Feedback & Reports

The river was low, but not unfishably so and the water was like gin. Great fishing conditions if you like that kind of thing. Weather wise, the morning was cloudy and then the sun came out about 1pm and shone for the rest of the day.

I fished the lower section in the morning and the upper section in the afternoon. They're like two two different rivers really. The lower section is quite tight in places and the wading, especially around the pocket water, can be tricky - those pockets are DEEP and the rocks slippery and I took an involuntary swim at one point - whereas the upper section is easily waded and open.

My fish all came in the afternoon off the upper section to a speculative dry #16 olive pattern drifted over likely spots on the end of a 14 ft leader and 7X tippet. None of the fish were rising prior to taking the fly. I should have caught in the lower section too - there were certainly takeable fish there - but I was undecided whether to fish nymph or dry and ended up by alternately fishing both badly. Spent a lot of time unhooking the backcast from trees too, which didn't help. With water as low and clear as that you only really get one chance and my drifts and set up were far too clumsy for the conditions. So it's my own fault that I didn't catch.

Will definitely try and go back though. It's glorious country up there and I want to try and make a better job of fishing the bottom section next time. I didn't do it justice.

5 Trout

2 Trout

Having watched the gauges dropping after the heavy flooding I decided I had to head out. I took the advice of from the reports online and headed to the upper beats and to this one. It’s one I hadn’t fished before but I was please to find a crystal clear river at what appeared to be a good level.

Fantastic looking water with a mixture of riffles, long glides and some deep pools. Tried lots of different flies throughout the day both nymphs and dries but sadly only had the one take which produced a 3/4 lb grayling to the net.

I’m sure there are many more fish in there but I just hadn’t figured it out. Great beat for the money and would highly recommend. Beautiful countryside, easy wading on the upper section (I didn’t fish the bottom section). Might well be back.

1 Grayling

One 11" trout caught on a size 16 weighted PNT, and a few small trout. water levels low, but an enjoyable challenge. |I found a few deep pools, but lots are inaccessable because of over hanging trees. Good to see lots of trout fry (or salmon?)

1 Trout

Top beat very accessible and easy wading yielding 3 small fish all to Soft Hackle and Iron Blue Parachute dry fly. The parking point indicated on the bottom beat map is in effect a passing point for traffic on this single lane and not suitable for parking to go fishing. There is a better parking area on a grass verge opposite the graveyard at The Old Chapel at SN 91819 74536. The bottom half of this beat is definitely commando country for the more agile angler. The clear low water conditions lead to easily spooked fish and a zero return for this half of the trip. Beautiful setting.

Thanks , parking noted WUF

3 Trout

5 Trout

Not the best day for my first time on this beat, 18C, overcast with frequent heavy showers and wind gusting at 30mph, but at least it was upstream for once!
Fishing was very difficult in the wind, I spotted a decent trout which slunk away under a tree as I approached and I began to loose heart. Things started looking up after I had a take on a dear hair caddis dry fly followed by a several more...all of which I missed, I think they were small fish. I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to catch when I got to a nice deep pool and swapped the dry for a PTN and third cast I hit into a very good fish which fought like a tiger on my 7’ #3 rod, finally in the net was a stunningly coloured, immaculate brown trout of at least 23” and probably over 3.5lb, a new PB and a stunning fish, very, very happy, thank you WUF.

1 Trout

No fish taken. I trout of 8 oz and one of 3lb. Taken on pheasant tail nymph.

2 Trout

River rose ++ by 1pm and left. Should be good 31 May

5 Trout

fishing with dry fly, few flies no fish