Feedback & Reports

Picked a warm, calm day with a few PWs from quite early and the odd one on and off, together with some sedges, later during the day. A few YMs as well and even some mayfly at the mouth of the Edw. Some rising fish throughout the day so, as there was some fly and fish were clearly looking up, I stuck to emergers. That said, fishing the foam, more of the fish caught were non-risers rather than risers. The trout were 12" fish and all but three of the grayling were 8-10" ones and the others were only 12-13". The preponderance of this year-class of small grayling (and I even caught some graylets as well) seems the norm this year at Abernant , Ty Newydd and GPIAC, when I've visited, and I wonder where the numbers of the usual larger fish have gone as, if these guys are looking up, so usually are the larger ones? Great for the future though as it was clearly a very good spawning year when these guys arrived on the scene. Let's hope that the FEBs don't get them before they put on some more meat! Most fish taken on a size 18 pale HE Duck's Dun and the rest on good old Grayling Steel Blue. A huge thank you to WUF for getting the strimming done on the bank on the top half of the beat. Made for a much safer walk up and back - a job well done.

2 Trout, 38 Grayling

NTR

This is usually a prolific stretch for me and my dad but not today. Hundreds of canoes and constant streamer weed floating down river didn't help. Nor did the farmer in the field opposite up and down all day in a massive piece of farm equipment cutting whatever was growing there.

All Fish came in the last hour of light. Dissapointing end to a very hard weekends fishing.

3 Barbel, 2 Chub

After visiting the Crai, moved over to this beat for a couple of hours. Water was almost stagnant, lowest I have ever seen it. Scum and slime over the rocks showed that the rain of recent weeks had somehow by-passed this valley. Despite the tough conditions, Myself and RM had 4 trout, a grayling of 10 inches, a large minnow and a salmon parr - a wild stream grand slam! Fish fell mainly to dries or trailing nymph.

4 Trout, 1 Grayling, 2 Other

River height perfect at about 1ft, makes wading this beat a challenge, but fish caught on all techniques (Duo, french nymphing and Dry), trout about 8 inches, Grayling upto 2lbs.

6 Trout, 15 Grayling

Caught 2 rainbow around midday which was strange. As it cooled off towards the evening there were no rises and nothing going on. Managed to catch one more at around six, but had nothing up until then. Completely opposite to our last visit where there were frequent takes as the evening went on. All in all a good days fishing.

3 Trout

Parked in field by tree line, please note way to river is to right of trees (as per WUF map), on edge of sweetcorn field, going through the other field means navigating electric fence (which fortunately wasn't on).
As expected river low and clear - 2 x swan shot link leger holding bottom, fished first swim to left of tree line. 11.30 - 19.30. Lost 3lbish chub first cast on bread (hook pull). Further 3 chublets to 1lb on garlic meat, 7 barbel, 3 under 1lb others 2lb, 5lb,7lb & 7.08 on meat (one of the under 1lbers on cheese).
Taps but no hitable bites on sweetcorn or robin red pellet.
A great day out, no one else fishing beat or the other side (that I could see), except the kingfisher opposite filling up on the small fry.

7 Barbel, 3 Chub

Had a day with Kim Tribe on euro nymphing. Wow. It's hard work and it hurts quite quickly. Very different! Well I mostly wasn't quick enough but got better as the day wore on. The concentration is tiring alone not to mention your arm feels like it's gonna drop off in next to no time. I couldn't believe how close to you the technique fishes. Getting everything right is tricky especially the timing so you stay in touch with, but don't pull your flies. And getting the heavy fly right, so you get down. The takes are lighting fast. Moving in and out and gradually up the river too - I'm sure you get faster as you get better at it.
The other interesting thing for me was fishing all the fast sections that I thought were for white water rafting. Trying to stand up was a challenge in itself. The wading is tricky in these sections and I was glad I fitted studs in my boots prior to the trip. You'll need to have good balance and to be fit if you've not done much of it before.
Lost a very good fish that swam straight at me at the lower end of the beat in a hole in what I'd call rapids! As Kim said, it didn't get that big by being stupid!
Several grayling, a couple of smallish browns and a handful of salmon parr - now I know how to identify them!
Did some indicator fishing too which was great on those fast sections. Quite a few fish lost.

2 Trout, 2 Grayling, 3 Other