Feedback & Reports

Lovely day, no fish showing until later in the afternoon when connected with (but lost) 3 fish. Word of advice for the less agile angler... the access to the top pools is not great.

Two fish lost on fly in the Cafn on Sunday afternoon, one seen to be very fresh. Colour only now going out of the water.

Nothing caught. River in spate.

Looked at the River at 8.30am and it was clear. 1 hour later after breakfast in Brecon it was cloudy and I didn't look close enough until after posting vouchers either! Checked Crai too but that also the wrong shade of cloudy-brown. Shouldn't be surprised given the volume of rain and not much fishing in prospect for next few days given the forecast.

16.00-17.15 Looking out window and although lashing rain down river was clear but rising. 3rd cast a fresh looking salmon of around 8lb took a small pink/silver flying c close under bank of pool to left of steel steps. Later in willow pool hooked into fish that hit spinner very hard and shot upstream fast, turned out to be a large shad, not much smaller than the salmon so presumed to be an allis shad. Rain ceased for half hour and hatch of upwing type fly and entertained by a male hobby coursing the river catching them. Moved to Wyebank

17.15-18.30.Moved from Courtfield. Still heavy rain and river colouring with local sandstone. 1 brown river trout on the small pink silver flying c of around 2lb in shallows behind first croy. Later in shallows between lower 2 croys another fresh silver salmon similar size to the Courtfield one. Hooked it within 2 mtr of rod tip so had to let line out fast! Both fish released in water. By 18.15 river very coloured and rising fast around the (2nd) swans nest on the island.
Not a bad 3hrs, much better than watching rain run down windows, river to myself and no canoes.
You need patience to fish the Wye and hang in when the going gets tough but the good days produce exceptional memories to last a lifetime as those of us who have the pleasure of fishing it regularly have come to know and treasure.

washed off river very high by lunch

washed off much to high and the colour of tea

Arrangements were made so despite the weather forecasts PB and SG had to fish! Standing on the bridge at 10.00 the river was clear and it was apparent there was a significant hatch - Large dark olives and yellow may duns conspicuous as always. Fishy action was not immediately apparent but by 11.30 blue winged olives were hatching which instigated intense local rises in quieter areas of the streamy water. Targeting one of these at long distance produced 8 takes in an hour - 4 missed, 2 came off, including 1 significant fish - a penalty of having to fish a dry fly downstream in this location, and 2 came to hand - fish of 12 and 15 inches, the usual Usk tigers! By 1 the river was colouring making the tricky wading even more risky and by 2 that was it - too much colour to fish so PB and SG wended their way home. Usk fish always seem more selective than Wye fish and were definitely homing in on the BWOs - a size 16 parachute did the business when all else failed. Excellent fishing while it lasted despite the persistent rain.

Due to the appalling weather I decided to stick it out at the Legg Meadow crib, but no fish caught.
Some points:
Access to the waters edge on such steep banks requires better maintenance e.g, proper graduated steps down for safe and secure footing, clearance of vegetation so you can see where you are walking etc. (e.g. some wood and crushed hardcore for a solid footing would not be exoensive?)
I got to the waters edge at Legg Crib very fast when I slipped and slid some 5ft on my backside down what appeared to be the only access to the pool, a well worn steep mud slide! (Getting back up was fun too!!)
If you're running this as a business and want people to return or recommend a fishery then some effort on the part of the fishery to make some basic safety improvements is a definite requirement here. Also wooden posts indicating where the pools are would be another simple inexpensive idea?
On the whole most canoeists were obliging and paddled to the other bank when passing, however there were a small few who passed right in front of me!