Feedback & Reports

Arrived mid morning the river still up after the weekend rain tried a couple of swims on the way down to the end of the beat too pacey for a float but did catch the biggest dace I have caught in years caught barbel to 8lb and chub to just over 4lb on ledgered pellet and meat in between the action enjoyed watching an angler Spey casting for salmon in the intermittent sunlight

7 Barbel, 4 Chub, 1 Other

After a difficult day on the river a week or so ago (very low water) I had been interested to see that the levels had risen following rain in the following week. A very hastily arranged day off from work saw me heading up the A40 at just after 6 in the morning, arriving on the beat at just after 8am. The river looked in very good condition for barbel - good flow and colour - so I'd decided to start in the wood and make my way to the meadow if needs be. First cast produced a tap - a chub maybe? - that didn't develop. Second and third casts produced nothing. Fourth cast saw me latch in to and land an 8lb barbel, and the next six or seven casts were just as productive. I ended up with 8 barbel between 5 and 8 pounds and a solitary chub. By about 1.30pm, having endured two or three uneventful casts, I had to conclude that the fishing had switched off - as it does so often in the middle part of the day. I decided at this stage to head home, I'm sure that the afternoon and evening would have produced as well but I'm not that greedy! Wonderful day's fishing on one of my favourite beats, when the conditions are in your favour it really does make all the difference!!
Whilst I did have the chub and one barbel on meat, the most successful bait on the day was hair rigged 8mm pellet, either a pair or a triple, wrapped in a paste made out of the groundbait. To be honest I was surprised not to see more chub... and for once, no eels! (Though I seem to be in something of a minority in that I actually like them!)
Thanks to all at WUF and Don the fishery owner. Hoping that there may be one more visit before it gets much colder.

8 Barbel, 1 Chub

Overcast, cool and windy. Grayling to 15" trout to 11", all but one on wt nymph, preference for red. Caught in slow and fast water.

5 Trout, 9 Grayling

Good conditions, caught in different swims mostly on luncheon meat.

2 Barbel, 5 Chub

No surface activity on arrival and nymphs were ignored by all but two out of season brownies. One to hand at about a pound. Another self releasing mid air. From late mid morning there was a steady trickle of flies coming off and occasional rises. Grayling measured to 15 1/2 inches were taken on dries mainly and spiders (3) largely from the middle parts of turbulent pools. Despite the afternoon warmth takes dried up after 4.30 although rises continued on the flat water from tiny fish taking smuts. Another sizeable brown obliged but was lost as he swung downstream.
Another enjoyable day. Greeted by red kites wheeling low over the river, spotting bats on the drive home, not another soul seen all day; just what fishing should be about.

1 Trout, 15 Grayling

An interesting day! Fished continental nymph style taking fish every now and again but without ever really getting into the fish. Maybe the grayling haven't shoaled up yet. Shared the beat with two other very nice chaps, one of whom spent an interesting few minutes playing a salmon on his grayling rod!

2 Trout, 4 Grayling, 4 Other

It has become difficult in recent years. Instead of Autumn arriving fairly reliably, Summer goes on a while longer. Whilst Autumn is more in evidence this year, water isn't. It seems to go from tomato soup and rather deep and fast to nearly nothing. Today it was low and dropping fast with no rain forecast for another week at least; in other words, maybe by the end of the season. I wonder if the season could be extended by a week or maybe to 31st October....
A few salmon were showing and I did hook one. I thought I'd hooked a rockand pulled the line. The 'rock' shook violently and swam off!
I also saw a poacher. I ha phoned NRW who were just about useless. I've written about this to the WUF too.

Fished visit to Abernant with the level at approx 1'6". Fished through Lady Alexanders catch a few times but other than a few trout, one of which must have been close to two pounds, I didn't see any salmon. Moved up to the top of the beat at lunch time and caught a 4lb grilse just starting to colour on a 1 inch cascade tube in the Edw pool. Lost a slightly larger fish 20 minute later.

1 Salmon, 4 Trout

River was too high to fish the dry fly (always my preferred method) had a very enjoyable day nymphing.

1 Trout

River level on the way down. A warm, partly sunny day. We struggled in the early part of the day but eventually found a few barbel later on. Fished from 9am till 7pm.

4 Barbel, 1 Chub