Feedback & Reports

Between 2 rods, 20 x trout 6-15 inches, 2 x out of season grayling 7-12 inches, 1 small out of season chub. Quite a lot of nice trout around 12 inches. Not very much hatching (yellow mays, a few mayfly late in the day) and not much naturally rising on a beat which is new to both of us. That cold wind was blowing again with intermittent showers! Spiders got a few in the fast water, but it turned out in the end to be a nice dry fly day as trout were prepared to come up to the artificial. I got most of mine on a sort of parachute Tups, which, looking for something with a yellow body, I nicked out of one of David's well-stocked fly boxes. It's nice to catch a trout on a fly one has tied oneself, but nicer by far on a stolen fly!

Otherwise, the odd showers of rain, while not raising the levels much, do seem to have tickled up the trout fishing a bit. Some of the lower and middle Usk beats, including Usk Town and Glanusk, are fishing quite well at the moment for both stocked and wild fish, although in the lower part of the river watch out for the shad which are now present in large numbers. A protected species, they will grab any kind of trout fly, nymph, wet or dry, even if you are already playing a trout on the dropper!

A most enjoyable day was had by both of us on our first day out as Wye & Usk members.

The recommendation of this beat by the booking offices was a perfect location for us with a wide variety of fishing opportunities from both banks and wading too.
We both had many bites but missed out landing any game mainly due to our inexperience of river trout fishing.
Locations to both sides of the bridge especially down stream where wading in boots was possible were very entertaining.

I'm sure we will be back to this beat in future months, with some more experience under our belts. Thanks.

Strong wind from the wrong direction and very low water.
The first cast produced a small trout which I thought auspicious!! However it took until 4pm to find more and I only managed 4 fish none bigger than 8" all to Olives. Mayfly about but very little sign of rising fish

Troublesome wind, not much fly, not many rising fish. Two trout, 8" and 10". Also a dace. I parked by the river, about 100 heifers licked my car. Had to move.

Nil Return. I saw no more than half a dozen rises all day!

Today this beat was very easy to wade, quite a contrast from my last visit when the Wye was in full flow!

Cloudy, blustery day. Given the amount and variety of fly life hatching off - olives, grannom, sherry spinners, Mayfly (several varieties), it was surprising there were very few fish rising. So another day nymphing.

First cast yielded a 3lb out of season chub. Like pulling a welly boot out on a 4wt rod! A few minutes later a pristine 12" shad was caught and safely returned. I think this is the prettiest river fish I have seen, even surpassing a grayling for beauty. Normal service then resumed with around 15 wbt shared between 2 rods. Most in the 5"-7" class, the best around 10". Weighted olive nymph best performing fly.

Cracking day on a really top beat.

River level low. Weather dry, cool and windy. Catch 1 Brown Trout c. 12" and 1 Salmon parr both safely returned.
Both fish taken on small nymphs 1 x Pheasant tail, 1 x GRHE.

A steady hatch of fly during afternoon including some mayfly. A few fish seen surface feeding.

Dippers seen on both lower & upper stretches of the beat. Otter spraint noted near bottom of beat.

A few hours fishing in the morning. Very strong winds but it challenging fishing, although there were a few fishing rising in the shelter under some trees. Nothing caught.

Sunny, cloudy, breezy. Rising fish few and far between, then mostly in sheltered, shady spots. 6 fish for the day to 10 inches,(w.b.t.), then at 5.30, casting to rising fish on far bank, hooked a better fish on sz. 18 nymph. leapt clear like a sea trout 3 times and eventually weighed in at 2.75 lbs. Lovely condition and safely returned after one for the album.

No catches but lost at least 5 fish, one of which was 1lb plus.