Feedback & Reports

Our visit coincided with a strong siberian northerly wind which added wind chill to an already low temperature - boy it was chilly! River still carrying some extra water although colour good - still quite pacy. Thank God for neoprenes! Nymphs were the order of the day and the slightly quieter water on the inside of the bends was targeted. After a slow start started to catch a few and whilst it was enjoyable it was hard work too with the wind being quite troublesome. By 3pm the cold got the better of us but we had 17 grayling and three trout between us. Best grayling a good 2lbs. Best fly pattern - Oliver Edwards' peeping caddis - weighted.
Nice beat - would like to come again when water down and weather warmer! Odd BWO stuggling out but nothing rising.

Bright but very cold. Water clear and at a good winter level. Fished the top of the stretch after walking through the plantation. Six grayling to 2lbs: 4 trotting with maggot, 2 to fly - gold head "bugs". Stopped at 2:15 because of the cold. Men our age should know better, but it was good while we lasted.

I have some grave concerns about this beat, it looks stunning, and today it was very clear. I walked the entire length of the beat, looking into the runs and pools, and didnt see a single fish. There was a good hatch of Olives and nothing was taking them. I fished my whole range of flies - down to tiny dries and nymphs and very light leader - and only one small pluck. On some of the neighbouring rivers - the Lugg, Clun etc there are lots of juvenille fish in the river, and fish are always seen - but not on this beat? Are there fish still there? Have they followed the salmon upstream - or have they been taken by one of the many goosanders or cormorants I saw. Lovely beat, but the fishing was awful.

Water turned out to be too high for what I wanted to do - wade and trot a float - and the feeder from the bank would have been easier. I ended up with just 1 x 2 pound chub and a few small dace etc by link legering in a slack.

We arrived to find a good looking river on a morning considerably milder than forecast. However, strictly in coarse fishing terms, the day proved to be a disappointing and it must be said, expensive - BLANK! Despite fishing 8 different swims during an 8 hour session we didn't hook a single chub or dace between us on trotted maggots and, if there are any pike in the stretch, they completely ignored our normally very effective large soft plastic 'replicant' type lures. Nevertheless we did still very much enjoy the day thanks to a steady stream of obliging and feisty, if mainly small, grayling and (out-of-season) brownies that were all carefully returned.

A good day on the grayling: had at least 22 fish between us, with the best at 41cm. Also had one brownie. Fantastic to watch several salmon on their redds doing their stuff. Fish came to a mixture of nymph tactics and several on the dry during a midday hatch.

Enjoyed my day on this beat so much last Tuesday decided to try again on Sunday. After reading up about Czech nymphing I was ready to go! The river was well up since Tuesday, evidenced by the increased flow over the weir. I was also dismayed to see a lot of colour in the water...but it is late November, what else should I have expected? First fish was an out of season brownie of a good size. Next fish a good grayling (my first of any size...hooray!) Both fish on a PTN over a Czech nymph. Then things went quiet. Fished to the only two rises of the day, Klinkhammer, for two more small grayling. Several very close encounters with an Otter fishing below the weir...wonderful to observe. A great day, more practice needed and a little less water in the river...Thank You WUF

First time on this stretch and the river a good 2 foot up but still qite clear. Stunning stretch of water and plenty of meandering turns and potential holding places. However vey cold and only managed 2 small grayling. Great beat and will return on a more pleasant day.

Had a fabulous day despite the rain. Saw an otter cub (rare as hen's teeth here in the East Midlands!) to add to the mother and cub seen at Arrow mill the day previous. I then went on to catch 3 grayling (42 cm, 35 cm and about 25cm) and 2 out of season brown trout ( small), unfortunately the other rod blanked. Can heartily recommend the accommodation at The Bateman Arms at Shobdon (contact number in the Passport)

Had a lovely day on the river Arrow, I caught one grayling approx 1lb plus which was returned safely.