Feedback & Reports

3 x trout 12-15 inches, Waterhen Bloa and Dark Moorgame spiders. A tough midday session with a cold downstream wind - it actually felt much colder than the 7 degree air temperature recorded. The river was also very cold and doesn't seem to be dropping much - I guess that snow-melt is feeding it steadily. A fair old trickle of large dark olives between 12 and 2 but, for the most part, the trout were not rising for the duns on the surface. I suppose it is still too cold and we must be patient for a few days more. However, today's catch would have been just one trout if was not for WUF supporter John Lewis, who mentioned during one of those long bank-side chats that he had noticed a couple of fish show on the far side of the river. Anyway, John feeling rather chilled went off for his lunch and I tried the spot with spiders for a pleasing result. Many thanks!

3 Trout

I spent a few hours on the river today between 11 and 2.30 p.m. Cabin Fever critical by now, so it had to be done! The water was higher than the optimum and pushing through but clear, with 1’ 2” on the Brecon guage and 1.18m at Llanfoist. Snow-melt is still coming into the river everywhere, with a small rise over the last couple of days both on the Usk and on the Grwynne Fawr, in spite of there being no rain. So, the water was cold at <6 degrees, as one would expect, but not so cold that fish weren’t active. Today the air was 10 degrees at arrival but it felt colder in the wind, and then got a bit breezier later on and had dropped to 6 degrees by 2.30p.m. Neither the trout nor the LDOs approved of that – but in a lull between about 1 and 1.30 p.m. there was a good 30 minutes’ hatch of flurrying LDOs and a few fish rose. I saw four, rose and missed one, then hooked another which took me across the river and emerged, substantial, irate and a foot or so out of the water, at which point it pushed the long-distance release button! The other two came to hand - neither substantial, of just 10-12” and both rather skinny - but they helped to make my day. All on a size 16 dark olive Duck’s Dun. I had dropped another reasonable fish on the third cast of the season, whilst nymphing for the first hour or so, so the hatch proved to be a timely arrival. All in all, a pleasing first day out on the river! I also saw one, just one, March Brown. More to come for sure as the tide goes out, and as temperatures rise. Be prepared with the other rod already set up with your favourite MB emerger or dun pattern on it - those MB hatches, of which there could be several, are infuriatingly short-lived! Two - three weeks to Grannom time? Yippee! No more rain please and, as for the white stuff..................!

2 Trout

7 caught using worm and spinner. Pretty decent size fish to. A good day

7 Trout

Wonderful to be back on this part of the river again after what feels like a very long five months away - Nothing caught or seen Salmon wise; but the water was at 6 degrees, with a good height and perfect colour for a few hours fishing in the Rock, Bridge and I also enjoyed being able to slowly work the fly through the depths of Ty Mawr pool. If there was a Springer about, it was resolutely disinterested in my fly! It can only be a matter of days before the first fish comes off GLLR.... really excited at the prospect of a fresh season ahead: best of luck to one and all!

Water clarity was improved by the end of the day but still a lot of water pushing trough and it hold the level all day.

1 Trout

Water quite high, and a brisk cold wind, so we had to pick our spots carefully. Fish were taken on small nymphs and spider patterns, and all safely returned.

4 Trout

4 Fish 12 - 15 inch. Fished for just half an hour at lunch time but hit it right despite a howling, cold downstream wind. Fish were active whenever wind dropped. Mixture of LDO and a few March browns on the water. The previous day I had 1, of 14 inches.

4 Trout

Another potential springer day on the Wye colour better than yesterday. Fished beats 1, 5 and 6 gave it a proper crack spinning slow and as low as you dare in the cold fcs rubber shad and devon from high bank beat 5. Got to know the beat but not her Salmon! Thanks to Terry and local rod for the advice, time to go home now sad face.

1 Trout

A cold downstream wind and a trickle of LDO's made for a tricky day. I was determined to concentrate on the dry fly and had an hour window around 2pm when a few fish started showing in the tail of the top pool. Pricked a few and lost a couple to head shakes on a quill bodied emerger, not many to the net but thoroughly enjoyed it.

1 Trout