Letters & Testimonials

Thanks Richard and Eric

Stonebridge fishing lakes are situated just a few miles west of Northallerton set in pleasant surroundings (which are being improved upon as i write) The owner Richard and his 2nd in command Eric are very friendly and can't do enough to help you, from filling up your water container to giving you useful tips on what flys to use. My wife and i camped there for two nights, although the facilities are at the moment somewhat limited they are working on them i.e. the shower is yet to be wired up, but just 2 mile down the road is leeming bar where you will find showering facilities, and considering the low price of £8 per night for camping it's no big deal.I fished the specimen trout lake which is very accessible and right in front of the lodge, i caught two very good fish a nice 3 and half pound rainbow which put up a good scrap and was in fine condition, but the 2nd fish for me was a personel best a beutifully marked 3lb brownie which like the rainbow put up a quality fight. We had a great couple of nights had a good laugh, had a few beers with some good company. We will definately be back,sooner rather than later. - Thanks Richard and Eric,see you soon.

Regards
Paul Raine

Lovely Brown Trout

Hi Richard Hope you are recovering from all your hard work that you put in for the weekend. We really appreciated everything you and your family did. I am sending you a photo of the lovely brown trout I had on Monday. I took the photo as it looked such a pretty fish. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of the BBRT club when I caught my blue trout until Caroline came down and told me so I haven't got a picture of the blue trout I caught - which was my very first cast. Sam netted it for me. Tightlines Hope to see you again sometime Gary, Caroline and Sam

Excellent fishing

Dear Richard,
Just a few words of appreciation for the excellent fishing I,ve enjoyed over the last couple of months. Four outings averaging 7 fish per outing, 2 doubles 16lbs 14ozs and 14lbs5ozs,a superb Brownie about 5lbs every single fish in beautiful condition, and great scrappers too.The fishery is really benifiting from your hard work keep it going.What more could a fisherman want?
See you again soon,
Pass my regards on to the rest of your team.
cheers John P.

Junior Day

Hi Folks, Just a short mail to pass on my thanks for hosting the Junior Day on Sunday. First-class. Thoroughly enjoyed the event. Thank you. Thanks again for your usual warm hospitality. Take care and keep smiling. Speak soon. Jeff

Read all about the Juniors Day (With pictures) Go Here

Big Thanks

Hi richard

Just to say a big thanks on your tips for how to fish stonebridge,me being an ex course fisherman and being converted to fly had the best days fishing in my life, only my second day with a fly rod in my hand and to come away with 6 fish weighing between 3lb 10oz and 11lb 5oz was just amazing. By the way Richard, all fish were caught on three different coloured stonebridge dangler flies cheers

Charlie Liddle.

Hello All

Hello to you all and a very late happy new year things are a lot slower down in oldham ha ah. just popped on your website to see how you are all doing up there and the site looks great as well as the fishing. well done with all the work you,ve done and i hope to see you all soon and enjoy another breakfast with a little fishing ( try and better my pb) hope the cabins are open soon i fancy a good break . thanks again to you all for my most enjoyable day,s fishing and hospitality nice picture last year see you soon

ste

Thanks to all at Stonebridge

Richard,

Thanks for a great days fishing, I've had emails from all the lads saying how much they enjoyed the day. Thanks for organising for the 24.5Lb trout to be caught!! Could you also say thanks to Peter, Phil and the others for their instruction, without it we would have been useless.

Finally could you say a big thank you to your wife and Aimee for sorting out some really good food and generally making sure everyone had a great day.

Thanks again
Greg

Hi Guys

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to say thank you for a lovely day, its amazing what you have done at Stonebridge and kicking myself I've not been down sooner. Now we have our caravan in Northallerton we will be there a mot more!

See you all soon and thanks once again!
Mike and Jackie

Hi to all at Stonebridge

Hi to all at Stonebridge,
Just a thankyou for the warm welcome extended to my son & I on our visit last Thursday (27/12/07). Although it was a very tough day due to the strong wind. My son Adam really enjoyed his first visit & is very keen to return. I have fished Stonebridge A number of years ago & was very pleased to see all the work that is going on bringing it back to its best. We will definately be coming back & hopefully the fish maybe a bit more forthcoming.
Thanks again.
Happy New Year to you all
Andy & Adam Stevens

Thanks from Bn members

Hi, just a quick message of thanks for yesterday (26/09/07) all the Bn members had a great day and enjoyed the fishing. The 2 beginners are keen to visit again which is testament to the high standard of the lakes and facilities. Hope to see you soon Neil.

