Feedback & Reports

Nil return water a little high but clear. No salmon seen.

Great conditions (water level falling, stones at Maddox exposed), little wind and overcast - but no fish. Put spinner through all morning, then fly in the pm. Touched a couple of fish but suspect they were kelts at bottom of Maddox, near RH bank.
Fished The Windmill from LH bank with fly in late pm, right through to Maddox - excellent fly water with shooting head to get the distance.

Water still a little high for fly fishing at 2'5" on the Fownhope gauge, although water clarity was fine. Met Mick the gillie who has carried out some great work on the beat during the close season and he offered some very helpful advice. In the morning JC had a good salmon follow his lure right in to the bank in The V. In the early afternoon CJ hooked a good fish in the neck of the Windmill, only for it to throw the single hook flying C at the net. A strong bright silver fish estimated to be mid teens. No fish landed but a promising start to the season on a glorious spring day.

Sunny, blustery day for first of season. Tried both spinner and fly but no luck - sun out and water high & coloured. Fly fishing well from right bank at Windmill though.

Sadly the rain gods conspired against a last chance. Washed off.

Beat in good condition but water heavily colored and high. No fish showing. Fished Maddox through to the tail of the Vanstone. Still plenty of Canoeists for this time of year.

Water very high and coloured. No fish seen.

No fish caught, river too high "wash off".

Blank for salmon. A surprise from a chub of a good 5 pounds which saw fit to take a small Bann Shrimp. Resident fish were showing in Dog Hole and Upper Lines, as you might expect. An interesting chat to Mick Sutton, who gillies here and who has done some useful access work, which is much appreciated. At this water level, today was a very long shot. However, I had a wash-off from the first week of the season so I thought I would use it rather than lose it. And it's always interesting to fish through pools at low levels. Easy to ford the river on tail of Windmill on this occasion.

No fish caught on this day.