Feedback & Reports

River just under 1 meter and clear. 3 running fish head and tailed in pool above The Rock. Fished mainly the top 2 pools. No luck this time with the fish but great to be fishing.

Started above Rock Pool and had a hen fish of about 13lb on back /gold Flying C. Single hook for easy release. Fished through Rock Pool with no result so went below bridge [Bridge Stream Fishery) and had a 10lb cock fish again releasd. Fished Scottish Dee last week for 1 fish. Grass is not always greener!

Nil return.
Some observations from a newby - As a rod who is new to river fishing I was attracted to Chainbridge for many reasons - not least was the WUF comments about the site that "Wading in this part of the Usk is relatively easy over the gravel riverbed." Er, no! To my mind that's a bit misleading. It isn't gravel, if it is then it's bl**dy big bits of gravel and I wouldn't have said it was relatively easy! If this is easy compared to the other sites then I'll have to get my scuba stuff out.
Didn't like Barn too much as I spent too much time having arguments with trees and bushes, well, at least my flies did! Couldn't work out how to fish Oak!
A Wiltshire rod suggested a swim upstream from the bridge, many thanks!! I guess it was Rock and spent a lively hour trying to prevent myself from drowning. However I enjoyed every minute of attempting to master the environment and the fishing! The river was in great nick and my nil return is due to my inexperience of river fishing.
On way back to the car I stopped off and managed to catch a roach so that was nice! A two man canoe then appeared from nowhere and confirmed when challenged that they were allowed on the river as stated in the Miners Federation Web site, at least that's what I think they said. Luckily they managed to canoe about a metre away from where I was trying to land my fly, so that was pleasing. They disappeared very quickly as the river was running fast. I'm not sure of the rules so that was that. I'll just have to try again!
Tight Lines!

River still perfect 0.75m slight tint. Result ditto. Less trout rising on the last day of season. Still one more chance in October weather willing. Suspect they have run through to the headwaters. Should hopefully auger well for the spawning season.

Condition of river was good, water fairly clear. Caught one brown trout about a pound and a half which was returned unharmed. Found wading difficult over the river even with felt sole boots. Watched lots of wild life which was good, good day out.

River 0.8m steady perfect colour. Fished for 6 hrs in company of much more expert salmon anglers than myself. No sightings of Salmo Salar. Are they all at Brecon and Sennybridge? Olives hatching and a reasonable rise in afternoon. This was ignored because of my affliction [salmon madness].

Arrived at 10am with river 1.06m on the gauge carrying a lot of colour but [just] fishable. In the next 1 1/2hrs four trout of 3lb, 2lb, 1 1/2lb and 6 ozs all agreed and hurled themselves at flying c. below the bridge. Then fished Rock and enjoyed a wonderful hour alongside Tom Richards [of the wuf] who is both very entertaining company and a mine of information. Fishing at the weekend when river should be in better order, although it had dropped 7cms before I packed up at 6pm without a sign of salmo salar. I am already always a glass half full person, but Tom inspires even greater confidence. Just a matter of time!

1 small trout caught on a small black gold head emerger pattern and returned to river. Good fishing and no adverse comments.

Low water, cloudy with a strong downstream wind. One coloured hen Salmon 32 inches. Taken from Rock Pool on a size 10 Salar double Bann shrimp variant on a floating line. The fish didn't leave the water and swam of very strongly after a minute or so.
Fished for trout for much of the afternoon (until 18.00). 15-20 fish on Duo with 50% of fish coming to Olive Klink vauiant and the other half on a size 18 PTN jig.
A good day on a lovely beat. Thank you.

I managed an undernourished Grilse of about 3lbs which should have weighed at least 4lb and not very fresh, but very welcome nontheless in avoiding being 'skunked' yet again on the Usk. I was wading opposite the huge dead floating tree/log in the Rock pool (or Chine?) when the fish took a size 10 double Usk grub variant fished with a floating line. The fish went back fine.
My pal Bob also had a take when he fished the Rock pool later in the day, alas it did not take hold properly and thrashed on the surface before getting off. Bob thought it a similar sized grilse to mine or possibly a seatrout.
We fished 'gentleman' hours from about 11am to 4pm as we'd had a long day fishing Llandegfedd reservoir the day before and had a long drive home to Berks/Hants. We stayed at the Kings Head in Usk which was excellent in all respects and with very reasonable prices - highly recommended!
It was a good day for fly fishing - clear water and mostly cloudy. We didn't see any fish (other than trout) show.
I don't think the beat has nearly enough fishing for 3 salmon fly fishermen. Fortunately there were only two of us!