Chatton and Thrunton Long Crag host fly fishing championship

Thrunton Long Crag will host day two of the UK Fly Fishing Open Championship. Picture: Bob Smith

This weekend (April 1-2) sees the second heat of the UK Fly Fishing Open Championship at Chatton and Thrunton Long Crag, writes Bob Smith.

Chatton will host the competitors on Saturday.

The anglers will only be fishing Chatton Lake, so other anglers will have Ross and Dunnydeer Lakes to fish.

On Sunday, other competitors will be trying to qualify at Thrunton Long Crag.

The competition will be fishing half of Long Crag Lake, so other anglers can fish the other half and all of Coe Crag.

Last week had some milder days, but also some decidedly colder days. Consequently, fishing tactics had to change depending on the weather.

Some days saw anglers, including myself, catching on dry flies, with Top Hats, F Flies, Daddy Longlegs and Suspender Buzzers all catching regularly.

On the colder days, various lures including Snakes, Apps Bloodworms and Damsels, were used to good effect.

Now the clocks have changed, Thrunton is opening until 8pm except on Mondays and Saturdays, when it closes at 5pm.

Chatton is open until dusk everyday except Saturday, when they close at 5pm.

Now that the river trout season has opened, I’ve tried to fish the moving water, but unfortunately there has been some heavy rainfall and the Coquet was running a little high for me.

As far as I know, the first spring salmon has not been caught on Federation waters yet.

One angler netted one but it was fouled hooked so it could not count for a trophy.

Another angler lost a lovely springer just inches from his net.

Some fresh salmon have been caught and returned to the river on other private beats.