Feedback & Reports

Did not fish.

Very cold (-7 on arrival!) but sunny and surprisingly warm in places. Ice in the rod rings was an issue at times as was the scarcity of fish. Not a touch all day so a disappointing blank. I wonder if the cormorant I saw had more success?

Arrived to blue sky, snow on the ground and sub zero temperature. Two of us trotted maggots through the deeper pools, difficult to trot at first due to line freezing in the rod rings. Around midday temperature just got above freezing making fishing easier. Only connected with 2 small grayling and a minnow. Both cormorants and goosanders seen on the beat.

2 Grayling, 1 Other

1 Chub

Freezing cold conditions, river low and clear. Hardly surprising we struggled. Complete blank for the pike but a few chub came out to play.

2 Chub

2 Grayling

A cold but beautiful day on a lovely beat. Water clear and level a good height. Main challenge was the ice forming on the line and rod for the first hour or so!
Tried weighted wets as well as nymphs but yet again struggled to find the fish. Although no action in Lady Alexander's and Stone Catch pools, they are both great stretches to cover.
Tried the top end of the beat, just down from the Edw stream and did catch 1 small grayling. Two fishermen on the other bank also worked the same area and had no luck.
A great stretch and very well maintained.

1 Grayling

Back again to this fantastic beat. -3 showing on the thermometer on the fishing hut, river was crystal, very bright sunshine when it cleared the hills. Trotted red maggots was the method of the day. Initially struggled to find the grayling, but every section I tried was full of trout.

Lost count of the numbers, but a guess of between 35-45 would be a conservative estimate. Fish between 8 and 18 inches.
Where are they in the summer when fly fishing? Eventually found some grayling at the bottom of Lady Alexander's just as the sun dipped back behind the hills. 10 fish between 10 and 14 inches.

A memorable day for my last trip of the year.

10 Grayling

A blank, doubtless owing to it being below freezing most of the morning. Had to pack up at 1 pm - whilst loading the car saw an angler arrive who must have parked further down the lane, not in a designated parking place, and move into the swim I had just vacated. Was pike fishing. White male, 5 feet 10/6 feet, medium build, 40s, camo jacket and rucksack, single olive rod sleeve, large fold up lure net. Nobody else booked on, I found upon arriving home and having internet connection, so can only assume was poaching. Have fished two W&U beats so far this season, this one twice, never had a ticket checked, so might be time to wise up a bit?

Cold, but beautiful winter's day on the Lugg. The only problem I had was my line freezing in the rod rings!

River running clear, but at a nice height.

Car thermometer registered -2 when I arrived and -1 when I left.

7 Trout, 37 Grayling