Feedback & Reports

4 x trout 6-15 inches. This was a surprising day. It started quite dismally with a morning of heavy rain and plenty of wind as well. Why is it that the wind is always, always downstream? And it was cold. "It's hard land up here," said the farmer, and he was right. If you try the Crai in early season it feels as cold as upper Teesdale, which is saying something. (Note to self to pick a day of nice weather next time I fish in the Crai valley). Knowing that a lot of work has gone in to trying to improve this important spawning tributary, I was interested to know what the result would be. I'm aware of at least one party which had a good day here this sring. There seemed to be a reasonable amount of invertebrate life on the river bed. By midday I was rather disappointed with my result, however, what with struggling against the wind, missing small fish and so on. Apart from lots of parr and undersized fish, I had just three 6 inch trout to show for all the work. I was just trying to compose this report in my head when the wind dropped, the sun came out briefly and...out of the blue as it were...a proper trout came up from the depths and went down with the Klinkhammer firmly in its mouth. When the fuss was over it went just over 15.5 inches and I'll send the photo in to the WUF when I unload the camera. Admittedly it had that slightly wolfish, lean-jawed look of the cannibal to it, but at least it took a dry fly!

The day started off really tough with a few fish coming from the streamy runs, as the day progressed and we moved up the river things started to look up. We finished the with 29 fish between us the best two fish being around
1 1/2lb a piece.

9 WBT to 8" all on dry (Adams, Sedge, Klink). Suspect would have been more if I had taken Passport advice and kept to the coppiced section. However, I struggled through pretty dense undergrowth for the morning and caught nothing due mostly to my clumsiness although a startled vixen did a good job of putting the fish down in one pool!

Plonkers with paddles mercifully absent today, just a few good-mannered groups and family crews. Sadly, the fish also went missing. Well no, they were there, safely tucked underneath the bank-to-bank streamer weed festooning the 70 per cent shallows that comprise this beat. It was hot, bright and clear and they would not look at baits on 8lb bs rigs (no point going lower, you simply wouldn't land any barbel hooked). Probably emerged to mop up all my free offerings under cover of darkness, by which time I was struggling manfully up Cardiac Hill to the car, with no barbel and only a smattering of chub of no great size to my credit. Conclusion: Probably a better autumn and winter venue than in this low water spell.

Well, I'm aching today! What a mission this beat is to work out how to navigate the safest and most succesful way - once you have however, this is true wild fishing and very rewarding. An absolutely stunning gorge, with pools, run-offs and step riffles to die for, add to that more brown trout than you could ever imagine existed and you've got a 1st class voucher beat. Caught 8 or so small brown trout and a few salmon par all on tiny Copper John's. The only downside was the very low flow which made things tough. All in all I felt like I was in a scene from Predator or Avatar - a great escape from the world out there and I think any small stream angler should have a go at this beat at least once.

One of the nicest stretches of river I've visited/fished. Although the river was low and clear and there was a gusty wind, caught 6 brown trout to 8" on a little black flash back nymph suspended under a klinkhammer. The day was topped off by a pint of Snowdon Pale Ale from the Llanthony Abbey cellar, drank on the lawn amongst the ruins. A spectacular day that should be compulsory to everyone at least once a year.

3 days fishing with A.T who will I am sure enter his own catch report. 14 barbel over the three days to 8.25 lbs. 6 chub to 2lbs. 3 small eels. All on pellet/paste. Very quiet during the day.....watched a fine pair of sandpipers feeding in the margins. Evenings were the most productive time. Lots of cut weed coming down for the whole three days.

Four small trout. Not much activity and rather windy. Lovely stretch of water though.

I fished this beat from 2 - 7pm. Started just below the bridge and caught a 10" wbt almost immediately, on a JT tungsten bead PTN #18 under a Klinkhamer, but this was not to continue. Lots of small fry splashing at the Klink and chasing the nymph. Ended the day with 4 more small wbt to 6" and a nice grayling about 8". The water was nice and clear, a little low in places but flowing well.

Absolutely beautiful location, especially with some scattered sunshine.

Blank day. Water very low and rather a ferocious wind.