---

Hi
just to thank you for your hospitality today on a very good visit to the fishery.

It is nice to recieve such a warm friendly welcome and it was a great welcome. only made better by the chat i enjoyed with phil a realy nice guy and all round enthusiast at his job. The breakfast was excelent take it from a chef lol and i even got to take a 4LB trout home for tea anyway - hope to see you all again soon. thanks JOHN TOMLINSON

Good Time!

Richard, I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at the fishery on 20/4/07. if I said I had a great day it would be the under statement of the year. Richard was such a genuine man, all he wanted was to see people having a good time at his fishery , and does what he can to make that happen.fred bainbridge.. Now that is a name to remember he is the fishery manager, and he is so helpful its unbelievable. He spent 90 minutes with me and what he taught me was invaluable. He loves to be helping people and is an all round great bloke. I travelled up from london and it was well worth the journey, hopfully I will be going again soon. This is the best and most well run fishery I have visited. Do yourself a favour and enjoy a day there it’s a great experience.

PS don’t forget the fantastic breakfasts.
TONY R

Thank you Stonebridge!

Thank you Stonebridge!

After having a 'nosey round' visit on Sunday, I couldn't resist trying my luck on the Specimen lake yesterday, partly due to the hospitality shown by Richard and everyone around on Sunday. The clear water certainly shows the angler the fish are there, and some fish at that! I was encouraged early on when a good size fish pounced on on my nymph as it hit the water. One soon followed to the net and I could see what I had been told about the quality of the fish here - superb!

I only stopped fishing to sample the full breakfast, this being as good as the fishing! After a quick cuppa and a chat with other anglers I headed back for more action and was fortunate enough to tempt another four rainbows, two of which I had seen and cast for. Every fish, especially the biggest at around 7lb. just didn't know when to give up.

Top day out at a top fishery with friendly staff. What more could you ask for?

I shall return soon. Many thanks again to all concerned.

Yours, Mick

Well Done

Hi Richard and family,

Just a brief email to say well done for running such a quality fishery. As a boat angler I do not usually frequent small fisheries as I find the challenge non-existent...not so in your case I must add. Stephen and myself found the specimen lake a real challenge! I can honestly say there were a couple of occasions where I willed a fish or two NOT to bite due to their size - absolutely massive(I couldn't see any harpoon guns around to help land the "things"!)

Having had a double figure fish take my bloodworm pattern and proceed to strip a good 80 yards of line before letting go made me aware that I need to invest in some stronger gear - it was like trying to stop a moving train with an elastic band!

Both Stephen and I had a quality day, the fish fought hard and the people were perfect (both other anglers and staff). Hopefully I will be making the trip to you from Huddersfield a lot more often!

All the best and good luck (although I don't think you need it by the looks of all these letters!)

Matthew and Stephen
P.S Please tell your wife the breakfast was awesome too!

Well done one and all keep up the good work

Hi,
Just a quick note to all at Stonebridge in way of thanks for the days fishing i had this week as an accomplished course/match angler i had decided to try my hand at fly fishing, armed with what little fly fishing knowledge i had and my starters kit i chose Stonebridge to try my luck and from the moment i got there i was pleasently supprised to find how friendly and welcoming Richard and the other anglers were! Bolsterd by a great cup of tea i set out to wet a fly and although my only encounter with any of the trout species in the lake was nothing more than somthing snatching my nymph, stripping 20 yards of line from me and then dissapearing into the depths with my fly you can be assured i will be be back to fight another day in what i can only describe as one of the nicest fisherys i have been to in a long time, even more so in this the age of the money grabbing piscatorial fat cats.
Well done one and all keep up the good work.
Mark

