Feedback & Reports

Overcast, damp day. Perhaps too early in the season?

It was pleasing to catch two barbel and a chub each on a dull, wet and cool day. The fish weren't big but very welcome. Water levels were well down enabling fairly light rods and feeders to be used.

4 Barbel, 2 Chub

Blank. A lovely bit of fast fly water this, but a fair amount of water was still charging through with a lot of power to it. A nice brownie of nearly 2 pounds grabbed the tube at the bottom end, but no salmon. Otherwise, a frosty start changed to warm bright sunshine and a very pleasant day in what must be one of the most beautiful valley settings of the whole WUF portfolio. The view upstream and down is superb. Owner Donny Macer-Wright came along and very helpfully pointed out the hot-spots.
One thing which did strike me was that, at this time of year, the morning sun shines straight down all the pools. It might be an idea to time your visit for the afternoon/evening or during cloudy weather? Another angler was giving it a try when I left; I hope he was lucky.

1 Trout

Superb tranquil setting. River at just under 2ft on Ross gauge and 6 degrees centigrade. With time constraints decided to concentrate on what looked the best water around Biblins Bridge. Good fly water on the inside of the bend for 400+ yards and an easy wade. Other places Slaughter Crib, Botchers Rock and the left hand bank below the bridge all suited spinning rather than fly, I thought.
Anyway no salmon either seen or caught all day. Bet this beat will be a nightmare for canoes in the summer unless the angler gets up with the sun or earlier.
I would suggest that there may be some conflict with coarse anglers in the summer as it is obvious from boot and box marks on the ground that salmon croys attract barbel and pike anglers.
There are a lot of driftwood trees wrapped up in bankside vegetation making it difficult to move along the bank even on the stone walkways.

Nil catch at Seven Sisters today. I felt that this beat could only be fly fished properly from below Biblins Bridge from the right bank. A 400 yard stretch of good fly water. There were other pockets of decent fly water but the access to these were not so easy.
Only one canoeist, but I don't think I would like to chance this beat after Easter, it was busy with walkers and mountain bikers today, come the warmer weather I can imagine this beat being quite congested.
However a nice stretch of water, which you can't complain about too much if it's free.

Beautiful day, river very low and clear. Fished most deep glides czech nymph style with no success and then tried nymphs on long leader also without success. Saw only one fish all day, a chub I startled. Best part of the day was sitting on the bank eating my sandwiches and looking up to see a red kite gliding above. Second visit to this beat, only seen one fish caught, is it conditions, me or no fish?

No fish on fly for Salmon. A beautiful stretch of water. The top section is really only suitable for spinning. The flow picks up speed at the ferry pool and is good for fly all the way to the bottom of the beat. I swapped notes and had a good chat with with O B. Some canoeists arrived early afternoon. Their leader was very polite and held them back until I had finished fishing one stretch. I met Don Macer-Wright the owner who was very helpful and invited me to fish the next beat down river. As always, a great service provided by the Wye & Usk Foundation.

Frost night before put pay to any barbel, but chub and pike in the upper reaches.

2 Chub, 2 Pike

11 Kelts caught whilst spinning. All resonably well mended. Many more seen leaping about. Didn't see any fresh fish.

4 Trout, 11 Other

Water running at a nice height. Very cold morning but temperature picked up in afternoon with the sun. Spun the stretch from iron steps down in the morning. The only action was a decent sized (10lb approx) very well mended kelt. Tried the fly on Wyebank in the afternoon but nothing to report.