Hi Retiarius,
Sorry for taking a week to reply...
Weardale is in essence a game fishery in so far as it is generally
preserved upstream of Bishop Auckland for salmon & trout fishing only. There are associations that supply day tickets (see link below) but the I'm guessing the rules would most probably prohibit 'coarse fishing' and coarse techniques. There
have been 'reports' of specimen barbel catches upstream of Bishop Auckland, but the exact locations were never publicly disclosed.
As far as the lower/mid Wear is concerned, Durham City AC(http://www.durhamanglers.co.uk/), Ferryhill AC (http://www.ferryhillanglers.co.uk/) and Chester-le St. AC (http://www.chester-le-streetanglingclub.co.uk/) all permit winter coarse (& grayling) fishing, but I'm not sure of the day ticket situation (Durham definately don't). Bishops (http://www.bishopaucklandanddistrictanglingclub.co.uk/) is essentially a game angling club.
I don't fish the Tees, but it does have a coarse fishery that goes up about as far as Barnard Castle at the bottom of the dale. Details for this river are also in the link.
http://www.fishingarchives.com/...ers-coarse-game-fishing/http://www.fishingarchives.com/