What A Day

I have just returned home from fishing at Stonebridge today. What a day it was! We arrived an hour and a half before opening, but Richard was kind enough to invite us in anyway, gave us a coffee and showed us around. Then came the time to fish! within 45 minutes of wetting our lines my brother had banked a fish of 5 and a half pounds then 5 minutes later i struck into a fish, it felt heavy, then it jumped and it was massive!! it took me straight across to the other side of the lake, into a reed bed, then through another fishermans line, then it snagged me in a tree! i got my brother to take the rod as he had wellies on so could wade out while i freed the line, i took the rod back and 5 minutes (and some line burnt fingers) later it was in the net. What a fight and what a fish! all 17lb 14oz of it! It smashed my personal best by 7lb. i caught 3 more during the day between 2 and 5lb. i have never fished anywhere where the fish fight so hard, their condition is absolutely superb!

you will probably want to know what i caught the big one on - an olive Damsel, I hooked it at the deep end of the lake and the weather was mild but very windy! I would just like to say a big thankyou to Richard (top bloke!!) and Amy (who took the photo's) and everyone else who made us feel so welcome. it was an absolutely brilliant experience all round, i can't wait to come back and if you haven't already been, GET YOURSELF THERE NOW!! you will not be disappointed!

Richard please make sure this letter appears on the website because I want everyone to know how good it is there!
kind regards,
Paul Flockton

Me & Dad - Carp Trip

My name is Courtney, I am nine years old. On Monday evening me and my Dad went fishing at Stonebridge carp lake. We set our bivet up and our sleeping beds. We walked around the lake and then we set up our rods and I mixed up the method mix and in the method mix we used a stinky spray and bollies and we used bollies on there own aswell.

We caught common carp, two was 10 pound, one was 12 pounds and one was 14 pounds and the last one was 15 pounds! We slept there and then we packed our equipment up then put it in our car. When we did that we drove our car to the fishing lodge. Jane and Richard ended a good day by making us a big breakfast. I had a great day and I had told my Dad that I wanted to go back.

Awesome day

I would just like to say from me and henry What an awesome day we have had today at your lakes. Having caught my personel best fish of 20lb which I must say was a tremendous fight in its self. I also caught a 12lb rainbow, A 5lb brownie and 4 rainbow between 5 and 6lb. My friend henry also caught good fish 1 and 8 lb er and a lot at 5 or 6 lb. Also I must say you all are doing an awesome job and all of you involved thakyou for your warm welcome and friendly atmosphere.
H Hodgeson

21.lb 7oz of beautifull silver

hi Richard, just to say, What a fantastic day I had today...and justified my descision to make that detour off the A1 to visit you for a few hours fishing...a day i will never forget! It was only my second cast when I caught the fish of a lifetime...21.lb 7oz of beautifull silver, still cant get that out of my memory, I have fished so called BIG fish waters all over the country, but Richard, I have never seen so many FULLY Tailed fish...EVER!! that is such a credit to you and your team for having that vision of where you want Stonebridge to be in the future...Richard, many many thanks for a fantastic and incredible day on your lake.

yours sincerely
Billy Campbell

Hi Richard Ian Jane

Hi Richard Ian Jane, and anyone else who made my 1st visit to Stonebridge a very welcome one indeed, i would just like to say first of all, that even though i didn't catch anything it wont put me off returning, i was welcomed to your fishery like an old friend and it seemed like i had been going there for years,i've been to countless fly fisheries over the 10 or so years i've enjoyed the sport, but none have been as friendly and helpfull as yourselves,can i take this opportunity to say thankyou so very much, and like it or not i shall return in the very near future to catch myself a biggie, cheers, see you soon Keith(Wally)

Thanks

Dear Freddie,
Many thanks for such an enjoyable day down at Stonebridge yesterday. Your assistance and support was superb in helping me achieve the aim of William catching his first fish on a fly. The guys at the cabin said I should send Williams photograph for the website, so would you please be so kind as to let me know the correct email address and I will forward on a copy? Thanks again for such a great day and look forward to a return visit in the near future.
Very best wishes to you and the lads.
Kind regards, Craig Harrison.

