Feedback & Reports

A great days fishing today. Weather was thankfully cooler than recent weeks. Only one 9lb carp caught today as i spent most of the day helping land my girlfriends numerous carp. Happy days. Thanks WUF.

1 Other

Haven't fished for a couple of months due to the horrific heat wave but finally temperatures were lower and the first spots of rain- air temp about 17C. River lower than I have ever seen it, and flushed two cormorants as I arrived which did not bode well. However there were still plenty of fish there - but they were all in very tight pods of about a dozen each every 40m or so that you could have thrown a coat over. Never seen such close shoaling before - must be an anti-predation behaviour in very low, clear water. Made the fishing very tough - they would often spook and shoot away just when the leader came over, never mind landing! I managed to catch five though, mostly from the faster/deeper water off the top on small mayfly patterns. Mostly small fish and I saw fewer large ones than normal - did catch a 17"er but she was rather slim, must have had a tough summer.

I have to say the state of the water was alarming not just in the level, but masses of green algae, in some places covering half the width of the river and coming right up to the surface. The likely culprit also visible on the surface - quite a bit of foam, one or two lumps even pillow size in the eddies. I would guess nutrient pollution from sewage treatment works (treatment?) and/or intensive farming - probably both but no doubt if you asked those parties they would point the finger at each other as usual. Wish I had brought a water test kit, I hope there is a citizen scientist covering this area. The dead algae in the margins stank. Meantime some pointless sports cars and spotless SUVs driven by overpriveleged twits zoomed by on the road burning up loads of fuel, contributing to the other evil of climate change and low river. Never been more disillusioned with the human race to be honest, but at least there was some fly-fishing again, and I suppose you have to look at the bright side - nature can be resilient as evidenced by those plucky trout and a lot of other wildife that has made it through.... I was half expecting a desert on arrival. The state of this poor river is absolutely shameful though - the entire Usk is a SSSI and yet what is the point of that designation when most of our society either treats it like a sewer or doesn't give a shit? At least some rain is finally coming though, a few drops today and more on the way - we need a lot to top the river up and flush the rubbish out.

5 Trout

Disappointed to find an immense amount of discarded line of a variety of lengths. Picked it up and then had a very enjoyable session with 5 barbel (my first ever) and 5 chub. All the fish were a good size and in lovely condition.

5 Barbel, 5 Chub

Fished the river for salmon. Unfortunately no fish praying for rain!!

6 Trout

Over night rain had bought the water temperature down to 19.6 degrees but as expected water levels were low but not as low as we expected. Spent a very enjoyable afternoon trotting meat for Chub on beat one by the island, most fish around the 1lb mark but a couple nudging 4lb. Not our first visit to this fishery and won't be our last! Terry the keeper was very helpful.

10 Chub

4 Barbel, 4 Chub

Was too wet (rainy) and windy to fish when I arrived so I did not fish it in the end.

2 Chub

0 fish. River level very low. Lots of silk weed. Fished from 6am until noon. No bites! Lots of canoes after 10am. This section needs some tlc as some swims are really overgrown and inaccessible.