Feedback & Reports

Started at the lower end of the stretch, but no fish caught. Moved to the Church Pool and a swim near to the top of the Island. Caught fish almost immediately in the new swims. All fish came to pellet used with feeders.
Top of the stretch very over grown and steep banks making it almost impossible to fish, besides that a very nice beat.

4 Barbel, 22 Chub

Lost one fish.

With the level at Ross showing 0.53 and the river in perfect trim I was hoping for great things.
The top of the beat, right bank, is easy wading at this height being knee to waist deep and with just a little less water I could have made the crossing to the island too. Being able to get in the water and off the high banks is great for casting a shooting head right across the river and the prospects are high.
Not a sniff; fished right through with the fly in the morning, 1WBT of 1lb, and resorted to the spinning rod in the afternoon. Nothing, nada, zilch.
Did find that the last 300yd 'flat-water' glide is easy wading, packed with trout and will be great on a summers evening with a good hatch coming off. So I will be trying again.

1 Trout

Nothing caught in perfect conditions. Two fish seen or possibly one fish running.

Forget fly fishing here. No fish caught but would like to try again on a spinner.

14 pound with longtailed sealice, spinning.

1 Salmon

Water was up from last time, 0.8+ at Ross and showing 9 on the gauge on the left bank on arrival, quite a lot of colour; but still easy fishing. The quicker water of Pulpit pool proved to have fish coming to a fly but I just couldn't keep them on! A fat Brownie of 12" did prove the new "Talon" barbless trebles work a treat though, slacken the line and they just fall out. Maybe that's why I was loosing bigger fish? Anyway, nothing taken on flying C but a 2ft+ Pike did leap clear of the water trying it's best to grab it.
I can't wait for a drop in water to make wading easier and to access the left bank/island as a fly will glide through Church Stream just like in all those DVDs you watched in the winter.

1 Trout

What a lovely beat, I think this could become a favourite. It has just the right mix of water to make it fishable with levels 2' up or even down on the gauge. And the owner is a very nice chap too!
My effort on this blustery day began with a quick on/off with a big swirl of silver in the "Pulpit Pool" on the fly; cracking bit of water this. Followed by a well mended kelt on a Flying C in "Church Stream Pool", another stretch that is ideal for spinning but would better suit a fly if water levels dropped.
I found the right bank on the top quarter of the beat could be tricky for casting a fly, unless wading in lower levels than today but on the lower sections the bank is close grazed and very open so, with the deeper water at your feet, a single hander will cover the entire river.
I fished hard all day but still failed to cover all the possibilities. Just have to go again!

1 Other

We settled on two pegs not far into the second field with the church behind us over our right shoulder. The river looked to be ideal but as per the previous couple of days, fish were hard to come by with one small chub around a 1lb on maggot coming early on and despite a variety of baits and methods tried no more fish were caught.

1 Chub

Our first time on this beat so not a bad result. All fish caught in the afternoon after trying several swims lower down. There were several salmon jumping through the day. After a foggy start it became warm and sunny in the afternoon. Lovely beat but a bit featureless. We look forward to trying it in the summer.

4 Barbel, 2 Chub