Feedback & Reports

A cold foggy start with river still in semi- hibernation. A small hatch of large dark olives at 2pm. Only saw three rises all day. (10-4)
Caught a 4-5lb kelt (physique of a barracuda, would have weighed twice as much before ravages of reproduction) on a size 14 olive nymph. Good fun on a light rod. Safely returned, as was an entertaining 8oz brownie.

1 x brown trout 17 inches. I suppose it was a bit early to try a stream the size of the Llwyd, but Llantarnam Abbey is a new section and I was intrigued. On a cold day of grey mist, even the large dark olives of spring let me down and I saw no surface activity. However, trundling a size 14 Goldbead Hare's Ear into a deep hole produced a very pleasant surprise. One other heavy trout hooked in a deep run came off after a few seconds. It would be interesting to try this one when the water warms up a bit and trout are "out and about" on the feeding lies. Up in Cwmbran you do hear rumours of sewin accessing this stream, and it does seem believable; the tidal Usk is only a couple of miles downstream and there are deep enough holes for them to lie in. I don't suppose they survive long once word gets about!

Dark olives and a few march brown trickled off from 11am. Downstream wind and chill made it tough. Enough fish rising to keep a dry on the end, and managed 3 fish, 2 under a pound and one very well conditioned 14"er, all on a dry March Brown.

Landed a lovely 18lb (35 -36") fresh salmon from boat pool having lost a very large, probably high end 20s or possibly a thirty from the wood section. Also a good kelt around 12lbs.All on red and silver flying c.

Nil. No hatch, far too cold 3C!

A very nice place to spend a day and made a great change to the Wye. the river was pretty low and clear but I had 3 smallish Chub (biggest was just over 2lb) and lost two others to snags. Also had a follow from a small pike on a lure but no other interest. Unfortunatly the Barbel didn't come out to play. Would have been a very enjoyable day if I hadn't forgotten my Hiking boots - ended up spending the day in very soggy shoes instead. Will definitely try to make another trip next season (this time with more suitable footwear).

Just to report - I had a 15lb fish to a black and yellow tube yesterday from Wyebank. A coarse angler lost a salmon to halibut pellet yesterday, retrieving scales on his hook, looking at which I think was a kelt as scales are eroded. JC had his first Atlantic salmon this morning est 10lbs from Courtfield, witnessed by RD, barbel fisher and briefly had another one on.

These are I believe the first salmon caught in March here in over a decade.

Some large springers in the mid twenties class and an exceptionally large fish was seen from Legg Meadow some weeks ago by a pike fisherman who reckoned it was as least as big as a 30 pound pike!

3hrs - nothing. Few large Dark Olives about. Saw one fish rise but spooked it.

Mild, cloudy day but river as lovely as ever, fished 11am until 4pm on the gravel catch, bridge pool and the flats. Lost a large WBT in bridge pool, 7 Grayling landed, lovely condition and large in size, best 2lb (my biggest yet!). Many thanks to beat owner and WUF, great day.

A great morning's salmon fishing on Courtfield and JC's first Atlantic salmon. From Detroit and normally at home amongst the steelhead JC's morning started with one jack pike after another until a take from a salmon was followed by a lovely conditioned fresh fish of about 10lbs from between Legg meadow and Wood crib falling to a black and silver flying c on barbless hooks. This was followed by another fish of similar size which shook off and a fish twice the size, probably in the twenties which also got off. These were in the boat pool. I have no doubt had JC been fishing with barbed hooks he would have had two if not three salmon. Fly fishing down Wyebank in the afternoon produced no takers.