Feedback & Reports

Well, a disastrous, long awaited start to the season ! Only one of us was able to dip a toe in my much loved Irfon today. My mate had to deal with an inept builder so had to cancel . I arrived and had a chat with lovely Joyce and her neighbour, she and her grandson are quite excited about letting out this stretch. Unfortunately, although the “heavy overnight rain” predicted hadn’t affected the the levels, I’m afraid the nasty cross and downstream wind did ! Oh , I became feeling quite unwell too ?! Aborted after a couple of hrs, no cast presentable so no ladies/wbt . Nice beat as far as I could see. Gutted.

Lovely bit of water. Watched otters checking and catching fish in the middle of the beat. After this no fish seen . Lovely day though

total wash off

A bit of a disaster really - all weather-based. The BBC had been forecasting "moderate winds" of 10-12 mph (?) and 9 degrees, with some light rain later in the afternoon, after I was planning to leave. As I drove across Monmouthshire and the Brecon Beacons, there was rain but it was increasingly being followed by patches of blue. I decided to press on. Wrong idea. When I arrived, my car said 4 degrees. As I tackled up, my fingers began to stop working. The wind had really picked up. I had only been at the river 15 mins when the horizontal rain and hail started. Casting was literally impossible. I surrendered after 30 mins and drove back. From what I saw, this new beat looks delightful. That'll teach me to under-estimate February grayling fishing....

A lovely piece of water, fished hard in what seemed like perfect conditions for the time of year, 2 good grayling landed, 1 lost. Definately coming back.

2 Grayling

2 Grayling

Low clear river on arrival .. trotting ted maggots .. 3xost. Then by 11am the river coloured up significantly - a colour best described as milky !! No more bite and river crept up throughout day .. very little rain on journey to venue from Shropshire and no significant puddles so not sure what caused the colour/ rise ?? I walked all way to sewage works and noted water cascading in to main from an outfall near water plant .. not sure if this is always the case or whether it was reason for milky colour … either way in terms of grayling fishing it dire .

Fishing Passport note: If you witness a discharge from a sewage treatment works, please report it to NRW on 0300 065 3000 or, if in England, to the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60 as soon as you can. This is in addition to reporting it through your catch return. Also, if you have your mobile phone or camera with you please take photos. There is a possibility that any such discharge is outside the treatment works consent, especially if in dry conditions. Your quick reporting and evidence will give the regulator the opportunity to check and investigate it.

3 Trout

River quite low for time of year which may have limited the number of swims suitable for trotting a float. One particular hot spot produced 5 fine grayling to 2lb 4oz but could not find another along the stretch. Physically demanding day for those of senior years.

5 Grayling

2 Grayling

Very cold day, river clear apart from deepest holes. Caught one out of season brown trout on a nymph and one grayling about 16 inches on a beaded nymph. Nothing rising.

1 Trout, 1 Grayling