Feedback & Reports

Assume water levels are too low - did not see a fish or any sign of activity. Might be my inexperience!

Fresh 4lb Grilse off Redbrook on fly. Good numbers of very fresh 2SW and Grilse raced through in front of the evening high tide. At the rate they were going they could be in the middle river by tomorrow despite the weed weirs at Monmouth and elsewhere.

1 Salmon

For the first time for some years, I decided to fish TN, as the level was back down to 12" after the recent short rise, and a fine settled day was forecast. So much for weather forecasts! Fish rising at an early arrival, shirt sleeves until 10.15, then the sky darkened, the mist descended, the temperature dropped to 16 degrees for a while, the jacket was put on, rain beckoned but never arrived and a cold upstream wind blew off and on until until about 4.30 pm. Not what was planned! Some Yellow Mays and small olives / PWs in the morning but with few fish rising, and then midge and sedges off and on from mid-afternoon, also with few fish rising. Variously tried nymphs, duo and a single emerger throughout the day. In spite of the conditions, I still managed to find a dozen trout but none bigger than 10" and fifteen grayling, most of which were 9-10" but four of 12", and a lot of salmon parr. Some fish taken on PTN variants but most on size 14-20 HE emergers, and mostly non-rising fish - they were looking up! From 5.30 p.m. the river was like a mill pond but nothing moved. Decided to head off at 7p.m. to discover that the Aussies had scored over 300 runs for the loss of just one wicket...not good! All in all a very strange day!

12 Trout, 15 Grayling

Since we had a bit of rain at the weekend I was hoping this would encourage some fish to move. Got to the beat in anticipation but found it was very quiet on the Salmon front. The river had risen slightly but in the bright sun it became quite apparent the water had zeroed out again. I did see a salmon jump in some slack water so probably a resident. Still a great stretch to fish with lower rocks potentially being the most productive pool. But while it was very quite for the salmon angler, the trout fisherman would have had a bonanza with brownies bouncing all over the place, well into the late evening.
Will definitely come back later in the season, following a spate.

River slightly up but falling slowly. Some colour in the water rather than gin clear. Plenty of swims available and no anglers on the opposite bank. I tried three swims in my afternoon/evening session and had chub from each. Also what looked like a tiny dace! No bites on meat but takes on corn and on pellet. Three chub were of the order of 3-4 pounds and the others around the 1 pound mark. Lost four other large fish as they burrowed deep and snapped me. Salmon leaping regularly in front of me in the faster water. Parking area a bit special and was grateful I had a 4 x 4.

6 Chub, 1 Other

A fish at last! Arrived and fish were showing, mainly coloured ones of all sizes. Water was slightly up with a little colour. Floating weed coming down was irritating but perseverance paid off on the 5th run through Cadora alternating with the Alders pool when I landed a sealiced 12lber on a small shrimp. Fished on till dark with fish still showing but not another touch.
Many thanks to WUF, the beat owner and all for making it happen and Geoff Franks for local advice on the water clarity the previous evening which convinced me to travel from Dorset.

1 Salmon

Great river conditions but weed is building up now, caught the same chub twice, it had fresh bite marks on its tail. I suspect it was done by an otter that I saw 3 times. An enjoyable day thanks.

2 Barbel, 3 Chub

Level slightly high and still with some colour. Fly only and no contacts. Did see a few fish, one very coloured.

Dry fly, Red Spinner, 3/4 lb brown. Low water conditions. Large herd of bullocks keenly interested in angling methods.

1 Trout

Slight rise in river during the day and weed in the flow made fishing difficult in the morning but the amount of weed reduced in the afternoon. Best barbel was 8.05 and the biggest chub was 4.10 all caught on pellet.

19 Barbel, 18 Chub