Nigel Melville, Author at

New Steps!

River access on some of our beats can be challenging and members gravitate to the beats with the best access and don’t fish the likes of Goose Island, Mickley Glide and more.

In recent weeks the Committee, Riverkeeper, President, Volunteers and Richard (Michael Lupton’s right hand man!) have installed more than 10 sets of new steps across a number of beats including Hatchery Flatts and Rocky Stream. The steps system, designed by Richard, are a series of boxes that interlock and when filled with stones and gravel from the Estate quarry create a solid set of steps (see above).

The steps are strategically placed to protect them from the full force of a rising river and so far have proved to be structurally sound.

A huge thanks to everyone involved, a great team effort and special thanks Christopher Bourne-Arton, Michael, Robert and Richard for their unbelievable support with this project.

The Times (19th May 1992)

Nick Pinches is working his way through the TAC archives and came across this wonderful article in The Times celebrating the Club’s centenary year.

Walbran Day!

It was good to see so many of you at the weekend to celebrate Walbran Day, the first weekend of the new trout season. Despite cold weather and a rising river, it didn’t dampen our spirits and we managed to drink coffee, eat bacon and sausage sandwiches, catch up with members old and new and visit the hatchery.

Last year the hatchery was extremely challenging to manage, there was a pollution incident, a broken pipe, the fencing around the ponds was becoming less predator proof and the netting across the top of the ponds was no longer fit for purpose.

During the off-season, Michael (Chairman and Hatchery Manager) and Robert (River-keeper) have been working hard to upgrade the facility. New fencing and netting protecting our fish stocks, new pipe increasing the flow of water into the hatchery and new storage containers, a coat of paint and a general tidy up. The result of their labour was there for all to see at the weekend. Special thanks to the Committee, Will Pomroy, Malcolm and others for their support.

On the river bank, new steps have been installed at Hatchery Flatts, Armitage Stream, Goose Island and Mickley Glide greatly improving access to the river.

On Saturday, Keith Collins was available to answer a number of fly tying questions, and Richard Townsend arrived with a crate full of fly tying materials (a lot of excitement from the fly tiers present – thanks Richard).

A few hardy souls made it into the river, others took the opportunity to check-out a few new locations to fish this year and those wishing to celebrate our history called in at ‘The Bruce’, where Walbran spent many a night!

Our Walbran Auction winner (a TAC Fly Box and 45 traditional Club flies) was Andrew Greenwood with a final bid of £301. Thank you for all your support and especially to our winner.

This was our first Walbran Day experience and the feedback has been positive. A chance to meet fellow members at the start of the new season, an opportunity to re-engage with the club after the winter and some early season fishing. I think we will do it again next year.

Our next big social event will be our summer sizzler at Tanfield Lake, Saturday 11th July (more details to follow, put it in the diary).

Tight Lines!

TAC Fly Boxes Now Available

Crafted from walnut grown on rocky terrain at over 500m above sea level helps make our new TAC branded fly box extremely durable, whilst giving a unique and beautiful texture.

Magnets are used for the locking mechanism which are pressed into the wood. The brass hinges are also pressed into the wood, providing a simple and secure means of opening the box.

Each box is unique with a variation in colour and tone and branded with the Tanfield Angling Club logo.

Size: 117 x 76 x 30mm

Capacity: 70 Flies

Weight: 90g

Inserts: Foam

Cost: £30.00/box + any delivery charges.

Place your order now by emailing the secretary:

secretary@tanfieldac.co.uk

Wood’s Stream Track Update

The track beyond Wood’s Stream remains closed due to subsidence caused by the recent wet weather. Anglers wishing to fish beyond Wood’s stream are welcome to do so, but must travel on foot as the track is closed. The Estate are waiting for the track to dry out before repair works can begin.

Further details will be provided when available.

New Steps – Goose Island/Mickley Glide

**A Vote of Approval from Club Chair, Michael Lupton**

A small group of Committee volunteers spent today installing new steps in three locations between Old Wives, Goose Island and Mickley Glide/deep. The steps have been designed to provide improved access to the river in three key locations.

