Feedback & Reports

My first visit to this lovely brook. The water was quite low and very clear, coupled with the bright sunshine made for a challenge! There was so much life in this river, fish fry, dozens of hatching insects including mayfly, many birds, just a wonderful place to be. Took three trout on upstream nymph (gold head hares ear) and three on dry fly (small black parachute) the biggest 18" and all very fat and healthy.

6 Trout

The parking area wasn't obvious and wasn't secure against sheep getting in so parked in a layby on the road. Started at the lower part of the beat, the bottom three pools had fish occasionally rising and all the ones that I saw seemed about 2 pounds plus. I caught 1 trout in the first pool, at least 2 1/2 lbs. The rest of the beat had no evidence of any fish. Returned to the bottom of the beat to the odd fish rising, but failed to catch any more.
Thanks Sam

1 Trout

The river was in perfect condition with plenty of fly life. I gave the stretch a good working with dry fly & nymphs, but unfortunately without success. there were plenty of fry in and around the margins + weed areas.

Bright day with a cool westerly breeze. River level is good and water clear. Spotted a few fry and a few nymphs making their homes under the pebbles, but no trout - still a little early in the season I think.
Very pleasant day out nonetheless and I look forward to being back up here in April or May when I'm sure those deep pools will be holding some decent fish.

Blank. First time for me on this beat which has re-opened for the last few days of the Severn season after being closed due to low water during the summer. I had been meaning to get up here for years. Obviously I had been briefed to expect low water, but the section of the Teme I came down to was the ghost of a stream. Many yards of flat gravel shallows are only a few inches deep, and the occasional deep hole has water so clear you could see every stone on the bottom. The valley is quite delightful, particularly the cricket bat willow plantation. Lots of birdlife, I started a hare across the stubble and, without wishing to seem misanthropic, I didn't see another soul. We don't have another stream like this, except perhaps some sections of the Ithon. It's all quite open, except for the very top end where an 8 or even 7 foot rod would have been handier than the 9 footer I had brought. This is not a winterbourne where the upper waters of a brook only flow during winter months, but a mid stream section where low summer flows just disappear below porous ground. This is not unique either: part of our own Blackpool Brook has a habit of disappearing into old mine workings during a dry summer, the Surrey Mole famously gets a bit lost between Caterham and Dorking in a dry year and Yugoslavia is full of limestone streams which disappear down sinkholes and pop up again miles away and a thousand feet lower.
Anyway, during a delightful walk, enjoying myself taking photographs, the only thing missing from the equation was a trout, although I know trout of 2 or 3 pounds are occasionally taken. I tried walking down to the bottom of the beat and working up, looking for a rising fish and searching with a dry fly in the runs and deep holes. Some of these holes do look good. But despite a warm day with willow flies and pale wateries hatching, I didn't see a natural rise. I did raise a small fish from a deep hole to a Grey Duster and failed to hook it, and another turned out to be a tiny chub. I came to the conclusion that the best thing to do would be to let the winter floods repopulate the stretch and come back to try it in the spring. At the same time, there are very few absolutes in angling, so if somebody comes along and gets a dozen from it tomorrow, I'm standing by ready to eat my hat!

Took Dad on a trip for his 75th. Arrived at the bank around 12. Expected there to be MUCH more water on the beat after the heavy rain earlier in the week. Level was VERY low? Walked the entire length of the beat upstream. Saw maybe 3 fish moving and nothing rising. Upstream to the upper limit extremely difficult. Lots of fallen trees in the river and planting to the field made it impossible to fish. Returned midway and fished some of the deeper pools. No fish moving and nothing taking either dry or wet. Top or sinking. Had some lunch and began to fish downstream. More fish seen moving but nothing biting. No rise despite a hatch around 4pm. Stayed until 7pm. No rise, no fish seen moving. A disappointing day fish wise.
Wildlife: - Lovely Kingfisher sprinting around the mid section of the beat. Observed a Heron all day, he too seemed to come back empty handed. Watched a Kestrel? take a field mouse.
All in all an enjoyable day in tranquil countryside just a pity there were no fish :-(

Wet fly - 1 brown trout caught and released. Very efficient booking service. Thanks.

1 Trout

Only very few seen rising, total of 3 fish seen moving along bottom, no rises to dry fly, water conditions were low bright sun and clear. Switched to wet fly and caught one trout which was of good size at 2 & 1/2 pounds.

1 Trout

All on dry fly, a small rise and later fall, of mayfly which didn't interest the trout. Water was very low and strong winds didn't help. Two were sizeable, 13" and 11" and the others 8-9" - all returned. Not many pools to fish from and some lost through fallen trees.

4 Trout

I had intended to fish Lyepole on the Lugg but left it too late to book and this was the only beat in the area available, so gave it a go - and very glad I am too. This is a really lovely beat, running through fields and lush woods. Although the main road is not far from the bottom end of the beat, it manages to feel secluded.
A bright, warm day. The water was low, around 25cm at the crossing point marked on the map near the car park. All the rocks I turned over had a reasonable clutch of invertebrates clinging to them and I saw a few healthy looking shoals of fry in the margins, but there was nothing in the main, shallow runs where the sun was pretty unforgiving. There are plenty of deep pools dotted along the length where I expect fish would hold, but I didn't spend much time on them as I'd seen a couple of rises along the edges of the long, sweeping bends. The outside edge of the bends was a little deeper, perhaps 3ft, and the overhanging bank created a band of shadow, perhaps a foot wide. It was in this band that all the fish seemed to be holding, very gently sipping the pale yellow and brown mayflies that were trickling off throughout the morning. Dropping a pale yellow cdc emerger right on their noses pretty much guaranteed a rise and then an explosive run. I was very surprised by the size of the fish, particularly considering the depth of the water. Nothing under 12" and one went like a rocket straight round a tree stump, promptly breaking me off (3.5lb tippet). I managed three fit, healthy looking specimens and lost three more before it got too hot around 1pm and I had to head home.
Great day, many thanks WUF.

3 Trout