Feedback & Reports

5 trout 7oz. 20+ grayling ½ to 2½lb.

Other commitments meant I didn't have as much time as I would have liked so only fished from 17.30 to 20.30. Managed 3 barbel from 2 - 6lb and one very hard fighting chub of 4lb 10oz. Infuriatingly I missed at least a dozen unmissable bites!

As I am the world's biggest sissy when it comes to being in the same field as anything bigger than a sheep, it was with some trepidation that I booked a day on Sugwas. Naturally, the first animal I saw on arrival at the orchard was the bull, who lived up to all previous reports. A chat with John, the keeper, "assured" me that the cattle would be no problem, so I spent the first few hours trying the obvious bankside swim and the gravel island in front of the cattle drink. Caught 2 chub and hooked 2 barbel, only to have the line cut on a rock or some other snag.
Other anglers fishing below me from the opposite bank were catching regularly - so there's a damn good swim begging to be opened up under the bank in the orchard woods.
Moved down to investigate the lower section. More cows, but no bull this time. (John told me he [the bull, not John], had made it across the river, broken down a fence, and was currently engaged in pestering the neighbouring farmer's milking herd - so I'm glad I didn't meet him!) Some lovely looking water here. Spotted a number of barbel holding in the current and occasionally flashing, so tried a swim upstream from them. 4 barbel came to the net in the next 50 minutes until they had enough and the swim died. Biggest perhaps 7lb and smallest a little gem of perhaps 1lb!
Had a few casts in a couple more swims with a decent chub as result. As the evening wore on I had a couple more supercharged chub which convinced me they were barbel, and lost what would have been the biggest barbel of the day when it pretended to be a chub and snagged me in sunken branches.
This stretch has some very nice looking swims, all of which I expect will fish well on their day.
And of course, the cattle just ignored me.

River up and so were my hopes for salmon. Not to be unfortunately. About a dozen of WBT came to my hand (one fish well over 2lbs) and two 3-4lbs chub. Good day of fishing but no cigar.
Well maintain beat and helpful owner. Thank you.

This was my second visit to this lovely beat, and I again concentrated my fishing on the lower half of the beat upstream of the first car park. There was a fairly constant hatch of small sedges throughout the day, and the occasional medium-sized olive came off around mid-day. Trout were rising in the slower water, and I managed four WBTs to 12" on small klinkhamers and paraduns. The largest fish was taken, but the others were all returned. I tried upstream nymphing for larger fish, working up through the riffles and checking pockets behind large rocks etc, but to no avail. I didn't see the otters, sadly.

Was hoping to contact the ladies of the stream but no sign of them all day. Couple of lovely looking pools on the upper beat which I'm sure will hold fish when it gets a bit colder. Very few rises and hard fishing but managed a couple of brownies including 1 of approx 1.5lb on a pink cheque nymph.
Difficult to negotiate the bank side paths in most areas so chest waders a must. Instructions to access the right hand bank of the upper beat a bit confusing as the beat details seem more intent on keeping you away from the white house and garden than actually telling you which way to go.
Nevertheless a lovely secluded stretch of water and I will be back.

The best fishing of the weekend - caught 10 grayling and 8 trout of various sizes plus quite a number of smolts, nothing of any real size though. Vast majority of the fish were taken on a copper headed pheasant tail nymph variant.

Hope to be back again at some time in the none too distant future.

Opted for trout as river very low and clear. Took one fish of 1 lb on 16 tin head pheasant tail nymph and failed to land another of 2lb + as it cleared the water surface and shed the hook.

Hooked a few small chub on an adams 16 dry later, but little or no activity at dusk as temp dropped sharply

This was the first of three qietish days which was mostly overcast and cooler thasn recently. Plenty of fish rising with a fair number probably on the small side, however managed one 4" grayling and two 10" browns and lost a further two reasonable fish as well. The beat was very low and silty in places with the water running very clear making it more a stalking event.

7 or 8 from 3" to 6". Almost all on PTN goldhead - New Zealand style. Fantastic Day!