Feedback & Reports

This is a lovely beat in a beautiful setting in the heart of rural mid-Wales. There were three of us fishing the beat but it was hard going in the very low and clear water conditions. We have had a very dry February. We only managed to catch 8 grayling and they were small with the biggest fish only weighing about 12oz. Four were taken trotting red maggots in the morning and four were taken on the fly in the afternoon (3 on a size 14 Usk Nailer and 1 on a size 16 Griffith's Gnat). There was a brief and sparse hatch of large dark olives in the early afternoon but the fish were not actively rising to them. We also caught quite a few out-of-season brown trout. The birdlife was good too; so ideal for any angler who is also a keen ornithologist.

8 Grayling

3 Trout

Perfect conditions, except for the horrendous wind which really made trotting impossible in some of the pegs, however there is enough of the river which is more sheltered, i walked the full stretch upstream and landed 6 brownies, all 1lb+, then walked the stretch back and landed 4 grayling all 1lb+ aswell as losing a good fish at the net.
Kites , buzzards,noisy ravens, pair of goshawks courting, dippers, a kestrel, green and greater spotted woodpeckers made it hard to keep my eyes on my float, (although the 12 or so goosanders that were on the river when I 1st arrived were not so pleasant to see, no doubt hoovering up the last few salmon parr left in the river) the other downside was the waterside trees all dressed in bits of agricultural plastic and bale wrap from the recent floods, a reminder that its not just sewage and agricultural run off that is destroying our rivers. That said its still a gorgeous part of the world and there are few places i would rather be than stood thigh deep, with an apron full of maggots, trotting a float for big grayling.

6 Trout, 4 Grayling

The river was pretty low/ clear and no fish were spotted or caught. The one large holding pool is where the fish must be shoaled up and is very difficult to fish with nymphs in low flows without spooking them.
Maybe this beat fishes best for the Grayling in the autumn when the Salmon are moving through.

The idea was to try trotting and I did explore most of the beat, but I think the fly rod might have been better today.

Difficult day trotting with the river fairly low. 1 grayling just under the 2lb mark

1 Grayling

Beautiful stretch of the river a few grayling seen one hooked and lost, a little slip in the river resulting in a soaking! But still all fun

Had two lovely grayling just shy of the 2lb mark. Lost another.

2 Grayling

Dim Grayling