Anglers can now access the rover at the top of Old Wives and fish upstream as far as Mickley Deep, access at three points. A modular step design has been used filled with stone from the Bourne-Arton’s quarry supplied and delivered by our president, Christopher Bourne-Arton.

With the track in the woods still not open to cars, this is an opportunity for members to fish parts of the river they may not have experienced before. Mickley Deep to the bridge in Tanfield is an interesting stretch of river (including new steps and easy access).

Hatchery Update

On Saturday 28th March its Walbran day, a celebration of the new trout season at Tanfield Angling Club. Apart from saying hello to members old and new, anglers will be able to fish and also tour the hatchery with Robert Russell (River Keeper).

Last season we had a number of challenges with the quality and pressure of the water feeding the hatchery. A new pipe was installed and the flow of water is now excellent and the quality of the water has improved.

During the off-season, apart from looking after the fish, Robert has been working on the hatchery infra-structure with new fences around the ponds and secure roof netting to protect the fish from predators. He has also been painting the bothy and storage sheds, I hope you get chance to visit at the weekend and witness the improvements for yourself. we are certainly making good progress.

Excellent work Robert!

Walbran Auction

On Saturday 28th March 2026 we will auction a unique box set of North Country Spiders with all proceeds going to TAC funds.

The fly box is one of our specially commissioned Tanfield Angling Club fly boxes, a walnut fly box that holds 70 flies.

The box contains 48 flies all were favourite patterns of Walbran tied by Keith and Owen.

Keith’s patterns are tied on vintage Allcock hooks (founded in 1797) using vintage Pearsall’s Naples silk. This was the only silk that Wallbran would use for his flies and it became THE essential ingredient for North Country spider soft hackle wet flies.

These flies are as close as you will ever get to something that Walbran will have sold in his shop or fished at Tanfield.

The patterns in the box include: March Brown, Waterhen Bloa, Hare’s Lug and Plover, Black Spider, Partridge and Orange, Partridge and Yellow, Grouse and Purple and Woodcock and Hare’s Ear.

We are now accepting bids by email send to:

secretary@tanfieldac.co.uk for those that cannot attend opening day. All bids to be received by midday on Saturday 28th March, 2026.

**The TAC Wooden Fly Box and Selection of ‘Walbran’ Spiders**

Meet the Tanfield Angling Club Ambassadors

This year we are launching a new Ambassador Programme, and delighted to announce Fred Bainbridge, Charles Jardine, Jeremy Lucas and Jim Curry as the Club’s first Ambassadors.

It’s 134 years since Max Walbran founded the Tanfield Angling Club and it could be argued that little has changed since those early days. It’s the same stretch of the beautiful River Ure (Yore), we still stock the river annually from our own hatchery and the fishing is excellent. However, fly-fishing has changed, methods, equipment, clothing and even the fly life isn’t what it used to be. Participation trends and demographics have changed too, and as a club we have to continue to evolve.

The role of our Ambassadors is to provide support for the Club. They will share their experiences and opinions with the committee, support members through our masterclass programme, write articles for our website and promote the club via their social media channels.

Members may rub shoulders with them on the river bank from time to time too!

Our Ambassadors are all expert fly-fishermen in their own right, each offering different perspectives and approaches to our sport. Fred is a former England Captain, medal winner and hugely successful local guide. Charles is a writer artist and legend of the fly-fishing community world-wide and his Fishing 4 Schools initiative is not only a wonderful achievement, its an opportunity to explore links with local schools. Jeremy is also a well known fly-fishing author and his minimalist approach to fly-fishing is an exciting and popular addition to our masterclasses series this season. Jim’s casting expertise and product knowledge as a Guideline representative keeps us at the cutting edge of fly-fishing design and technology.

We are looking forward to working with our Ambassadors too and I hope members get a chance to meet them at some point during the season whether at Masterclasses, social events or on the riverbank.