Feedback & Reports

Very enjoyable day, despite the bitter cold -1 start. Lovely colour on the river after the recent rain and levels were ideal. Saw a couple of good sized salmon jumping along the stretch in the morning near the far bank.
Used maggots, and although the first 3 hours proved fruitless, the afternoon was much more successful. I managed two small brownies, and 3 'tidy' sized Grayling - all of which were lurking just out of the swell. Also hooked a lazy jumbo eel later on (I suspect he wanted to end its life judging on its lethargic resignation), in a quiet pool but thankfully that dropped off as it approached the shore! Chris hooked 4 brown trout (2 were a decent size) and 3 small grayling, all on maggots.
Shocked and saddened to see that one of the big oaks we usually set up by, had fallen across my favourite corner spot, limiting the options there; but such is nature!
Greeted by Charlie as we left - a very nice chap who asked about our day.
Will definitely be back!

6 Trout, 6 Grayling

My first time at The Leen trotting for winter Grayling. The river was flowing nicely and still quite coloured from recent rain. I started at pool above the lower weir and caught a nice Grayling of just below a pound with my first cast. I then fished back up the beat to the disused railway but no joy. Walked back to the top weir and again no luck, finishing off just upstream of the bridge. A nice couple of hours though, landowners were very friendly and I'd never caught a Grayling before!

1 Grayling

Just a few hours for me on this short beat. Fished from 9am to 12.30. Whole beat was covered twice. Very slow to start, just 1 grayling lost. Stream is very cold and shaded so not great for an early start! 2nd run through managed 2 graying both around 9 inch, 1 trout 12 inch, 1 minnow, mouth hooked! Fished with an Air-lok indicator from Fishtec & 2 x flies. Point being a heavy jig nymph. All fish took size 14 copper john on dropper. Missed and pricked a few. Hard going, as was casting even without leaves to contend with! Beat is particularly narrow and over grown, frustrating at times. No sign of the large grayling shoals I spotted in summer - they seem to have vanished. This was my reason for revisiting the beat.

1 Trout, 2 Grayling, 1 Other

Two experienced fishermen who know this beat well but found the high and fast flowing water a difficult challenge. Water speed really too fast for Czech nymphing despite using double beaded patterns. Only 'hits' and the one take of a small brownie was in water about two feet deep and a few yards out from the right bank towards downstream end of beat.
Maybe it was just one of those days where the pleasure of being on the water out weighed the lack of fish!!
(Four dead good sized salmon washed up in reeds where the Clettwr Brook joins the Wye)

1 Trout

Relatively high water level, dropping during the day. Only one grayling and two small trout in the morning. More active grayling in the afternoon, four female grayling caught, and one larger trout.

3 Trout, 5 Grayling

River a little high, one small trout par. Lovely crisp winters day out though.

1 Trout

Having checked environment agency river levels which stated normal range about 1.5m average depth I was more than shocked to find a raging brown torrent all the way from Symonds Yat to Monmouth, I had expected some extra water due to rain earlier in week but not this level.
I did manage to hold bottom with a 5oz feeder in the slacker water but due to the turbulence difficult to identify any potential bites (if there were any).
The strong icy wind got the better of this fair weather angler and I packed up after a couple of hours with no return.

River cold and clear. Not even a bite. Retired to pub at 12.30.

One bite to one anler. River cold and clear. Retired to pub at 12.30.

2 experienced fishermen both drew blank using variety of nymphs either traditional or Czech casting. Possible reasons?
River was high after 4-5 days heavy rain to day before? (water clear to about two feet) (wading generally unwise away from bank. Significant drop in temperature previous night (was 15c day before but snow on hilltops that day)?
Rapid change in pressure as a High settled over Wales that day?
'Twas just one of those days!!