Feedback & Reports

Nice beat. Water low and clear. Weather bright, sunny and warm. No significant hatch all day, and only the odd fish rising here and there. Fishing 10am-5pm, two of us managed 10 trout between 8" and 12" on a variety of nymphs and dries. There were a few Grannom around in the morning, but the afternoon was virtually hatch free. My theory is that the LDOs were confused and thought it was June. Easy mistake given the blues slkies and 18 deg temperature.

The morning of 3rd March found us travelling on the M4 full of anticipation. Our first glimpse of the Usk at Glan-yr-Afon filled us with hope. The easterly wind was doing its damage throughout the day, penetrating my 5 layers of clothing and the wading was treacherous. Scouring the gutters and deep pools with a cocktail of heavy flies did not produce anything. Even the latest gammarus inspiration that was tied especially for this trip did not produce. So it was perching on a rock with a comfortable padding of lichen and waiting for the large dark olives. Suddenly at around 1:30 in the afternoon they started popping one by one on the surface. Eyes fixed on the water and head revolving like a periscope, I waited for the fish to rise. It was not to be. I could have changed to spiders, but resisted the temptation for more than an hour until it was obvious that surface action was not on the menu. Eventually I succumbed to a waterhen bloa and a partridge and orange with a gold head on the point and headed for a fast glide. A few casts later a lovely wild brownie became airborne and marked the beginning of the season. I had another pull and that was it for the day. Companion number two managed to find some fish rising further upstream and lured three to the dries. That’s the Usk. A lovely river, but it does not give up its wild fish easily.