Feedback & Reports

I arrived at the river at about 12pm on a warm sunny day, with the weather becoming much more overcast and windier as the day went on with several brief showers. Water running low and clear.
I decided to fish dry fly only, catching ten trout to about 9 inches on Klinkhammer, CDC & Elk and Olive Comparadun flies. There was a small trickle of olives during the day and several Mayfly began appearing around 5pm as I was getting ready to leave. Very difficult to avoid spooking the trout in the low clear tails of the pools who would then shoot upstream disturbing more fish. Most fish were caught in slack water adjacent to faster currents.
I fished the bottom half of the beat which seems to have suffered quite a bit over the winter with several fallen trees and collapsed banks. I also had a couple of narrow escapes with hidden barbed wire in the undergrowth/bankside which I don't remember being there last year.

10 Trout

Conditions were very favourable and when my partner and I started on the water we were optimistic for a good day.
Being hardened dry fly fanatics when on the river we were determined to catch off the top. Started in the weir pool at the bottom of the beat but nothing rising. Tried nymphs but no success at all so moved up river after an hour or so.
A Mayfly hatch was underway and a few fish rising but with no consistency. We both pricked as well as hooked fish but nothing banked so I have to admit to blanking twice on the trot on this beat BUT the fish are here! Had good takes on CJ's Duck Dun as well as a Plastazote Mayfly but anything higher than a 4lb leader seems to give the game away. Stealth and a quiet approach is needed but for those anglers with the skill I suspect this stretch will reward. A few good fish did show amongst the splashy juveniles and the wooded section towards the bottom of the stretch housed a few good fish if you're skilled and brave enough to try making the cast. A short rod in the woods is a must, 7' being ideal.
We will return.

With nearly a foot on the Brecon gauge, the intended ford to the upper pools (prefered understandably by the owner to parking at the A40 rest area on the south/west bank and 'advertising' the fishing) looked uncertain but, for reference, there are at least two fairly comfortable crossings for experienced waders at Fir Tree pool, maybe 200+ yards into the woodland from the stile at the top of the field nearest middle parking place. If not too stained, the depth of water is fairly clear from the path.
However, as in the past, these beautiful pools towards the top with their bedrock platforms nosing towards the main flow tantalised but largely kept their secrets. The one decent fish marked down ignored my dry and after both upstream dry and nymph both largely failed I switched almost in desperation to across and down, leading a team through a far-side secondary stream. I connected with a very strong fish but, concerned to get line off the water and onto the reel, I allowed the trout to get among the bedrock and boulders in front of me, and you've guessed the rest. Poor tactics but a tricky situation. Should have tried to keep it moving?
Switching to the main bank I briefly tried Vicarage Pool which was quiet bar the odd parr on top, and from this part of the day (lunchtime) on there was a fair amount of thunder and some heavy showers, one featuring hail! Going through the gentler part of Poplar Stream (the head looked too fast at this height) was uneventful but in Highwell there were finally some risers. Here I finally connected with another incredibly strong fish not far above the tail break only this time to get caught up in weed after this fish too came towards me, with the same outcome. Two good fish lost despite stout 5lb fluoro and both with a hook to deal with. Not good.
After more thunder and briefly high winds, things settled down in the evening and of the catch between 7 and 9:15, five of these Usk leopards averaged a good pound. All on small PTN and shrimp. Covering the water without getting on top of fish often requires switch casting or (upstream) casting over the left shoulder. Not for beginners and the wading is a bitch (leg recovery time: unknown) but Fenni Fach is a wonderful place. Lots of dippers, wagtails, song thrushes today.

11 Trout

Beautiful conditions, unfortunately I only had until lunchtime. Loads of fly life coming off. No fish caught and only a few rising in the Bridge neck. I couldn't tempt them to take a fly. I was informed by another angler that early evening was the time to be there.

I arrived at the beat early morning. The weather seemed perfect, the river was in good condition and having not fished this beat before everything was looking good for a great days fishing. I couldn't see any fish showing so I started with a nymph for a while without any joy but towards late morning, as temperatures began to rise, hatches started to appear so I changed my tactics to presenting just below the surface with a variety of emergers without success. At midday I took a break and at about 1pm I saw the first Mayfly. The Mayfly hatch went on for at least two hours or more and at one stage the river surface was awash with them (no pun intended). I fished on though this hatch and beyond to no avail and finally gave up at about 6.30pm having not seen a fish all day but it hasn't put me off from trying again on this idyllic stretch of the River Arrow.

1 shad. The largest I have ever seen, possibly in excess of 3lbs, safely returned. (Caught on fly.)
Tried fly and spinning.

1 Other

No fish caught, touched or even seen. Sat on the bank for about an hour waiting for the thunder storm to pass. A good little beat none the less.

One salmon seen jumping but none caught. The lower section was a disappointment for fly fishing - the upper section much better. The access instructions would be improved by adding the word 'wooden' to the description of the two small gates in the hedge rows.

Fished wet and dry flies. River level pretty normal I
imagine but I've never fished this or similar rivers before.
The river was beautiful in glorious surroundings in
warm spring weather. I didn't see any fish or catch any fish which was disappointing but a highly enjoyable day nevertheless. I'm expecting to try Penpont tomorrow.

2 Trout