Feedback & Reports

I had intended to fish Lyepole on the Lugg but left it too late to book and this was the only beat in the area available, so gave it a go - and very glad I am too. This is a really lovely beat, running through fields and lush woods. Although the main road is not far from the bottom end of the beat, it manages to feel secluded.
A bright, warm day. The water was low, around 25cm at the crossing point marked on the map near the car park. All the rocks I turned over had a reasonable clutch of invertebrates clinging to them and I saw a few healthy looking shoals of fry in the margins, but there was nothing in the main, shallow runs where the sun was pretty unforgiving. There are plenty of deep pools dotted along the length where I expect fish would hold, but I didn't spend much time on them as I'd seen a couple of rises along the edges of the long, sweeping bends. The outside edge of the bends was a little deeper, perhaps 3ft, and the overhanging bank created a band of shadow, perhaps a foot wide. It was in this band that all the fish seemed to be holding, very gently sipping the pale yellow and brown mayflies that were trickling off throughout the morning. Dropping a pale yellow cdc emerger right on their noses pretty much guaranteed a rise and then an explosive run. I was very surprised by the size of the fish, particularly considering the depth of the water. Nothing under 12" and one went like a rocket straight round a tree stump, promptly breaking me off (3.5lb tippet). I managed three fit, healthy looking specimens and lost three more before it got too hot around 1pm and I had to head home.
Great day, many thanks WUF.

3 Trout

River was low and clear ,weather became brighter as the day progressed. Managed to rise a couple of fish to an Adams and a Klink. Caught a 12oz on a black GH PT nymph. Saw a large family of Goosanders twice.

1 Trout

Nil return.

All fish on nymph. Very little rising despite consistent hatches throughout the day. No evening rise although plenty of spinners falling. Lovely water, but low.

7 Trout, 1 Grayling

Very little fly life apparent, possibly due to an intermittent gusty wind. Llanstephan gauge showed just over a foot.
Couldn't winkle anything from the middle stretch where I thought the trout would lie so moved up to the Abernant stream. Still no trout but a few OOS grayling on a slightly weighted olive spider on the dropper and a plague of salmon parr who wouldn't leave my beadhead PTN point fly alone.
Finally got a trout from the faster water at the lower end of this pool.

1 Trout, 5 Grayling, 12 Other

East wind. sunny. A few mayfly about. Trout readily accepted the artificial. Much timber in the river so plenty of obstacles to surmount.

10 Trout

Much warmer that previous day and far less windy. Virtually no fish seen rising despite a trickle of mayflies, yellow mays and others. Managed 11 trout, from 7 inches to a plump 10 inches plus one oos grayling. Also caught quite a few salmon/trout parr. Fished two nymphs, a copper beaded PTN and a mayfly nymph, caught equally on both.

11 Trout, 1 Grayling

Another beautiful day on the Usk. However, not ideal fishing conditions. Strong cool breeze and very clear water made it difficult to get a fly anywhere near a fish. Nil return.

Lovely afternoon to be out on the river, even though it was my second choice beat - just got pipped to my preferred option.
Couldn't buy a take today - no obvious reason I could put my finger on. Steady trickle of Mayfly coming off through the afternoon but, bar the Chaffinches, nothing was really interested in them; only saw 3 fish rise.
Still it's never a bad day when you're in such beautiful surroundings. Highlight of the day was having a Red Kite for company on the walk back to the car from the top of the beat - it wheeled and soared overhead for the whole walk back. Wonderful!
6 Mergansers on lower half of the beat.

Fished the Ashford House beat from 11am to 4.15pm. First time on the Usk and I'm also not much used to river fly fishing at all. Nevertheless I took and returned 4 small trout fishing duo. The first 2 took a Hares Ear and Copper on the point and the second 2 took a Parachute Adams on the dropper. Both size 14s.

4 Trout