River Tees

[George387]

Scott,
Posted off to you this morning, enjoy

[SNicholson]

I know a little about this river having fished it for 50 years, I say I know but this river changes so much no angler can ever master its moods or changes due to the seasons and more.
Fish wise - you can catch just about anything in the Tees and it throws up surprises every season. Last season I caught a 2.25 pound rainbow trout when bream fishing at Barwick Farm. I also has a crusian carp fishing maggot for roach. I have seen a photo of a zander caught on lure at Girsby and theres whispers of catfish - this river can turn up anything and never ceases to surprise those fishing it.
My fishing partner Tom and I have had pike to 23 pound, chub to over 6 pound, big river bream, perch topping 4 pound, grayling close to 3 pound, dace just over the pound but we have never had a 2 pound roach or landed a Tees barbel.
We fish almost its entire length and no-one ever gets to say they know it well. Why? because its a river that can go from a trickle to half way up the trees in a few hours - then drop back the next morning. When the winter floods come the fish often migrate down to calmer deeper slower water and return when spawning drives them back. The shoals of dace drop down every winter and quivertipping on a frosty morning fishing into 15 foot or more of river you can bag up and always that chance of a surprise fish.
The bream tend to feed heavily at night but can be caught right through the day on light hook lengths and small hooks and baits and if you can hold a shoal you may get a net full.
Love it or hate it the Tees can never be taken for granted but when you catch her right she gives the thinking angler just rewards.

[Liphook]

It's a river I've often considered but never quite got round to fishing. Yet. I'd be interested in hearing more and taking a recommendation on somewhere to base ourselves for a couple of days

[Willow And Cane]

Is the Tees all club water?
Is there a “free stretch”?

It is one local river that I have never cast a line in to it.
Plenty of good reports but I just never seem to drive south.