the findhorn is asking for you

[@abakerslife]

Regards to the infamous piper