It was like yesterday when I caught my first salmon at the Lambley Beat on the South Tyne. That yesterday was some seven years ago. Ever since I and a group of Bulgarian and international friends have been visiting the beat in the second part of October for a 6-day fishing trip that we started to call the “Bulgarian week”.
This year was no exception. Four of us flew from Sofia to Manchester where we met the other part of the group coming from Iceland to continue their salmon adventure in the UK. Total of six. Five true friends and my fiance?
In the late afternoon, we were picked up by our beloved host – Jim. He took us to what we think is a paradise for salmon fishermen or any UK countryside fan– Lambley Holiday Cottages. We had six days of fishing ahead of us.
I was lucky enough to hook and land a fish on the very first day. A splendid cock fish of about 12-13 pounds. What a great start! Then the second day the weather was really windy and so many leaves were floating on the surface of the water it turned the fishing into leaf catching.
Really bad phone picture but the fish had to go quick.
Then Hurricane Ophelia passed in the late afternoon. Quite far from us, but we still felt it. On the third day, after the storm, I felt ill and I didn`t have the strength to go fishing so I decided to stay home, eat soup and try to recover as soon as possible. When the guys came back for lunch they said the conditions were rough. In the late afternoon, they came back and I won`t forget the smile on their faces. Rosen Velev, who hadn`t fished the river before hooked his first salmon – and what a specimen! The fish measured 103 cm in length and according to the experts we consulted with was weighting between 26- 28 pound. One of the biggest fish caught in the UK in 2017. Caught on a small tube silver stoat tail size 14 treble hook. They fought the fish for a good half hour and safely landed it on the river bank. After a quick picture session, it was carefully returned to the pool. That first salmon for Rosen was the fish of a lifetime that many old salmon anglers would have dreamed of. I`m only sorry that I wasn`t there to witness the size of that hen.
George decided to have a picture with the fish as well.
The next day I was feeling much better and woke up early, really eager to immerse myself in the fishing. My fiance Pavlina and I were working a pool late afternoon when I felt that slight pull at the end of my line. I slowly lifted the rod and the fish started running downstream. It all happened when Jim and his kids were passing behind us going on their way to the upper pool. I ended up fighting that fish in front of quite a big audience. I hooked the fish on one of Stoyan`s shrimp so it was logical to ask him to help me with the net. The fish was in and I heard the cheers around. What a perfect moment of happiness. It was about 12 pounds, a hen fish that couldn`t resist Stoyan`s shrimp pattern.
The next day I hooked another fish at the very same place. This time the fish was smart and went behind a rock where the leader stuck in and eventually broke. Couldn`t really do much. Rosen and Boril also lost one fish each.
Then the rain came and made the river way over two feet. On the last day we really tried hard to catch another fish. I was lucky again at the end of the day to have a take-and-fight one… almost net it. That`s the way it goes sometimes as we all know or we will find out. The most important was that we had that monster hen fish this time which broke all the records! This really made the trip.
We are all looking forward to the next “Bulgarian salmon week“ on the South Tyne. If you want to join a bunch of foreigners and fish with us or just want to fish the South Tyne at the Lambley and Alston Beats – staying at the finest Lambley cottage accommodation please do not hesitate to contact me with all your questions.
And a gallery with some more pictures from the trip.
