Feedback & Reports

The weather and river levels were perfect but there were only a few small hatches throughout the day so we searched for the fish with nymphs and finished with 7 trout to 1.5lb. The otter is still resident in the top pool but we were happy to share the fishing!

7 Trout

The water was lovely, with runs and pools as described in the Foundation's booklet, but the access to the water was difficult in most places due to trees and high banks. Not the easiest of beats for anglers in their seventies with stiff knees.
Having said that, the fishing was wonderful with plenty of rising fish in the deeper water at the bottom of the beat, which responded well to a Dog's Body. We could fish in comfort sitting on the bank. We kept the best two (a pound and a quarter and a pound) for supper and the 5 we put back were all about three=quarters of a pound.

8 Trout

A lovely day out. There weren't a great many flies hatching and it was only later in the day that I started getting takes in the streamy water. It was great fun but I had no fish!

The weather was awful with constant rain, high winds and a temperature struggling to get above 10 degrees. The river was fairly clear and at a good level but the hatch was severely affected by the weather and we had to work hard to take fish during the very brief periods of fly activity.

6 Trout

Brecon Gauge up 3inches with overnight rain and little colour. Sporadic surface activity through the day with fish taken slowly. Few on surface Adams and Brown Klink but mainly on darker nymphs. 11 trout - 8 x 9-11inches and 3 x 13-15inches with the best at 1lb 13oz. Super fish and all in all a very satisfactory and enjoyable day.

11 Trout

We managed 12 wbt between our 2 rods, caught throughout the day, and all taken using nymph and spider patterns. Sporadic hatches led us to try dry flies but nothing could be tempted.
Access to the water is much improved since last season, which meant a good part of the water was available to us. Wading is still tricky in parts so caution is needed.
A terrific beat to spend a day on.

12 Trout

Good fishing weather if a little chilly, high cloud with a gentle down stream breeze. Fished the mid section of the beat from where a small stream joins the river at the top of the second field down towards the large rock about 300 yards or so. An easy section to get to and wade down although the water does run fast at the start of the rougher water slightly upstream. Upwings rose on and off throughout the day but no mass exodus.
Fished spiders including my favourite Partridge and orange, Waterhen bloa and Greenwells but no takers. The three fish I did catch fell to a nymph tied in black with silver wire body and black cocks tail with black SLF body and tungsten bead in size #14. Had three further good takes (long range releases) that may have been tempted by the spiders. No luck with dries I am afraid to report.
There are plenty of fish in this stretch of the river certainly enough to keep one angler busy for most of a day and there is nothing to suppose it will be any different in the rest of the beat. I would recommend Ashford House without hesitation and will certainly consider returning.

3 Trout

Another amazing few hours at Ashford House today. I arrived at 10am and the river looked like hot chocolate so on went the tungsten Pheasant Tail. The second cast produced a fine 1lb BT and so it went on until 2pm when I packed up and went home. The largest landed was around 1.5lb (taken). I also witnessed an otter splashing around in the head of the same pool I was fishing (amazing). Fortunately I did better than him! Then the usual fly past from the Hercules C130 at about 20 feet, great place!

5 Trout

3/4 lb brown trout on caught (and released) on nymph.
Only very, very occasional rises seen.

1 Trout

Once again the Usk trout tested us - and mostly won! When we set out from Churchdown it was a soft day - gentle overcast, no breeze - but the weather fluctuated throughout the day between warm sunshine and cold breeze during cloudy interludes. Not a good recipe for dry fly fishing. This is a lovely beat with lots of easily accessed water and there were sporadic hatches in the faster streamy stretches - LDOs, medium olives and brook duns - and occasionally the fish would rise. But persuading them to take an artificial was another matter! However within 30 mins of our starting J hooked a cracking fish on a para ginger quill - took at least 5 mins and several heart stopping moments to bring to hand - 20inches +, must have been at least a 2lber. (Separate email with picture). However the next fish risen wasn't until 3 in the afternoon - and then 4 fish took in 5 minutes, all lost or missed! Finally just to add ignomy a further fish was hooked which I suspect was of a similar stamp to the morning beauty - only on for a few seconds, but stripped line off reel in that time. Final score Fish 5 -Bullocks 1!

1 Trout