Thanks for a great days sport

What a great day I had on 11 April 2007! I wanted to thank you all for making it a success. Not only did I bank 2 super-fit rainbows from the Specimen Lake, but I had at least 3 other good fish on for what seemed like ages before they beat me and disappeared back in to the depths. All this in scorching temperatures and in bright conditions that I expected might cost me a blank day. No catches would have been possible without the advice of Fred and his willingness to get involved in changing my set-up so that my chances were maximised.
Many thanks again.
Rob

Thanks for the Fun

Hi Richard, Freddie & the rest of the crew.
Just a quick note to thank you all for making my son Brian and myself feel so welcome at Stonebridge. Being avid fisherman and lovers of the countryside, we both fell in love with your carp lake instantly. In the short time we have been fishing at Stonebridge, we have enjoyed several great days fishing in the snow, sun and rain. We have always caught fish no matter what the weather could throw at us, but more than that we feel like old friends with you and your team. I have several photographs of us with some nice carp which I will forward soon. There are several around the seven pound mark but as of yet no double figures, but I'm sure that is just around the corner. Until the next time, keep up the great work you are doing and good luck for the future.

THANKS FOR THE FUN
Dave & Brian Eastwood

Great to see the lakes open again

Hi

Great to see the lakes open again! I enjoyed a couple of days on the both lakes a little time ago, I thoroughly enjoyed it, I'm sure I'll be along to try again in the near future. here's wishing you every success.
Kind Regards
Ed

Return to Stonebridge

Today Matthew and I returned for a longer visit to Stonebridge. It was really nice that Matthew was recognised from his personal best achieved on our short visit last month. We had the whole day ahead of us this time, but not wanting to stretch Matthew's enthusiasm I booked us in for 2 hours and as we made our way to a peg we were asked if we had any top tips for a visitor. We recounted our experience from last month adding that perhaps we weren't really the right people to ask. How wrong was I! Matthew decided that he would like a wet fly and selected one. I cast it out and he took over. We waited for the fly to sink... and believe it or not a take from the surface with the first cast! I helped Matthew take the strain, and a few moments later this feisty 2 lb rainbow was landed. With this achievement under his belt Matthew sailed through the next 2 hours without so much as a complaint about the change in the weather, even through no more fish fell to his fly selection, although one swam off with a green drake (I take full blame for the knot).

So back to the cabin to say goodbye and get some lunch, but no! Matthew asks if I can fish the specimen lake whilst he watches 'so we can catch a really big one daddy'. Another 2 hours pass by, this time drawing a blank (I blame the wind for sending them deep) and so, exhausted, we both call it a day and return home looking forward to another trip to Stonebridge, perhaps on the 28th April for the Salmon & Trout Association Junior day. Many thanks again - Andrew & Matthew

Andrew Collier & Son Matthew

I just thought I would e-mail you to say thank you for everyone at Stonebridge who helped my son and I today. We were welcomed in like long lost friends to the log-stove warmed cabin, offered a cuppa and given all the info.

We had come up the A1 to check out Stonebridge as a venue for some father and son bonding, and although left short for time, due to a need to get back for a children's party, we were given the opportunity to sample the delights of Hergill lake.

My 7 year old son selected his fly, a weighted spent daddy (in so many respects an appropriate choice), and after a few roll casts assisted by the wind managed to hook this fine specimen. With him being only 7 and not knowing what monster was lurking at the end of his 6 ft 6 inch 3wt rod I came to his aid and together we landed this 2lb trout. To think that we were moments from changing to a green Fritz!

Our short trip was only 1hr in duration at Stonebridge but has rekindled his enthusiasm for learning how to fly fish alongside his father (also a novice), and to have caught such a specimen from a full sized lake and not a child's pond has been well worth the trip. With more time on our hands we'll be back up to Stonebridge of that you can be sure.

Yours
Andrew Collier

From Mick Nicholson

Hi Freddie Mick Nicholson here, I would like to thank you and Richard for allowing me to fish on your fantastic lake. It was an experience that will take a long time to forget about, I was a little nervous at first as I new that my casting technique wasn't that good. However with your expert guidance I went on to catch four fish by myself, Once again i would like to say thank you and I look forward to having the pressure of fishing at your lake again.

All the best
Mick Nicholson