Feedback & Reports

slow going

3 Barbel, 1 Chub

1 large trout caught with no other bites. 3 Cray fish also.

1 Trout

Low water (9") and bright sunshine. One 85cm 12lb slightly coloured hen caught in the Mill Stream on a size 12 Silver Stoats Tail.

1 Salmon, 1 Trout, 1 Grayling

A lazy start today: arrived on water at 09:30 after a late wake-up and a chat with the missus on the old dog and bone. Getting away is why I go fishing.

Cold start. 11 degrees with cloud cover and rain showers forecast, brightening up later.

The beat is typical small Welsh stream. The first part was 1 or 2 offers in every likely pool (not all pools mind), with me covering each with a dry (para adams: I started at 18, but that was refused so pushed up to a 16 and then a 14, both of which worked well) and then giving the fast water at the head a plop with a gold bead GHRE.

I kept this up until I hit the first bridge - hey, guys, what a good idea on that stretch those bridges are, as I would hate to be down there after dark.... Apart from a forced break when 5 canyoners came splashing down towards me ( a middle aged chap and 4 teenagers). They had the decency to avoid the pool I was forced to rest (the water turned chocolate), but seem to have affected the next 3 or 4 pools that were devoid of any sign of life as a result of the fishes' domain being invaded by shocking blue neoprene clad bullocks. Then I dropped the nymph. It was taking too long. Not only that, but the flatter sections didn't really give the opportunity to use a weighted nymph anyway.

That run of small falls and pools near the ruined watermill is a right bloody challenge. I felt my age going up that... A big fat zero in terms of fish, but adrenaline and lactic acid right up there!

The flat bits reminded me of a Exemoor stream, but with fewer fish. I noticed that as I climbed the water got more skeletal and clearer. The fish got smaller and more skittish.

I finished at the top of the beat at 7:05pm... Totally exhausted. Looking back, the wading and fallen trees were part of the challenge, as they make it a wild stream and the fallen trees weren't the worst I've come across. But anyone not used to this type of fishing might be advised to go in a pair... Of course, I'll ignore my own advice. Because I'm an idiot.

The result? 10 (I think - it could have been 12) wbt mostly between 6" and 10", but the fish of the day was a perfect (and fat!) 12" I caught lower down on a 16 para adams. There were a few smaller fish too, taken in tails or up at the top of the beat, but they were all parr marked and I didn't count them. I had takes from the same number again. Some I missed and others got off the fly. Debarbed is a problem for energetic small fish...

This was my best day's fishing of the week so far. Thanks WUF.

10 Trout

1 rainbow caught early on. My son played a nice fish which came off before we could net it several others missed before it went quiet.

1 Trout

2 Trout

Quite a hard session with low, clear water and bright afternoon sun. Things picked up later on, despite three excited Labradors descending into my swim. The owner was suitably apologetic. I had been entertained earlier by the arrival of three separate flotillas, each of about 20 - 25 canoes, crewed by schoolchildren. One group staged a mini-regatta about a quarter of a mile upstream. However, despite their limited competence, the children were suitably equipped, properly supervised and well-behaved, so I had no real cause for complaint. Between these diversions I managed to catch barbel to 7-15 and chub up to about 3lbs.

4 Barbel, 3 Chub

My first visit here. River low as expected, and my, is that bed rock slippery with algae. Caught all the fish in the hour after lunch, when a thunderstorm threatened, then nothing more. Biggest 9 inches. Various small Klinks. They didn't seem at all fussy. The lower parking spot is occupied by road works right now. I parked by the bridge at the top of the lower beat.

6 Trout

Started by the metal steps and only had two very small Barbel by 11:00 so moved to Legg Meadow and landed a Barbel of 8lb 9ozs at 13:00. Apart from another small Barbel and a couple of eels it was very quiet. The Canoe traffic was fairly light and in fact, when they stopped, all interest from the fish stopped, despite me holding out until 20:30

4 Barbel, 2 Other

It was very enjoyable day. I caught many trout of good size. I also have seen laods of decent fish (more then ever) rising to my lures for which I will come back next year :) Bright day. Fishing from 11 to 4PM. Temp around 19C. Method: spin. The only drawback is all these slippery stones and rocks. One can't be too careful!

15 Trout