Feedback & Reports

First time on this beat. Had one take all day and missed it by a mile. Lovely stretch of water, very strong flow, a little coloured, seen one fish rise all day even though March Browns were coming off.

A changeable day weather-wise. Occasional rain and chill wind interspersed with some lovely warm spells with the sun almost making it through the cloud.
The river had a little colour to it and seemed a bit higher than this time last year. No sign of movement in the morning so I fished various weighted patterns on a sink tip, having some aggressive knocks on a diawl bach that resulted in two wbt in the quicker sections towards the top of the beat, 6" and 9".
At about 2pm there was a very short hatch of what I'm pretty sure were March Browns. It lasted long enough for me to execute a panicked line and leader change, the sound of trout launching themselves at the struggling March Browns rising to a crescendo as I snapped my first rushed attempt at a knot and then hooked myself on the first false cast. It was all over before I got my fly on the water and I only saw one more rise for the rest of the afternoon but I carried on with dries being rewarded with a really lovely 14" wbt that came out of the depths for an olive cdc.
A very enjoyable start to the season.

3 Trout

First time fishing the Arrow, fished from Mallhollam Bridge to the upper limit, then after an early lunch drove downstream to Hergest Bridge and fished up to 4.30pm. There was plenty of fly life but no rising fish, little early in the season I'd say. River was running nice and clear with a good flow, 11wbt in total to 8" all caught fishing duo/New Zealand style. Nymphs used were copper beaded ptn's (Mary copperheads & red/ginger hackled copperheads) 2mm size 16. Pocket water against tree roots produced the most fish. Access to river is easy and the allocated parking is easily found.

11 Trout

A slight rise overnight with about 3'6" on the Colemans gauge and coloured but fish able.
Lost a good fish well over 20lb on the fly after three long runs that took all the running line and over 20yds or more of backing. Headed back to the salt water through the viaduct so had to hold on a bit too tightly for my liking and ultimately performed long range involuntary release! Had one more pull next run down the pool!

Water was up from last time, 0.8+ at Ross and showing 9 on the gauge on the left bank on arrival, quite a lot of colour; but still easy fishing. The quicker water of Pulpit pool proved to have fish coming to a fly but I just couldn't keep them on! A fat Brownie of 12" did prove the new "Talon" barbless trebles work a treat though, slacken the line and they just fall out. Maybe that's why I was loosing bigger fish? Anyway, nothing taken on flying C but a 2ft+ Pike did leap clear of the water trying it's best to grab it.
I can't wait for a drop in water to make wading easier and to access the left bank/island as a fly will glide through Church Stream just like in all those DVDs you watched in the winter.

1 Trout

River in great shape and access very good. No hatches or much sign of fish although hooked 2 but only briefly.

Fly and spin. No fish contacted. No fish seen.

No fish, a couple of cormorants spotted.

No life at all in the river. No fish. No fly life. A local passer-by even commented "who told you there were fish in here? There aren't". Hmmm.

WUF note - Although fish are not evident in great numbers, there are some large trout to be had here in some of the deeper pools. Please see earlier catch reports.

The river was carrying a bit of colour. At one o'clock there was a brief hatch (LDO's, MB's?) and the fish responded. 3 fell to the dry fly. Other than that the others came intermittently to spiders. It was very pleasant to be out on a river again after the winter.

7 Trout