Feedback & Reports

Very pleased to fish this well looked after beat, no fish caught, one salmon around 25lb did head and tail right under my rod tip in the Vanstone pool, but despite a lot of attention from me could not tempt it to take.

Lovely beat fished by two of us, spent most of the day on the fly and focussed on Maddox, Corner Tree and Vanstone. Hooked into a a very good fish (est. between 20-30lbs) on a 2 1/2" black and yellow tube fished deep at the bottom of Vanstone, unfortunately lost it having played the fish for 10 mins. Hooked into another fish late in the day in the middle of the glide into the Vanstone on a pbp but also lost. All in all a great day on a well kept beat - we will be back!

2 Trout

One seatrout of about 2lb, fishing with double handed fly rods.

1 Other

Nothing caught. Lots of debris in river which made fishing almost impossible for significant times of the day. We were not absolutely certain we were in right place, even the locals we spoke to could not work out the map and beats/contours referred to on the map did not accurately correspond to river, but never mind apart from blustery conditions a nice day.

One Kelt in Corner Tree on a sunk line and 2" copper Willie Gun. However, best looking Kelt I've ever caught! Proportions were perfect and firm, just a little ragged on top of tail fin, the weedy take and fight until some fireworks when in at the side in 2 mins had me thinking Kelt all the way in until it swam off! Lovely fish whatever and enjoyable day fishing the Maddox, Corner Tree and Vanstone inspite of gusty winds and some rain.
Don't use the river side track on left bank, leave the car before the fishing starts true left bank or drive up the field (middle not bank side) as mentioned in a previous report - my wife got the car stuck when collecting me, though we only took 2 hrs getting out unlike the chap above!
Many thanks as ever.

1 Other

Good conditions but blank (1 pike on Flying C). No salmon seen or taken. Few canoes.

1 Pike

Fly fishing for Salmon. No fish caught or seen. Lovely beat. Will be back. DR

Lovely conditioned 19lb hen (weighed in net) from the middle of the Dog Hole. Took a 1.5" black and yellow waddington fished on a sunk line. SD joined me in the afternoon and lost a good fish after a few seconds in the Maddox on a spinner.Saw fish in Corner tree (a very big one), Windmill, Dog hole and V.

River was at 1ft 4" at Fownhope and top of V by fallen willow was too deep and only just got to shore without getting wet. Restarting 10 yards further down I found I could get down rest of V fairly easily, but it got uncomfortably deep again at top of dog hole. I only just got down Dog hole (with barely and inch of freeboard for 1st 20 yards). Would have bailed out if fish hadn't been showing and now glad I tried! Recent clearance has allowed a wading line several yards tighter to the bank to be taken, but even so a couple of inches less water would have made it much more comfortable wade.

Saw my first swallows of year wheeling around in the afternoon and combined with the warm sunshine and heavy showers in the afternoon they dared to suggest spring might finally have arrived.

1 Salmon

Got down for first light and all quiet. First fish seen porpoising around 13:30 in the Vanstone. Couple of touches from the Corner Tree, Vanstone and Gabions. RC had 2 pike around 8lbs and a very well mended kelt between Corner Tree and Vanstone. BB...blank. Stayed till dark. Mention must go to WUF for the superb job they have done improving access to the left bank from the Wires upwards.