Feedback & Reports

Fishing the beat as a prize in a WUF raffle, my wife and I arrived at Chain Bridge at a delayed 11 am expecting the river to be high but not 1 metre up a and of a colour that would do justice to a mixture of Irfon and Ithon at their worst. We had been well briefed ,however, by Bari, the owner and kind donor, that being the Usk, it would fall during the day and even clear a little.
Fly fishing was out of the question and we spent the morning exploring the beat, even making the occasional cast with a yellow FC more in hope than expectation.
After a prolonged and excellent lunch supplied by Charles at the Chain Bridge Hotel, Bari's prediction was spot on and the river had fallen a few inches and was marginally clearer.
I started fishing again with a yellow tailed FC and connected with a coloured hen of around 12 lbs just upstream of the bridge at about 4.30 pm. It was quickly released and swam off strongly.
I was most impressed with the beat, especially the Rocks pool which must be super to fish in good water conditions. Very many thanks to all concerned for a most enjoyable day. Strangely enough in over 70 years of salmon fishing, this was only my third Usk salmon.

1 Salmon

One fish showing lower Rock Pool. Went through with both fly and spinner but didn't move anything. Clear, low water and bright. Hard work but a great day none the less. Beautiful beat.

Beat was excellent and Barry the owner most helpful. Found it easily accessible from the caravan park side. A few fish showing here and there including one big salmon. Felt we got tactics reasonably well suited to conditions, trying some spinning but mainly stuck to fly for salmon and sea trout.
Other than the two trout not a touch or follow all day though. Would like to try again but perhaps need to review time of year.

2 Trout

Arrived around midday with 5.5 on the gauge and carrying quite a nice colour, was informed that fish had been caught earlier in the week so was quietly optimistic, alas today wasn't to be? fished hard on the fly but that first fly caught salmon is still alluding me! Couple of coloured
fish seen by the submerged tree/log below rock pool with one of them looking well into its teens. Although no fish caught still a nice day.

Fished below the bridge and saw a fish move above the wires. Tried it with red/silver FC without response. Changed to yellow/copper and it took 2nd cast. 10lb safely returned on micro barbed single hook. Lunch on veranda of Chain Bridge pub excellent as usual.

1 Salmon

Novice to salmon fishing so an absorbing afternoon trying spinning tackle and tactics. Not sure the thunder, downpours and colouring of the river helped. 2 salmon seen surfacing but no connections this time.

Weather cloudy and temperature 18 deg C water .7m and steady, clearing from a beer colour. Looked good for salmon and so it proved, landing a 5lb grilse cock fish at about 11.45 from the stump opposite pub. Fish taken on single hook black FC with gold blade. Hook detached easily and fish returned safely.
No other fish seen up to 2pm when we had to leave. Sadly John Lewis fished hard for 3 hrs with no result. He deserves one for his efforts but has not had any luck landing fish hooked, some of decent size.
Left the water to SM with the hope he does well this afternoon.

1 Salmon

Arrived at mid day buoyed by news of L.T's morning success. River again perfect. Fished for a couple of hours below the bridge but no sign of salmo salar. Just one 8 oz trout took exception to the Reverend Mole and almost made the double handler waggle. Moved up to Rock and by the second time time down Groundhog Day sprung to mind after the previous blanks in perfect conditions.
Was just considering calling it a day when felt a strong pull by fallen tree. After 2 minutes a strong fish ended up directly below me and angry head-shaking dislodged the hook.. Returned to the upper platform to start again when a fish approx 5lbs showed above me.
Decided to leg it up to Upper Rock to see if the fish would stop there. Got a take after a few minutes and after a lively 10 mins landed a colouring 12 lb cock fish which swam off strongly on release. No action for days then an electric couple of hours. That's salmon fishing!

1 Salmon, 1 Trout

Fishing by 7.30 a.m. after an early start. Greeted by a resident showing on Rock. River in a word - perfect. Worked very hard with the double handed but not a fish seen. Very surprising. More rain and some big tides needed ?

Water coloured and about .71m when I arrived. Decided spinner better than fly. John Lewis had arrived earlier and had no luck before lunch spinning with red and gold fc. He returned to the car at the lodge and decided to have one lat try, changing to a yellow and gold fc. Bingo, an immediate take and he's into an 8 lb fish which immediately jumped and detached.
I persevered with red and gold and fished the rock with SM. No luck there, so SM moved to below the bridge. I followed half an hour later and changed to a black and gold fc. This produced an immediate take behind the large boulder midstream.
SM obliged by landing a surprise sea trout of around 3lb. Only the third such fish I have caught on this beat in 20 years. Thanks Stuart.
The river began to rise and colour up so I did some trout casting with Charles Rouse before leaving at 8pm. Water beyond .8m at that point.

1 Sea Trout