The cost of river fishing

Just a general enquiry, but does anyone know what the current 'going rate' is for river fishing- mile or meter? Moderate coarse fishing but has some productive game (mostly brown/sea trout) pools.

I was at a meeting of 4 clubs with a shared interest in the water last night and the RO farmer is looking for at least a 10% increase in the £5400 (incl VAT) we now pay, The water in question is about 1000 yds (single bank) with about the same bank-age on a small tributary (not fished and not really wanted but comes with the package)

Problem is we have in the NE one game club that will/is paying silly money for any water on the Wear. Recently a small village club, Frosterly I believe, has lost fishing it has had on the Wear for well over 100 years to the same club .

The river Tyne is now almost totally syndicate/rich owner controlled and the Wear is now just about the only river in the north of the region where 'ordinary clubs' have reasonably priced fishing. But for how much longer?

You had better watch out, John. As I warned some years ago in an old Fly Fishing forums thread, still there in all its 8-page, silence the maniac, horror, sea-trout are the new salmon.

The Wear, as you well know, is famed for its big sea-trout (I helped someone with a 13-pounder once and on another trip, an invitation to fish from someone who had water on the river, I had a memorable leash of fish - 6, 7 and 8+ pounds, at night on fly, my host was impressed), so, the big, smart money is after it.

Can't really help John. Normally we reckon on £1 per yard (or £1.10 per metre), but we do get bargains, like 7 miles of navigation for a couple of hundred quid. Some owners thinks it's worth more or they just don't like signing something away for a couple of thousand.

Here, it sound like the river is worth more because of the ST and other game potential. You're up against it, I'm afraid, and it's a bit like going into an auction, it will fetch exactly what someone is prepared to pay for it.

My commiserations and I do hope you all manage to keep it.

Hopefully you won't lose the stretch John as I think I know which stretch you are referring to. I was in Hartlepool Club when they lost the Kepier Stretch which will now cost you in the region of £600 a year to fish now and that was a blow. Unfortunately the RO farmers head will have been turned by and obvious approach from a syndicate, which in my opinion is completely unethical and beyond contempt.

I seem to recall that coarse fishing clubs that were members of the 'old NFA' were not allowed to bid for waters held by fellow members. Now that the fluff chuckers are a part of the Angling Trust, then maybe they can do something. Although I very much doubt it if they're a private syndicate who are not affiliated in any way.

The Trent at Burton Joyce was lost to what is effectively a syndicate by Nottingham Federation. It went from about £16 per year (if affiliated to a club) to £100. It makes me smile that the anglers in the 'syndicate' may think they have had a result in getting the water, but why not just fish it for £16? It all seems a bit selfish to me.
More to follow, I suspect, on other stretches. Salmon won't do the 'regular' coarse anglers any favours...if there is ever a viable run.

I was working on roughly about £1/yard but this guy
And to think Ive probably contributed to this madness by helping to pay for the fishing rights on a major spawning tributary, Bedburn Beck, and then stopping all fishing on it.

Yes they (Wear sea trout) do grow big, I had a 14 lb-er on one of your 1lb-02oz rods Paul, although you've said before you deny any knowledge of the rod. Must have been that other bloke then

Wasn't too chuffed as I was after chub, or even a barbel at the time

You probably wont remember now but I once sent you a Dave Thompson 'John Bailey Avon Superb' to have a quiver fitted but the butt section had been crushed in the post.

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Terry D said:

I seem to recall that coarse fishing clubs that were members of the 'old NFA' were not allowed to bid for waters held by fellow members. Now that the fluff chuckers are a part of the Angling Trust, then maybe they can do something. Although I very much doubt it if they're a private syndicate who are not affiliated in any way.

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As Ive put on FM before I tried to get the ATr to adopt that old NFA rule only last year (I'd already heard that this particular ATr affiliated club was going after other club waters) but I was told that it be in conflict with EU competition rules, or some other such nonsense.
I'm sure that no club would relish not being able to join up to Fish Legal. That would be a big benefit and maybe attract a lot more clubs, to boot.

Stuthbroo, When I moved to Durham in 1972 the then old Durham County Fed water permit cost an extra £1/member/club, for both banks from Kepier/Frankland sewage works downstream to below the old railway viaduct, about 2.5 miles. AND we kicked Bishop Auckland and ANO club out for going after another clubs water. It worked then so I'm darned sure it would work now, especially with being a member of Fish Legal is even more important with rising water costs.

To add insult to injury just this morning I had a young man on the phone from Trout & Salmon magazine. He said 'in our next edition we are planning a two page spread on the river Wear, its clubs and the benefits for clubs/local anglers now it is the country's best sea trout river'

I'm afraid my response wasn't what he expected as I went into a rant about syndicates taking over local fishing, and perhaps they should do a feature on that!

I'm sorry to have wasted your time the young man said.

There we go, John. Reason why I haven't fished sea-trout since 2006 and have probably 5,000-plus-plus home-tied sea-trout flies in all shapes, sizes and colours from tubes, to snakes, to skaters, to tinies, umpteen fly lines and heads and good number of rods and reels here reminding me of the days before sea-trout became so must-do sexy ... still love the fish and fishing for them, but not the...............

Paul Boote said:

There we go, John. Reason why I haven't fished sea-trout since 2006 and have probably 5,000-plus-plus home-tied sea-trout flies in all shapes, sizes and colours from tubes, to snakes, to skaters, to tinies, umpteen fly lines and heads and good number of rods and reels here reminding me of the days before sea-trout became so must-do sexy ... still love the fish and fishing for them, but not the...............

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Nothing so complicated, free lined double lob worm did for my 14lb-er, Paul.

Back in my rather less-principled youth, I once had 37 sea-trout in a night-long to lunchtime session on worm, having 17 less than 600 for the season!

my one and only fenland sea trout came on the same method and just like John I too was after chub.

Sympathise with your plight Joihn, as an example round here a local pub has just took up the rights on almost the entire sixteen foot drain. They paid the princely sum of £350 +vat for almost 8 miles prime pike fishing

mark barrett 2 said:

Sympathise with your plight Joihn, as an example round here a local pub has just took up the rights on almost the entire sixteen foot drain. They paid the princely sum of £350 +vat for almost 8 miles prime pike fishing

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Anyone want some sea trout? Take the entire lot and lets have some proper fishing, at realistic prices. A big net across the river at Wearmouth would be another way

john m h said:

Anyone want some sea trout? Take the entire lot and lets have some proper fishing, at realistic prices. A big net across the river at Wearmouth would be another way

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"Back in my rather less-principled youth, I once had 37 sea-trout in a night-long to lunchtime session on worm, having 17 less than 600 for the season!"

Every little helps...

No, just cull the ruddy people.

john m h said:

Anyone want some sea trout? Take the entire lot and lets have some proper fishing, at realistic prices. A big net across the river at Wearmouth would be another way

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I think there are more than few lads pursuing that policy John though it does tend to be with a treble rather than nets. Probably harder to get rid of there ill gotten gains with restraunteurs having to provide proof of source for their game fish now but I'm sure were there is a will there is a way.