Feedback & Reports

Above freezing at last, for a day at least, and some bird-song to be heard above the pistol-shot cracking of marginal ice sheets. There was even an olive hatch during the afternoon, although no signs of reaction from fish. Arrow running very clear although I expect it may colour up now if the thaw continues. I fished with a pair of weighted bugs and found shy-biting grayling in just a couple of places. 7 x grayling altogether, 4 in the 10-12 inch range, best 3 fish: 15, 17 and 18 inches.

I think I may have been a Little optimistic but never mind! After talking to Richard the farmer at the Leen his suggestion was to turn around and go home. Problem - ice, which apparently appeared over night. Never mind, after inspecting the river several swims were fish-able so on with the gear. The lower section from the old railway line was solid! 1 1/2hrs later stopped for a coffee break, no fish! Fished till 3.30 with variants of gold head nymphs but no joy, however it was a beautiful day sun shining birds singing and as Arni says I WILL BE BACK.
P.S. the fish were there, I saw at least 11 under the ice!

Had a fabulous day despite the rain. Saw an otter cub (rare as hen's teeth here in the East Midlands!) to add to the mother and cub seen at Arrow mill the day previous. I then went on to catch 3 grayling (42 cm, 35 cm and about 25cm) and 2 out of season brown trout ( small), unfortunately the other rod blanked. Can heartily recommend the accommodation at The Bateman Arms at Shobdon (contact number in the Passport)

Had a lovely day on the river Arrow, I caught one grayling approx 1lb plus which was returned safely.

First time on this beat, fished from bridge upstream. The river was clear and at a reasonable level, but cold. It is a very fishable piece of water with a mixture of glides, riffles and bends in quiet surroundings. On a very cold day I managed 6 good grayling, with a couple of beauties. All fish were caught czech nymphing with heavy 'bugs', but I did see a few fish rising later in the day. Easy booking using online system.

Fished lower end of beat only. Two trout. First on #12 killer bug, very plump and over 14", other was 6" and took #16 GRHE on dropper. Disgorged skeleton of a bullhead when in landingnet. Lost one grayling. Will try again and fish the top section of beat.

A glorious autumn day following a sharpish overnight frost. Cold throughout - especially in the freshening wind. Our first time on the water. Got our cards marked by the farmer on arival. The river had been carrying a bit of colour on Saturday but, come Sunday morning was running clear - but still pushing through a bit. Took a while to work out where the fish were. Picked up the odd fish downstream in the morning before dropping onto a run of quality Grayling mid afternoon in one of the glides below the top weir. Around a dozen fish in total to a mixture of PTNs, Copper Johns and Klinkhammers.

Grateful thanks to Dave Collins of Moccas for two tips: firstly that the Leen is fishing very well, and secondly not to expect much surface activity. So I spent some time tinkering with a leader to get a double weighted nymph set-up suitable for the current and the depths of the holes to be searched. Eventually the grayling started to come regularly, although I can't tell you how many nymphs I lost on snags. Never mind, my first time on the Leen, which has enough interesting fishing to occupy all of an autumn day. 20 x grayling 8-16 inches. The best five fish, four of them from the same run, were one at 14 inches, two at 15 inches and two at 16 inches. Plus 8 x out of season trout 10 - 14 inches, three of them wild Arrow fish and five stockies.

Had a very enjoyable day caught plenty of grayling and the odd trout, fished a combination of nymphs and drys (pheasant tails and klinkhammer). One of the grayling had a nasty cormorant scar on it's back, all fish were returned safely.

First time on this delightful and varied fishery. Caught more out-of-season browns than grayling. Beautiful golden-bellied and golden-finned wild browns of 6-10 inches and a 14 inch stockie that was just about the only fish that rose all day! No fly, and hardly a rise, didn't deter fish from taking a hare's ear emerger. Other fish taken on bugs and nymphs. Removed many Himalayan Balsam seeds from various parts of my anatomy when I got home - what a plague this stuff is! Thankfully those really big Arrow floods of a couple of weeks back had flattened much of it, with the downside that many of their progeny are now well downstream.