Feedback & Reports

My first time on this pleasant beat. Arrived at 11.30am to find a mixed hatch of (late) March Browns and LDOs in progress with trout rising. As this was on the lower pools, I found it difficult to cover the rises and was unable to take advantage of the hatch which didn't last long. Didn't see much of a hatch for rest of day but persisted with dry and suspended nymph only catching one small trout. At 4pm switched to fishing a pair of nymphs and caught 5 good trout by 5.30pm all on GRHE nymph, the best a beauty of 2lb 8oz which gave away its position when it made a huge slashing rise to a stranded LDO.

6 Trout

Lovely beat a bit cold. Took 2 off the top with olive klinkhamer late morning. This was half way along the beat
fishing from the bank into a deep pool during hatch of olives. Difficult to cast to the right position from the bank. Persistance paid off. 2 taken with GRHE nymph bottom of beat near parking area later in the day. All small .
Nice days fishing.

4 Trout

Arrived about 11:30 to find a strong hatch of large up wings (probably a mixture of LDO and March Brown). Large numbers of fish rising. This ended an hour later. Having tried many patterns found the best to be deer hair emerger and cdc emerger. Day was one of missed opportunities. Had many takes, over 10 fish hooked but all came off before I could net them. Despite a nil return it was a great days fishing.

Warm but very windy making casting quiet difficult at times. No fish in the morning but a small hatch of LDO around 1pm brought some fish to the surface one lucky cast produced an immaculate trout of around 2 pounds. A small hatch of march browns around 3ish helped me net a fish larger than the first, I would believe it to be in the region of 3 pounds. The river was clear but still a little cold. Great beat I will be back, well done the Wye & Usk.

2 Trout

Our trip to the Ashford House stretch on the Usk last Thursday (April 18th) was a mixed bag. A strong cold wind with rain and hail showers did not prevent some brief hatches of olives in the middle of the day but we were unable to translate that into fish in the net. Nevertheless, when the sun came out it was a joy to be on the river bank shaking off the winter cobwebs and observing nature 'getting going' for 2013 (lots of lambs, two kingfishers). We saw a few trout rising, particularly at the top end near the bridge where access is difficult and disturbed two goosanders there (does this need to be reported elsewhere?). We both hope to return to the river when Spring has got into its stride. Thanks to the WUF for allowing us access to such a beautiful part of the world.

4 x trout 15-16 inches, dry fly and spiders. Somehow the morning didn't look promising. A downstream gale blowing and a lot of coloured water still coming down made me wonder if I had been over optimistic booking on so soon after a freshet. Ashford House is a new beat for me, so everything to learn, and now it was hard to see the bottom to get into it. A few Large Dark Olives through the morning, but nothing rising to them.
All was put right just after lunch, when the sun came out and, for about an hour at the top of beat, a fairly intense March Brown hatch took place. The Usk used to be famous for this fly, now it's a rare treat and spectacular indeed. Some really super fish were rising for a time in fast, shallow water on a pool tail, and of course there were the ones which came off, one way or another. These including one of those dreaded "open hook" incidents caused by a trout which powered off in the current (Partridge company, is there no chance you can go back to making and tempering hooks by hand like you used to?). Flies which worked were Dai Lewis' dry March Brown, Woodcock and Hare's Lug, Dark Moorgame.
This beat has an excellent reputation and I'm certain it will turn out to be one of the significant Usk beats in the WUF portfolio. One of a number of advantages is that you leave your car securely parked in the owner's drive - not to be sneezed at. Thanks to D C for his advice on the pools.

4 Trout

A warmer day, I believe double digits were reached. Overcast with intermittent drizzle. River looked good, reasonable visibility. Started to notice fish rising around 1230 a little way up the beat where the trees offered some shelter. A nice hatch of olives lasted from then until perhaps 1530, with it being at its heaviest around 1400. Little groups of trout were taking adults on the surface in each of the sections where fast, shallow water transitioned to deeper, slower water. Standing on the high bank, they seemed to be emerging from the depths rather than holding in the upper part of the water column.
Two beautiful brown trout caught, one on a CDC Olive dun, the other on a CDC BWO emerger, 14" and 8" respectively. First fish kept, second returned.
No interest on nymphs fished at all depths throughout the day.

2 Trout

Good hatch 12.30pm - 2pm of mixed Olives & March Browns. Minimal rise. Nil caught. Water still v cold.

Lovely place and even though there was snow on the hills and a bitter wind there was a good hatch. I was told nothing would move until 1:30pm which was true but then the hatch went on until 3:30pm. The extremely cold weather meant that althouth the restaurant was open the fish didn't respond and I only saw half a dozen fish rise so I was pleased to catch two fish, both of which went back. The fish were heavily spotted perfection. Thank you.

2 Trout

Sunny day but temperature was still low, some insects on the water but not many fish showing. One small fish caught on nymph near bridge and returned.

1 Trout