Feedback & Reports

After hold ups on the M5 we did not arrive until 11.30am
Warm and overcast with scarcely a breath of wind looked
perfect. We caught 13 fish the best 2.5/1.5/1.5/1lbs mostly
on small weighted nymphs from the fast water at the top of
the pools. There was no discernible hatch during
the day and one only saw a very occasional dimple on the surface. We had hoped for an evening rise, but that did
not materialise. A most enjoyable days fishing.

Between us we caught 8 brown trout 7 of which were between 8" and 10" with one good one at 12" (about a pound we guessesd) and 2 small salmon parr. We returned them all apart from one foul hooked brownie. We were guided by Frank Williams who was patient, knowledgeable and good company. We fished New Zealand method with a variety of dries uptop and small gold bead and tungsten bead nymphs below. Most were caught to the nymphs but one took a small mayfly. We were instructed on Czech nymphing by Frank and it was he who landed the pounder brownie using this method.

5 brown trout largest one a beautiful fish of about 2lbs 8 oz. 3 fish between 1 and 1lb 8 oz. All returned. 3 taken on olive goldhead nymph cast to sporadically rising trout. 2 taken on dry light olive. A difficult downstream wind and no obviously significant hatch. Started fishing around 10 am finished 7pm. Most activity in the first 3 hours. Met owner of beat Mr Lloyd - very helpful and informative. Easy access to this beat with not particularly difficult wading. A lovely day all round.

13 trout caught, many more lost. All fish were between 1/2 lb and 1 lb, and all safely returned. flies were mostly parachute Adams, or black gnats. In all my years of fishing, have never seen so many trout rising at the same time! We both enjoyed our 4 days fishing here on the Usk, and will be back for sure next year. We would like to commend you all at the Foundation for all the effort you have put in to provide us, the visiting angler, with such wonderful opportunities to fish in Wales!

As novice river fishermen we decided to enlist the help of a guide and were put in touch with Frank Williams. It was an inspired move as we learnt so much about rivercraft and fishing techniques as well as enjoying his company greatly.
My son had 3 cracking wild trout about 2.5- 3lbs,(sadly two lost at the net ) and we caught 6 smaller fish of around
1lb, (all returned) on nymphs initially and later on dries and emerger patterns. Despite a cold upstream wind trout rose through most of the day. A magical day in every respect.

17 trout 1/2 to 2.1/2 lb. All fish taken on or near the top on olive 'F'fly,parachute and nymphs fished wet fly style and black emergers size 14. Fish switching from one thing to another all day. Great beat, many pools and runs with easy access and wading, fish throughout. Two distinct types of trout, some golden brown with red spots the others silver bronze with non distinct black spots[smudges}. Most fish were at least a pound with the largest being of the silver variety. Honours about equal. Many different flies on the water, olives, March Browns, stoneflies, all in drips and drabs with an hour of more prolific black midges early afternoon. As always The Foundation were helpfull and efficient, thankyou.

Caught 12 brown trout (under 1lb) - generally on GRHE and pheasant tale nymph - mostly in the pools downstream from the car park . All returned. All seemed to follow the fly down with the current and take at the end. The fish were all about the same size - and a little dull in appearance compared with the best looking Usk trout. I suspect that they may have been recently stocked.

Missed/lost a few others in faster water - including a good sized trout.

Plenty of fish moving despite the cold weather - a hatch of something between 9 and 10 in the morning and again at 12. Saw a few mayflies on the water.

Also interesting to watch a mink returning repeatedly to her den [?] with fish in her mouth - presumably to feed young.

6 Trout 1/2lb - 1lb. Two on nymph (beaded hares ear & pheasant tail) rest on dry fly (grey bodied klinkhammer and parachute adams). Lots hatching between the rain showers.

4 brown 12-14oz on dry fly (parachute). River low & clear. sunny day, only fished till 6pm looking forward to returning to fish a full day asap. All fish returned.

VC - 6, GB - 3. Fish 1-2lbs All taken on dries, Klinks and CDC shuttlecocks. One fish of 3lb plus lost. A steady hatch of Grannom during the day grew to the snowstorm proportion around 6 pm when the wind fell away and it got noticably warmer. Sadly GB had just packed up when that occurred! Given the amount of Grannom hatching the numbers of fish rising were fairly small.