Feedback & Reports

I do love this beat. Even though it is now half the length it was, the best bits are still there. There were decent hatches of mayfly and strong rising throughout the day, peaking mid to late afternoon. I have also realised there are a lot of grayling here too. Couldn't entice any of them! Caught several trout, but one was most exciting.... I hooked what a thought was a parr and was just reeling in to let it off and there was a 3lb trout on the end! We were both shocked to see each other, but then I realised, it had my parr in it's mouth, not the fly!! Suffice to say, I didn't get to land it....

10 Trout

Good day all round, river had slight tinge of colour but still good for the fly. Banks and paths to the pools well manicured , Mick has certainly been working hard. Saw two fish moving in the Vanstone Pool late afternoon and soon hooked one about 10lb on 3/4" tube only to lose it after 5 mins . rested the pool for 1/2 hour and tried again to no avail then had last few casts with FC and made contact half way down the pool & after a strong fight landed a silver cock 18 - 20lb

1 Salmon

Started late due to long trip and traffic. Sunshine and showers afternoon - water clear at present. Stuck to fly, no fish but lovely bit of water. Good access and Nathan very friendly and helpful. Will be back to explore further - many thanks.

Salmon of about 10lbs ish caught on a spinner beat 4

1 Salmon

Fished the double bank section from 15.15 to 18.30hrs.Good water conditions, and despite the forecast a fine early evening, following light and patchy showers; a troublesome north east wind, however.
Plentiful fly for the first hour (surprisingly large dark olives, and the occasional may), but they petered out as the afternoon progressed. The water was still cold for late May, noticeable through my thigh waders. This could explain the absence of surface feeding fish; I did not see a single rise.
So I persevered with a size 16 ptn, working to improve my stealth wading skills, while watching and waiting. My 8 foot 4 weight rod was probably 6 inches too long, but I would not go below 7ft here. A net is unnecessary in my view, since beaching a more substantial fish than usual would be easy in most places. The wading was fine even for this unsteady septuagenarian.
It is an attractive, well maintained and accessible beat, to which I shall be pleased to return sometime. I thoroughly enjoyed not falling in, not tearing my waders on barbed wire, not breaking my rod, not mislaying my car keys; and not catching any trout!

Downstream wind picked up in the afternoon with sparse hatches. 4 on dry and 2 on bugs. One a nice plump 2lb+ fish. All returned.

6 Trout

1 Trout

Lovely half day. Let the other rod take the Vanstone first in the afternoon when I arrived while I went up to the Dog Hole. He caught 2 lovely fish. I did have a fish on as well in the Dog Hole on fly but it was not to be.
Really exciting day when you felt you could have a fish at any moment.

Short visit, rain, wind did not dampen a few concentrated rises of lovely cheerful small trout. Ashford as enchanting as ever.

4 Trout

Spinners pealing off sporadically throughout the day with the occasional trout rising. A few tugs but unfortunately nothing brought to net.