Feedback & Reports

Near perfect conditions (warm (ish), cloud cover, the river clear after a small lift in the days before, mid-May) led to a lovely afternoon on this delightful beat. The nagging downstream wind was a bit of a pain and I could have done with a few more degrees of warmth (it was 16C) but the flies were hatching and fish rose steadily, though not heavily from 12 when I arrived to about 5.45 when I left. Both my fish were from the bottom of the beat, on an Adams dry - which is ironic as I spent much more time right at the top of the beat trying and failing to tempt a pod of fish gulping away by the reeds on the far bank. While no entomologist, the hatches were a bit of everything as far as I could see. LBDs, the odd mayfly, Yellow May Duns, several truly enormous sedges (Grannoms?, but they seemed even bigger), Olives, and various tiny things. It seemed like there was not a lot of one thing, but together they kept the trout interested. I even saw a trout leap and take a fly flying eight inches above the water - something I have seen on screen but never myself. Kingfishers and woodpeckers too! An absorbing and enjoyable fishing session.

2 Trout

6 Trout

Tough day, water very low, plenty of hatching flies, but very few rises, one small brown trout caught at the bottom of deep pool on GRHE, but a beautiful place to spend a day!

1 Trout

Six nice brownies for me all on the dry, on a very difficult day.

The weather was dry but the conditions hugely variable, with the wind changing strength and direction frequently throughout the day. At times it was flat calm, and others so strong I couldn't cast.

To make matters worse the fish seemed to only want the smallest fly on the lightest tippet, this combined with the wind made for very tough presentation.

Still had a great day despite difficult conditions.

6 Trout

Despite having risen 30cm after Thursday’s rain the river was still low (0.8m on the Erwood gauge, dropping 5cm during the day). This gave good access to the pools but the flow at the bottom of the beat was a bit too slow to swing a salmon fly. There were hatches of sedges, olives and larger mayflies, and fish were rising to them. Four trout to 3/4lb but no salmon seen or caught.

4 Trout

Once again a blank. Fished about half the length of the beat, upstream from the bridge. Saw a couple of fish rising, but unable to connect, and plenty of life including a kingfisher. Later in the evening plenty of fish rising downstream of the bridge. The landlord of the pub, who has access to that area for himself and guests, says it is usually more productive for trout than upstream.

Very poor access

3 Trout

Water low, cool and clear. No salmon seen and very little trout activity .
Sparse hatch of Mays and Yellow Sally. Dense midge hatch at midday, most pleasing for swifts and martins.

Nothing at the top half of the beat to interest the trout fisherman, but the bottom half contains a couple of streamy runs and some flats that show promise. The wind was variable and occasionally strong, making upstream fishing tricky to impossible, and despite the sunshine it felt cool much of the day. A couple of trout were taken (one lost) and a salmon parr was taken, on upstream dry fly and New Zealand style PTN. A large chub on a silver invicta was a personal first and a surprise!

The field containing the beat is huge and we found the intended parking spot in the middle of the field impossible to find without further guidance!

1 Trout, 1 Chub

Fished the evening, caught three small fish and missed a few more

3 Trout