Feedback & Reports

Had to work hard for them today, river up a bit from its recent low level, and slightly coloured. Fish were a good size in the main, with two of the grayling 13-14.Didn’t see a rising fish until late afternoon and mostly caught on nymphs.
The highlight today had nothing to do with fishing though. I was walking down from the gate and disturbed what I first thought was a hare just off the track, but quickly saw that it was a young adult Buzzard which, presumably deciding that it wouldn’t get enough uplift to take off, decided to play doggo barely 2 yards away behind a tree and we were eyeballing each other for a couple of minutes until another member rod quietly came down, took a picture, and we left it in peace. It had gone shortly after so probably wasn’t injured. Quite a privilege to get so up close and personal with a beautiful wild bird of prey.

9 Trout, 3 Grayling

Small fish on nymphs. No hatches to speak of and a only 3 or 4 rises spotted in four hours on the water.

5 Trout, 1 Grayling

Not the easiest of days. The slab rock was like well greased glass, a wading stick is a must. I wouldn't recommend taking a saloon car down to the cabin parking, I struggled in mine. There were very few fish moving, those that did within casting range fell to a deer hair emerger and Griffiths gnat. The remainder were took on nymph fished NZ style.
Access into the water on the left bank below the bridge is a challenge, upstream of the bridge on the left bank there is an area where dog walkers park there cars with a pathway down to the river. This is above where there is a gate marked on the beat map; easy parking.

12 Trout, 2 Grayling

2 Trout

A beautiful but intimidating beat for an inexperienced angler who has only fly fished the diminutive River Arrow before. As described difficult wading with bedrock and boulders limiting my fishing choices. A wading staff would be a good idea. That being said there was enough for me to go at with a variety of water to fish for the day.
As to the fishing, a blustery wind and squally showers throughout the day made for difficult conditions, my french leader outfit got set aside early on. I had 4 trout and 2 OOS grayling one was a beauty, they are such elegant fish. Taken on a klinkhammer fished as a single dry and also with a dropper. Not for the purists but a first for me I also had a trout on a jig streamer in some really turbulent water. With no hatch and only a couple of rising fish seen due to the weather I assume, I called it a day before the evening, slightly damp but happy. Oh and kudos the person who strimmed the bankside path, that must have been an effort!

4 Trout, 2 Grayling

Fished 10.30-4.00,river low even after some recent rain, occasional drizzle and chilly. Fish came steadily from mid way to the bottom of the beat. Dolmeudwy is a bit of a precarious wade now in the low water and increasingly slippery conditions. You never feel that you are far from a fateful slip there ,and as there are going to be thousands and thousands of silver tourists flooding into Tweed next week, the last thing I wanted was a broken wrist, which despite a couple of stumbles ,was avoided.
Hardly saw a fish rise today, nothing caught on the top, and nearly all fish taking various nymphs, Rang the changes with the dropper but only a few caught on a Partridge and Orange and, surprisingly, didn’t hook any OOS Grayling. Lost count of the number of small 6-7”trout today, probably 20+ along with 3 or 4 around 9”to 10”. An evening rise wasn’t likely with the conditions, so an earlier finish than I had intended.

2 Trout, 1 Grayling

Tricky gusty winds at times but a lovely day out with plenty of fish obliging but more lost than landed unfortunately. All fish caught on nymphs with the highlight of the day being a cracking fish of around 2lb which put up a great scrap in the current on light tackle.

5 Trout, 2 Grayling

Cloudy day with sunny intervals, variable downstream wind that was very strong at times.

Had a slight accident while walking to my preferred staring spot twisting my ankle, I wasn't as mobile as I am usually so didn't fish much of the beat.

Both fish taken on a PTN

1 Trout, 1 Grayling

Perdigons in fast water under the bridge surprisingly brought no response. Unweighted duo of hare’s ears only attracted had and a tiny trout. Small gold head brought a better trout and a small grayling further upriver. Walked to hut for a meal and watched trout rising in the flats directly in front. Tied on a caenis and approached flats in stealth mode with baby steps on the bedrock. No takers despite the fly fishing well along lines where the rises were happening. Kept the rod strung up for the walk back to the steps near bridge cottage. Spotted splashy rises (there were plenty of upwings about by 7.00) on the far side. Waded back in through shallow fast water and cast Deer hair emerger into a pocket. Immediately grabbed by 12” b t . A good way to end a less than stellar day.

3 Trout, 1 Grayling, 2 Other