Feedback & Reports

Hot sunny day. Good level of water. Badly overgrown banks. Will book a different beat in future.

Beautiful morning. River looked in good condition, plenty of Mayflies but very few signs of action up until I was about to leave the water at the bridge, and got a fish on the hook. Sadly it got away. 3rd time on this beat and still yet to net a fish. Maybe next time! It was a little more wild this time with 2 fallen trees to negotiate - all made for bit of extra fun! Shallower water meant I could fish almost the whole beat without exiting the water which was good - previous visits have found frustration with missing large sections due to deep pools and sections with no access. But not this time :)

Following early start on Court of Noke, decided to check out other wild streams that I knew were available. This one was a gem of a find. Though access wasn't the easiest. Short stretch but stunning. Enjoy seeing a few fish rise, though they were easily spooked. Had a nice fish (about 9 inches) in one of the slower sections coming off the rapids. May have been a few more if I hadn't have been clumsy in following cast getting caught in tree proceeded by nearly slipping in. Looking forward to returning to this beat another day. Makes for easy wading once in the water.

1 Trout

Having fished Court of Noke and Whittern Lyonshall, decided to check out this beat before heading back to Brum. It looks a lovely beat, but I found it pretty impossible due to very slippy river bed (would definitely recommend stuffed waders) and overhanging branches. I only fished the first 1/2 mile or so due to time, so it might be better upstream? Maybe I'll give it a proper go next time! Saw a few fish rise, but they were easily spooked.

*guest rod - Anthony Hawkins caught his first Wye Salmon -8lb Fresh Hen from the Vanstone on the Fly.

1 Salmon

Day 2 of our COVID lockdown great escape….to Eyton, another River Lugg beat we only usually visit for evening entertainment, but anticipation was high given the fun we had at Dayhouse on Friday and that Mayfly would be hatching.
There were not as many as at Dayhouse…and not much else by way of ephemeroptera hatching, although there were brook dun spinners dancing come evening. There were also a smattering of the very large dark sedges that we only see at Eyton, and an extra large one with two rotors clattered past – low enough to feel the downwash!

None the less the fish were looking up and at least some would take an artificial mayfly – as long as it was animated. Trout were much more to the fore, with 2 at 14”, 2 at 16” and an 18” clonker and with an interesting variety of colouration. Great fishing although a cool breeze sprang up and quietened things down early evening. All fish were oncers taken on our parachute dries – Mayfly, Ginger Quill and Adams - but watch out for the mud, it is particularly glutinous and trapped us both at least up to our knees.

Good to say hello to the owner too, who came down to make sure that we were happy and not pestered by picnickers. He felt the need to apologise that the beat was overgrown – the response was it’s a wild river and the fish seem to like it. Watch out for the minnows on this beat – the river is teaming with them, and they are confident enough to gang up and mug a mayfly if it strays in to their patch, but they soon scarper if a 16” trout is released in their vicinity.

11 Trout, 3 Grayling

12lb Common on corn.

1 Other

Saw plenty of mayfly but no rises at all.

15 Trout, 5 Grayling

Well set of initially fof the Kington beat this afternoon, but when I arrived at the bridge there was a car already there at one , displaying their Wild Streams pass , so did an about turn back to Pembridge and plumbed for Court of Noke , ahhhhhh success no one was parked in the field and no bookings either ,happy days , kitted up and mooched to the start , well actually the style that is wrapped in so much barbed wire you can only just about see it !!!!!!

Anway when I started at half one , plenty of Mayflies , Brook Duns and stone flies on the go , and masses of mayfly shucks in the quieter water , although thfe brownies weren't hard on them during my three hour visit !!! They were still keen ti rise to flies causing a disturbance though !!!!

Still great fun casting to risers , and them hammering the big dries , superb!!!! After all the doom and gloom of COVID-19 it was nice for some real escapism . . . Trout ranged today from a tubby thirteen inches to ten inches ,and netted five in total , all in cracking condition, two long range releases on the big Mohican Mayfly , and a couple more savage attempts at the fly !!!

Getting a bit low now, and algal deposits starting to accumulate on rocks etc , could do with two good days if rain to be honest . . . But I guess cant complain still great catching gorgeous browns on the Mayfly . . .

Half way up the beat two young lads walked passed, I surprised them in the river and mentioned where were they going with spinning rods!!! The one was about sixteen I guess with a youngster of about ten in tow ,he explained Edward B . Is friends with the family and lets us fish here !!! I doubted them and mentioned its fly water only and permit water also, so WUF , could you look into this and contact the beat owners, to see if they allow friends to Spin the water !!!!! I think the proverbial brown stuff was coming out if his mouth , so I did send them.packing !!!

Anyway after that fiasco , finished with one more fish short of the bridge on a large Para Adam's, great fun , and a superb three hours , will get on the Kington or Titley beat one evening this week , happy days . . . . Stay safe out there folks !!!!

5 Trout