Feedback & Reports

Stayed at The Fishing Lodge at Swanmeadow on this family (including cousins) holiday; great place and base for going surfing at Rest Bay, cricket tour at The Swalec, good food, all day breakfast at the Steel Horse and BBQ suppers, bike rides and walks in wonderful countryside and thankfully weak internet reception.
The river was perfect for salmon fishing the whole week, however time spent on it was minimal. 3 trout and a mini salmon (salmon smolt 7") to the salmon rod, fishing at both Swanmeadow and Chainbridge. Spent a lot of time on bank and steps repairs (with young help). Lots more to do on what the winter floods" hath given and taken away" at Chainbridge.

3 Trout, 1 Other

A beautiful day. Arrived and was made very welcome by the owner of the beat who provided good advice and guidance on how to fish the beat. Day had sporadic light hatches of March Brown, Caddis and LDO. Day was bright and cloudless, water gin clear. Couldn't help but spook the larger fish rising on the flats but caught two small ones in the riffles. Will be back to this lovely wide and deep flowing beat. Thanks again to the beat owner for his compnay and advice.

2 Trout

Joined by PH for our first trip of the season. Lovely beat, full of promise. The bright, sunny conditions and a cool breeze didn't help, keeping the hatches quite sporadic. 1 x WBT to the net with another decent fish hooked but lost after 2 leaps out of the water. Both succumbed to a nymphs fished deep. Special thanks to Jean at Sweets and Barry (the beat owner) for making today very pleasant.

1 Trout

Arrived to a beautiful morning at 9 a.m. river 0.88m on the gauge and falling very slowly. Fished for almost 6 hrs with the 15 footer, very enjoyable exercise but again no sign of the needle in the haystack. A 1.5lb brownie raised the pulse briefly when it slammed into my Golden Killer and was safely returned.
A moderate hatch of LDOs occurred at intervals all day with just a smattering of March Browns. Inexplicably saw only two trout rise, but none to my offerings.
The heavy winter spates seems to have moved the stones of the river bed and I was able to wade Upper Rocks right down to the Chine. Below the bridge wadeable from the gauge right down to the cables with a small exception by the cleared tree stumps.

1 Trout

Fished entire beat above bridge with intermediate 10 line and Usk Grub and Willie Gunn Tube, Water .88m and difficult to wade to normal spots. Reverted to sub surface trout 1-3pm using March Brown and Partridge and orange spiders to no effect. No rise.
Fished Monday 21st which was a clear day but with a cold SE wind. Water .78m to .80m but again no rise on the trout. Fished deeper with team of weighted 14 nymphs but only attracted par. Fished 4hrs for salmon through to Chine from top run with no takes.
Disappointing considering water level.

Arrived with river 0.76m and looking perfect. First day out with spring in the air, although a cool easterly breeze limited fishy activity.
Both gave upper stretch a good going over with the double handers but no sign of a needle in a haystack. A sporadic hatch of Olives occurred at 1p.m. but only a handful of rises all day. S.M. had 2 trout, one of 1lb on a Waterhen Bloa on the dropper (also had the same dropper snapped of in a violet take) and one 1/2 lber on a leaded olive nymph on the tail. S.B. had one of 4oz on same nymph.
Very nice to be back out again after a long winter.

3 Trout

Fished 3hrs for salmon. Weather and water perfect at .78m No luck at Wires and Rock. Switched to trout at 12 and landed two trout below Rock. Best 8oz. John Phillips landed 3 and lost 3 at the wood stream.
Previous two visits water too high at 1.9m and 1.1m so unable to wade and casting proved difficult from the recently eroded banks.

5 Trout

Many thanks to owner Barry for the invitation today. A fine spring day after the fog cleared, but I drew a blank for salmon unfortunately. I did briefly shake hands with something which felt more deliberate than a trout, but a couple of head shakes and it was off. After lunch I was able to watch a brief but intense hatch of march browns and some explosive rises from trout in response. As, in my wisdom, I had brought no trout tackle in the car, it was indeed a matter of just sitting on the bank and watching.

Fishing Saturday afternoon and Sunday. River level at first over the metre, fining down nicely. Wading at this level is unwise. However, on Sunday, I did manage to get in just below the bridge by the gauges and a little further down towards the cables. This is normally slower water, but at the 0.9m range I managed to fish the fly well.
Upstream where the water is faster, I fished from the bank and platform on both sides. Sunday was a perfect day filling me with confidence. Alas no fish for me.
The good news is that a salmon has now (12th March)
been caught below and I did hear of an earlier fish lost upstream. Good luck to all for the New Season!

Arrived at 7.45am with 0.76m on the gauge and falling slowly. A little too much colour at first but by end of day had dropped 5cm and colour perfect.
Had a head and tail take to my Golden Killer (single hook) fly after 15 minutes and a 9lb colouring cock fish was duly landed and safely returned.
Fished hard for another 9hrs but didn't see a fish. The curtain came down on a memorable season fishing Rock pool in the company of L.T. from Creigiau with perfect water, a rainbow to our left and a beautiful sunset to our right.
Thankyou to the WUF and owner Barry for making all this possible. Here's to next season!

1 Salmon