jimmyh

Well done Adam, an excellent feeling catching your first pike. Now go get some more....

Couldnt agree more grayson, he has had plenty of advice now on this and other forums!. Come on Greg, get out fishing, thats the fun part!! You'll find people are generally protective over specific pegs, and rightly so in my mind. Quite often a lot of effort goes in to locating.. If you do go, let us know how you get on.

Who knows eh! I was merely referring to the Collins "Birds" Guide which gave a 91cm length (or 2.98 ft). I remember sitting on a frosty morning on the banks of the swale last year, ponds were frozen. There was about a dozen of these huge black creatures that suddenly appeared from the depths, they spanned the width of the river, saw me and took off quickly. Now stocks on the swale of silverfish are already concerningly low (its made up largely of bigger chub, barbel and pike - the ones that cormorants dont eat). So to see this sight was just awful....... There must be something to be done to them. Wonder if the recent changes in law would make any difference??

I'd have said it was longer than a foot, but apparently not. An adult cormorant is 3ft in length, it doesnt look to be 3 times the size... I'd say a 2lb fish is nearing its limit, all the same I'd rather they weren't taking pound plus chub and pike - they are afterall the future stocks.

Noted, however this isnt an 8 oz fish. Google "cormorant eating pike".

Brilliant chub! I always find that a picture of a fish is made more pleasant when a centrepin is in it!!

I seem to recall one of the photos they keep banding around to show how bad cormorants are is one shoving a nice chunky pike down its throat!

Well done for getting out. My available time on the bank is limited due to family and work, usually averaging a morning a week. It seems that i always seem to hit the river when its completely unfishable at the moment. As for the cormorant - its looks a pretty small one that. I've seen bloody big ones quite capable of eating chub on my local river tees and swale!

I had an issue with a drennan reel which I e-mailed them yesterday about; more a query really. Post comes this morning with a replacement part - spot on and very quick response.

Yes, Post office in Morton on swale, cant remember how much (£5 - £6 ish), allows you to fish downstream of the bridge only on Northallerton bank (i.e., left hand side as your looking downstream over the bridge) for a couple of miles ish. They also have the first field on the right bank looking downstream, but not beyond that as it is a different clubs water... Chub are the mainstay, odd nice barbel

I've left Leeds and joined bradford this year. Dont let that put you off though, they have very good waters. I just wasnt fond of the circus that is Topcliffe, despite it being an excellent stretch PS, i wish you'd make your mind up!!

Give the new Drennan Esox braid a go

Tough one to reply to this on an open forum. Sticking to the original question and observations......Yarm free stretch you will struggle for chub though they do get caught in the matches in winter (the perch move down in winter as well - occassionally a bumper catch can be made). Middleton one row produces chub and barbel, but theres only a few pegs. Broken scar can produce chub and barbel especially in the warmer months (plenty of dogs jumpin in your swim to keep you occuppied). The free bit at Gainford can produce chub as well in summer - but they are more thin on the ground up there. I'd suggest joining a club, and joining one with access to Teesside Association water. This is where i keep shut now because of publicity rules etc...

Advice given in other threads!!

Greg, Pike wise, the prime water starts around Scruton / Morton Area and below all the way down to its confluence with the Ure. In terms of what clubs have what, in broad terms: Northallerton AC - 4 or so miles above and below morton Middlesbrough AC - Stretches at Gatenby, Maunby, Holme, Ainderby Quernhow and Skipton Bridge Bradford No1 - Stretches at Gatenby, Maunby, Pickhill, Topcliffe (not the prime bit), Asenby (5 pegs or so), and then their prime water at Thornton Bridge (above and Below) Leeds & District - A short bit near Skipton, Topcliffe, Asenby, Helperby and Myton I'd suggest these as your prime choice for Swale water - but a fair few other clubs have stretches here and there (Bradford City AA being an excellent example). It may be better going for Bradford or Leeds as they give you plenty of other options on the Wharfe, Nidd, Ure etc Good luck!