Feedback & Reports

Thought it was about time I gave the River Llynfi another crack , so headed to Pontithel , arriving about nineish , a cool breeze , reading 13 degrees when I tackled up in the lay by , initially tying on a small Parachute Adams , see how things go !!!

First decent glide , and a small eight inch grayling on , nice confident rise to the Adams , slipped the fish back in and continued , things looked promising . . .

Second fish , ditto in size , and again took the Adams , seems the grayling here like to settle in the glides , no takes in the faster water , and after my second gorgeous grayling , I did in fact briefly have a lump of a fish on , good run around then of , had a good look at him , cracking grayling probably fifteen inches , but didnt make it to the net , and he was off . . . Cest la vie !

Worked my way up the river , and with the weather the other week , looks like it must have been raging , as the debris and height well above the normally river course was well up . Stuck with the Adams , as it was that kind of day , had a hunch another lunker may have a pop at it , but the next fish was in fact a sprightly brownie , about ten inches and very energetic , pre coital excitement maybe !!!!

The next fish , a brownie , in another superb pool on this beat took the Adams with a really aggressive hit , perhaps eight inches , another cracker and slipped back in , just down from the footbridge , final fish of the day , and what a cracker , an out of season brownie , but a superb specimen , probably pushing fifteen inches , quickly played and released , lovely , and a varied morning on this diverse little river . It's always a nice change coming here as its quit a bit more open than the Arrow , upper Lugg and the Dore .

Packing up, I had a little demon on my shoulder , telling me to have a cuppa and a cake at the Honey Cafe up the road . . . . I had to give in ! A cappuccino and a cake topped of the day . . . Well the cake did have a cherry on it so at least it's one of my five a day , so I didn't feel tooooooo bad . Back soon , a fun morning !

3 Trout, 2 Grayling, 1 Other

See it was JA from Leominster who beat me to Pontithel, will recognise the truck in future! Anyway, over to Golden Valley and Chanstone Court on the Dore. River slightly higher but still a lot of leaves and debris. I went upstream from the bridge, this is now pretty heavily overgrown, and the deepest pools difficult to get round. Found it hard going, eventually landing 3 trout and just one 8" grayling, on dries or nymphs. Again could not find the grayling on this river, despite trying everywhere I could get some casts off. Ah well....

3 Trout, 1 Grayling

1 Barbel, 10 Chub

The floods in October have radically shifted gravel in the top pool at this beat so that the main river flow is now pushed fast across what was formerly the holding area for grayling at all water levels. This made it necessary to search the whole beat for fish rather than rely on the main pool as anglers usually do. Two were caught but it was hard work, particularly compared with a previous day on the Cammarch Hotel lower beat where a personal best of 18" and estimated 2 1/2 lb was the highlight of many above the 1lb mark.

2 Grayling

1 chub from swim downstream of the woods.

1 Chub

Arrived at Foy Bridge to find a fair amount of water rushing through which was a touch surprising in view it had not rained heavily up in the hills over the past couple of days.
Fishing was really slow here and not much of a return for our efforts and a reflection of our limited ability!!
But....there is always next year to improve...

1 Chub, 1 Other

1 Barbel

Well , a cool dank November day when I bowled up at the Court of Noke beat at twelve , and after a long weeks work was ready to chill out , and hopefully locate the grayling . . . .

Started just up from the little style where the river has a bit more character , about three quarters of the way down , and started working up the pools with a single pink hotspot nymph , nothing doing in the first few pools , searching all likely areas . .

I did put on a black klinkhammer prospecting the likely haunts , but today , no takers so back on with the nymph , and about half way up , the one deep pool that bends sharply with a high bank , I did locate some lovely ladies !!!!! In fact three in ten minutes , all on the pink beaded nymph , and deep as well , sizes from ten to twelve inches , superb fun . I did work that pool well and was only the three that played ball , fighting fit , and all released . . . . Spot on !

Some insect life showing about twoish , so did tie on a Parachute Adams prospecting again likely fishy places , again no takers . . .

Near the top , just down from the bridge , a brief sighting of an otter , great to see , but he wasn't hanging around and I think he saw me long before I saw him , wonder how he faired today ???

A fun two and a half hours , nice to be out on one of my regular beats , rivers looking a picture , and a nice flow to it , couple of days off , where to tomorrow , choices choices !!!!!

3 Grayling

Great conditions with the river up a bit and warming weather. Expected a better catch. 6LB Barbel first cast and 4LB Chub second cast then nothing but a few chub bites for the rest of the day. Lovely stretch with loads of excellent swims

1 Barbel, 1 Chub

1 Barbel, 1 Chub