Feedback & Reports

1 x coloured hen salmon, 30 inches; 1 x coloured cock grilse 26 inch, both on a size 10 Bann Shrimp and returned unharmed. Many thanks to owner Barry Pareskevas for the invitation for an evening's fishing. Thanks also for the recent trimming work which has made the banks much more accessible. I always enjoy an evening on Chainbridge, which is quite a magic place at this time of year, especially on such a warm evening as this. Once in the river, the caravan site and the road disappear from view and I always seem to see something surprising and interesting. This time it was a hot air balloon which hovered low as I returned the second fish; last time it was a grass snake swimming across the river. And invariably, at dusk, a big fish shows just once in the Chine - you could almost set your watch by it - and, just as invariably, I fail to persuade it to take. Lots of big trout were rising as the light faded. And owls were hooting in the trees overhead as I was taking the rod down and packing everything away in darkness.

2 Salmon

Nice day on a new beat to us. Stan very helpful, will be back.

6 Barbel, 1 Chub

After arriving at the venue half asleep at first light and promptly backing the car over both landing nets and ground bait, I had a feeling the day was not going to go well... happy to say i was wrong. Conditions were great and the barbel were ready & waiting. The constant army of canoes to be expected on a Sunday were no trouble at all, apart from 2 Sunday drivers who ran straight into our lines. To be fair they put up a great fight on light tackle so I've added them to our catch list.
The only downside to a very fine day was the limited access to the river. Having read previous reports, I was prepared for a bit of jungle warfare & not afraid to get stuck in but i'm afraid to say there was a lot more walking done than fishing here today. Undergrowth & nettles can be dealt with, but a large part of this fishery is overhanging trees & bushes that are impossible to fish through. The only really available water is mid beat along the pumping station but this seemed very slow & deep and didn't produce anything - except for one small pellet munching pike. The top section, despite having better looking fast water, was again overgrown & had several people fishing it from the far bank anyway...so we fished predominantly in the first available swim at the end of the beat upstream of the island, and after walking the whole stretch ended up back where we started to see the day out. Not surprisingly, the fish were by then a bit offended after being molested for most of the day...so 8 barbel to 9lbs and 3 chub including a real fatso of 6.25 lbs is not to be sniffed at, but it could have been a lot more and I guess this new fishery will improve over time with a bit of effort on the bank. Cheers WUF.

8 Barbel, 3 Chub, 1 Pike, 2 Other

Water low and clear on final day of 4 day trip for weary fishermen. All blank. Some timid rising but very spooky. Packed up early at lunch.

On worm from our garden. 8 rainbows, 1 blue. All of a similar size - around 2lbs.

9 Trout

All caught on ledgered pellet. River was low and dropping after last weeks rain.

2 Barbel, 4 Chub

Nil catch.

Superb day on this lovely stretch. used heavy feeder groundbait/small pellets, with pellet on hair rig. river was quite coloured with good flow. Fish caught mid-river. Red letter day!!!

14 Barbel, 4 Chub

I arrived at 9am and the water was gin clear and I mean clear more like a chalk stream. I quickly found out that my 8ft rod was too big for this beat and the fish very elusive! I saw maybe 1 rise and the fish could probably see me before I saw them, I blanked due to me not being a ninja!

7 Trout