Feedback & Reports

On what seemed what should have been a perfect day: 9" at Llanstephan, water 17 degrees (so little different to a few days ago) with not too much wind, no sun and little rain, where were the insects? Not that we expect many at this time of year but, during the latter part of last week, there were some bugs about, and so, some rises - fish were actively feeding and certainly looking up on the Upper Wye, as testified by catches above and below this part of the river, both at Craig Llyn and Ty Newydd. What a difference 48 hours or more can make? Today we struggled, with hardly a rise seen all day, virtually no insects, but no fish taken on nymphs, either using Tenkara or traditional methods. All fish were taken with olive or hare's ear emerger patterns, dead drifting traditionally or induced, Tenkara-style. We caught some grayling of 12-14" but most were ~10" and the trout were all 8-10 inchers. Few salmon parr active either, so distinctly a very off day - but why? We haven't a clue!! Answers on a postcard please!

10 Trout, 10 Grayling

Nymphing (Czech/French). All fish mostly caught in the fast moving water. River level appeared good, and clear. First time we fished the beat so not possible to compare it to other times of the year or river levels.

19 Trout, 3 Grayling

Arrived for an afternoon and evening session but sudden and rapid rise of over 2' put paid to any fishing effort!

Water quite low & only 40 metres of fly fishing in truth. One fish of about 14lbs. & coloured on for 30 seconds or so. One other 'knock'. Nothing else seen.

2 small trout - both put back

2 Trout

Fished early and late but to no avail. Fly and spinner. No sight or sign of any Salmon whatsoever. Enjoyable mid day break with trout including two fish at c.1.5 Lb.
Enjoyable day but water height or competence the issue - I suspect the latter.

8 Trout

1 colouring Salmon est 9lbs from Edw pool for Tomasz Fus, spinning. Fish showing in other likely places. Great day out, thank you.

1 Salmon

Good flow, sunshine & showers, 1 8" trout & 5 grayling largest 14" mostly to downstream wets swung in the faster water in Abernant stream, one on a nymph under a EHC later in the day. Saw a couple of fish rising late on by Stone Catch flats. One other angler after salmon on the lower half.

1 Trout, 5 Grayling

WUF Tenkara Day, 3 grayling - best 14", 2 wbt - chucked it down all day so after first, and best, grayling on grayling steel blue switched to a small nymph with an orange bead.
Thanks to Roger and Glynn for organising day.

2 Trout, 3 Grayling

4 Anglers and one guide fished this beat during the Tenkara experience day run by the WUF. All but one angler caught fish. My tally was a salmon parr - released unharmed - and two that 'got away'. One, a good sized grayling which broke the tippet, and a brown trout that simply fell off the hook before being brought to hand.
The Tenkara day was great value and well organised. Pity that it rained heavily all day. I learnt a great deal and would not hesitate to recommend the training day to any angler wishing to know more about tenkara fishing.
One of my colleagues for the day worked for the Environmental Agency in Essex. He was able to give an impromptu tutorial and demonstration of the invertebrate life found under the rocks in the river. As a novice fly fisherman I found this tutorial very interesting and, so, would like to suggest that the WUF run a Stream Invertebrate Identification and Ecology course at some point. I, for one, would be very keen to attend.

1 Other