Ovingham and Prudhoe, River Tyne

River level

The lowdown

• This is proper main-river fishing rather than tiny-stream pottering. The Tyne here is broad, powerful and wild-looking, with plenty of water to get your head around.
• The Federation’s fishing runs downstream from Bywell to Wylam, with Ovingham and Prudhoe among the named areas. Some sections are double bank, so there’s a decent amount of room to roam.
• For coarse anglers, 18 to 24 inches is described as the ideal river height. Extra water and a touch of colour generally get the river fishing better.
• Dace are the big draw. They’re the Tyne’s characteristic coarse fish, and August to November can be especially productive.
• A stick float or waggler is the bob-on approach for dace. Maggot is the favourite bait, and the right conditions can produce serious bags of 30lb to 40lb.
• There are individual dace to around 14oz reported, so don’t assume every fish is a tiny silver. Keep feeding steadily and work the flow properly.
• Chub are another proper target, with fish over 6lb regularly caught on Federation waters. Bread is recommended, especially when fishing into darkness.
• The Tyne also holds roach, perch, pike and gudgeon, giving coarse anglers a few cheeky alternatives when the dace aren’t fully on the munch.
• Game anglers get salmon and sea-trout water from early in the season, with large double-figure spring salmon caught from Federation waters. Brown trout are also available.
• Expect a river that rewards reading the flow, finding the crease and adjusting to height and colour. It’s not a faff-free canal session, but when it clicks, it can be cracking.

Methods: For dace, trot a stick float or waggler with maggot through the glides and crease. For chub, try bread, particularly as daylight fades; migratory fish are fly or lure only.

Access & tickets

Visitors can obtain daily, three-day or weekly permits for Northumberland Anglers Federation waters. A valid Environment Agency rod licence is also required, and the listed 2026 visitor one-day all-fish, all-waters permit is £68.

Fish the club names

trout, roach, chub, perch, pike

Named by Northumberland Anglers Federation across its waters, not for this stretch on its own.

Key rules

• All game fish caught on the Tyne must be returned immediately.
• Salmon caught before 16 June must be returned immediately.
• Salmon and sea trout caught after 30 September must be returned immediately.
• Fly or lure only may be used for migratory fish.
• Live or dead bait is prohibited for migratory fish and brown trout.
• Brown-trout fishing is fly only, with a daily bag limit of two brace.
• Bank lines, trimmers and night lines are prohibited.
• Carry your permit, rod licence and water map while fishing; boundaries are marked by signs, posts or other features.

Where it is