Feedback & Reports

The perfect day for salmon, with water .775m and slightly coloured. Hooked 2 nice trout on spinner throughout the early afternoon around half pound each then hooked and landed a cock salmon of 7lb in pool above bridge.
John landed two trout of one and quarter pound each on fly in woodstream

1 Salmon, 4 Trout

Although no fish were caught and only one seen this beat seemed to be in prime condition. Heavy rain and strong winds were forecast but did not arrive until about 2pm. We fished from both banks upstream of the bridge before our lunch and then part of the right bank below the bridge in the afternoon. The water level had clearly risen due to recent rain but was relatively clear and wading with caution and a stout stick was possible off both banks. We hadn't fished this beat before but it shouted fish at us and I was surprised that we didn't touch any, nevertheless it was a cracking good day as long as one remembers that salmon/seatrout fishing (and even brownies) is not just about catching fish. Good luck and tight lines to those who follow.

Arrived on a beautiful morning with river at 0.88 m and the colour of Assam’s finest. River dropped 4 inches on the day and gradually clearing. Beat looked stunning and went through the repertoire for 8hrs with fly and spinner. No sign of Salmo Salar for me but my buddy saw a good fresh fish on Rock and had a fish lunge at his fly on the back cast. It escapes many people how we have such a great day without catching but we do. That feeling of anticipation when the river is right is indescribable. Our time will come again.

Perfect conditions today, with the water ,the colour of a good brew ,before the milk and at a height of .75m after a 2 metre spate . It was worth coming all this way , even just for a few hours. With the knowledge that a few salmon had been seen , every cast was laden with expectation ; the take , was it that the bow in the line would stop moving downstream or start going upstream (strip in line quick ), a savage take ,or just , fish on ? Well , no take, that piece was missing , in fishing you don’t need all the pieces to complete the puzzle. I had a wonderful few hours in paradise and ...a bit of luck,I found my club hammer that I’d left on the bank before the spate.

No fishing - wash off

Wash out, not fished.

Quiet day in bright sun testing out a new switch rod on a new stretch

A very special day for me: my first ever wild brown trout on a fly! the first (25cm) to a nymph, the second (26cm) to a dry fly.
I'm very new to this game, but this was my 5th trip out this season (on a river with a fly rod) and it was great to taste success at last. I missed a fair few takes too! And one much bigger trout that fought like fury managed to dance on the water and throw the hook before I could net it.
I had two sessions: 6.30am-1pm and then retuning for 6.30pm-10pm.
I began just below the bridge where several fish were rising, but couldn't tempt them. There was the occasional large salmon splash both upstream and downstream too.
On my way up the river another large fish jumped clear of the water, then another and another. My first thought was sewin, but when I got a better look they immediately reminded me of mullet. Thinking there couldn't be mullet this far up river I convinced myself I was looking at a large (several dozen) shoal of large chub, but after a bit of research I realise they were indeed mullet - and a good size too. They weren't interested in any of the flies I presented to them though!
I finally hooked my first fish at the top of the beat: I still had one of the nymphs on that I'd tried to tempt the mullet with so I drifted it down the rapids, then was going to retrieve it for another cast when I realised I had a fish on the end: my first trout! Must have been pure serendipity that I pulled in the line just as the fish took the fly.
It was late in the morning by now so I headed back to the bridge, from where i spotted lots more fish rising just below the bridge: a shoal of small to medium chub. They were great fun to target: not so easily spooked as trout and great practice for casting and timing the strike. I missed loads but caught three; all small, but great fun nevertheless.
The evening session was pure magic. It started slowly, and with a single chub caught below the bridge. No sign of the mullet. But soon after nine there was a decent hatch and the fishing switched on for about 45 mins - until the bats came out!
I lost the one trout, then finally got another in the net, plus 3 more smallish chub. So much fun. I will definitely be back!

2 Trout, 7 Chub

Warm and balmy evening and water clear and low. Elected to fish the faster water at Woodstream with a wet deer hair sedge and made contact at 18.15 with a large fish which took lots of line of 2.5lb tip only and led me a merry dance before landing a super 3.5lb Chub, the largest I have caught in the Usk on fly in over 40 years. Netted and safely returned. Made my day.
Sky cleared and wind sprang up and surprisingly no further fish caught.

1 Chub