Feedback & Reports

First visit to this beat and it wont be the last. Really pretty part of the river with a variety of water to fish.
Really good conditions in the morning with the river coming down only for it to rise again in the afternoon.
7 Barbel and 8 Chub caught, and probably could have had a few more had we stayed in the most productive spot in the morning.

Because of a late get-away, we didn't get to the river until about 6.30pm. Our first visit to the stretch, access is lovely - we went down the track no problem and parked by the hut. Getting out was also easy enough, though it was virtually dark when we did so which makes spotting anything oncoming that bit easier (seen some warnings on previous reports).
A quick scout about found a swollen coloured river, which appeared to rise a little bit more in the few hours we were there.
Both anglers selected swims where a crease formed behind a (submerged) croy. PH didn't receive any interest, but JC managed a couple of barbel, one a decent fish that went 10lb on the nose. However, no specific feeding spell materialised, so we left at last light.
Heavy feeders with the usual pellet/ groundbait combo did the trick, with paste-wrapped 14mm pellets the successful hookbait.
Would love to visit again when the river is in a slightly more polite mood! Lots of water to go at, and I expect some great trotting to be had... just not in the kind of conditions that we found.
Onwards and upwards, How Caple Court would be visited the following day....

2 Barbel

Another great day following on from the previous week where I had 15 barbel 10 or so chub and three trout. This time the river was on the rise and in flood. I had another 7 barbel to 9 lbs 6 oz. Due to floods I chose to fish the margins with meat or boilies wrapped in paste...
I seen many goosanders unfortunately feeding. I will return superb beat!!

7 Barbel

Barbel up to 7lbs, chub to 4lbs. Swimfeeder tactics, 8mm pellet hair rigged.

6 Barbel, 2 Chub

Started fishing a Duo of Deer hair Sedge and PTN and had several fish on the nymph. Around lunchtime more fish were rising to the dry so changed to a Griffith gnat and had some good sport on the dry. Finished around 3 with a dozen to hand and plenty more missed or lost.

12 Trout

River was high all week until Saturday unfishable cleared by Sunday perfect hight 1ft 3" grayling switched on, main on dry flies excellent day fishing, over the moon.

7 Trout, 24 Grayling

First time visitor and although most impressed, with the ease of access to this remote but well maintained beat, the amount of water available was quite overwhelming and to be honest I came away somewhat disappointed in my lack of success. Most likely due to my limited ability to read the water and can only recommend either the use of a guide or booking into the local B+B for a week to be able to do this one justice!
As suggested by a very helpful season rod I did wade out as far as I could; to a large flat rock [beyond the rapids even], and fished above and beside the “large boulder”. The finest point from which to cast a fly that I have found in 45 years of fishing throughout the UK! [So enjoyable in fact that I fished it through for far longer than necessary].
For trout anglers; I counted 14 runs and hollows in the 50 yard section just in front of the hut while enjoying my lunch, so over 1.5 miles of available fishing that should equate to??

3 Trout

Two trout taken but a number of others rose to spider type flies fished Tenkara style. I fished from about 7pm to 9:30pm when I left the river because of another 4 legged fisherman. I spent about 5 minutes watching an otter feeding just bellow the junction pool. Great to see a wild otter. It is my first.

2 Trout

Arrived early and fished my favourite swim until noon but it was slow going. Left the river to the canoeists and headed in to Ross for some lunch. Decided to give a swim I never really fancied for the evening and caught from the off. Excellent sport with largest Barbel weighing 9lb exactly. All fish caught on feeder and pellet/sweet corn.

11 Barbel, 7 Chub

First time on this stretch Fished up from Merthyr Vale From 3pm to 9pm v low level water, weather overcast, warm. Some trout rises but fish very easily spooked. 1 small wild trout caught and returned. No greyling evident.
Water quality good but sadly high volumes of bankside plastic and metal rubbish spoils the experience of being out in nature.

1 Trout