Feedback & Reports

My first visit to a wild stream beat. Fair bit of sun, little bit of hail. Didn't have time to get through whole stretch so I will have to revisit sometime. No catches today but certainly saw fish in the water and splashing about. Need some more practice it seems...

Living the dream again , last day of a mooch around the wild streams for a bit anyway , well about a week or so !!!!!!!! So gave the Lugg at Litton a crack today , checked Byton gauge before hand , not looking toooooooo bad at 0.57 m could have done with a bit less , but we'd never go fishing if rivers these days were as up and down as they are !!!!!!

Tackled up usual outfit , had a chat with the lady from Lower Litton Farm house , and took a bimble down the valley to the start of the beat . . . . Water looking great , running a bit heigh but clear as gin , so opted for tungsten olive nymph and GRHE nymph , give them a go . . . .

Was quite some time before I had a good take , usual savage hit by the Lugg brownies , lovely colours , as always , about eight inches , slipped back in , spot on , first Lugg brownie of the season , happy days !!!

Second fish was half hour later , another deep pool , snatched at the fly , could see him turn on it in the deep clear water , again feisty fish , about ten inches , admired and slipped back in , no more takers over the four hours , saw a cheeky stoat rummaging along a hedge row , pickings looked a bit slim ,and a fat rabbit would have sorted him out for a few days !!!

Anyway , not much insect wise going on down in the Lugg valley , a few grannom seen and saw a dozen LDO's perhaps the main party will be this afternoon , had an enjoyable four hours , from nine till one , perhaps later would have been more beneficial , still a couple of fit Lugg brownies to the net was spot on , be back when these teddy bears start taking off the top !!!!!!

2 Trout

Lovely day but not a of of action. Sporadic, low intensity hatches but no rising fish. Finally got a take on a speculative iron blue dun - then lost the fish.

Decided after working my last night shift to have another crack at the lovely Lugg beat at Litton , so having meandered around roadworks on the outskirts of Leominster and Pembridge eventually got to Lower Litton farmhouse at one !!!! Lovely weather , sunny, a slight breeze ,and when I got down to the stream , plenty of insect activity , with sedges and upswings in abundance . . . .

Tied on an eighteen Parachute Adams and to be honest no real interest in the first two decent pools and not a touch in the riffley water either . . . . Change fly to tan klinkhammer , and had a savage take of a beautifully marked brownie , about ten inches and tubby too !!!

Next trout Also took the klinkhammer with ferocity , and superbly marked as well , again perhaps ten or eleven inches , things were looking good . However sport slowed down and it seemed that the fish were instantly of the boil and refused several dry patterns , and no interest in nymphs either . . . . .

Had a chill out were the huge old willow straddles the stream , sat there had a smoke and pondered my next move ! On with a larger Adams , seemed to do the trick , nice splashy rise in the broken water , dooooooh !!!, missed him , then the next two in a row , eventually contacting with the fourth fish , scrappy little fighter , of about eight inches . . . .

A fun few hours , and a nice way to spend the afternoon on your Birthday , didn't quite make it to the top end of the beat , as had to get back to the Ponderosa , as "Mrs A "had organised a nice meal at The Riverside Inn , what could be better to finish of a lovely day , three beautifully marked Lugg brownies , followed by some posh nosh at The Riverside with my other half , spot on . . . . . .

3 Trout

Gave the little Lugg a shot this morning , tentativly viewing the water as I was walking down , looked still a bit coloured , and running about half a foot higher , had been keeping an eye on the Lugg cam , and boy did it rise quickly with that deluge we had , still it was a case of I'm here now so let's give it a bash . . . .

Fished from nine till twelve , and although a bit coloured , rigged up my small streams outfit with hot orange tungsten nymph on point , and my flashback gold head PTN as my dropper , first fish surprised me in one of the deep pools , hammered the PTN and gave a good run around on the six foot rod too . . . . About ten inches and the usual cracking colours . . . . . Quickly released . .

Second fish again took the PTN , and again a good scrapper , perhaps twelve inches , gorgeous spots , slipped back in . . . .

There is a couple more trees down enroute , and one huge alder has ruined a lovely pool , which is a shame , still managed to clamber around it . . . Of sorts !!!!!!

Only fished about three quarters of the beat , rain showed after an hour , not quite what the forecast was , expecting it later in the afternoon . . . Still that's life hey !!!!

Third fish hit the hot orange tungsten nymph , and with gusto another scrapper , this one maybe eight inches , still lovely colouration and wished him well for the winter months . . . . .

Last fish before calling things a day , again hit the PTN , about ten inches , Quickly admired then slipped back in . It seems that although risen , looking at the bank side debris , it was considerably higher , and the water has really eroded into some of the pools , and they are deep deep !!!!!!

Was a fun , if not drizzly three hours , four lovely Lugg brownies to hand , and real escapism as always , tackle packed away , shopping time at Morrisons , oh joy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 Trout

Bowled up at the lovely Little Ligg at Litton at about half two , 17 degrees overcast and a fair old breeze too . . . Headed down to the start of the beat , and did notice straight away whilst wading very carefully upstream that the smaller fish were very very skittish . . . . In the low clear water . . . . . .

Opted for a small size sixteen GRHE and had a feisty little fish , about ten inches a couple of pools up , nothing really rising at that stage . I did see a few upwings flying just above the water in more settled water . . . Second fish , again on the GRHE , a great little fighter , perhaps eight or nine inches , quickly slipped back in .

Half way up some steady rises were showing , so opted for a tan klinkhammer , which seemed to be of interest to the residents , and had another brownie on the dry , a beautifully marked fish , ditto in size , none of the tubby twelve inch fish showing today , had a feeling something had been up the river , perhaps an otter or mink ????

Last fish was again to the Klinkhammer , in a nice rippley section of water , really smashed the dry as if it was its last meal . . . Again perhaps nine or ten inches , vibrant red spots . . . Superb !!!!!!

A fun three hours , four lovely marked Lugg brownies caught and released , good fun , this beat is in real need of a serious haircut , the trees across the pools add character but the overall alders etc etc have gone a bit mad !!!!! I'm in for helping out come the end of the season . .

Got to the bridge beat end at fivish , then hit the road and tabbed back up to Lower Litton farm , good fun , and a nice wind down after a busy weeks work . . . Back soon !!!!

4 Trout

Parked up at Lower Litton Farm at ten , had a chat with the very pleasant lady of the house , then bimbled down to the start of the beat , taking my usual six foot two weight rod , rigged up with a tiny flashback gold head PTN , weather was heavy drizzle and reading 15 degrees when I got out of the truck . . . . .

Nicking the nymph under alders in deceptively deep pools was really fun , and all morning had ferocious hits by fat brownies , that are obviously doing very well up here in the gin clear waters of the infant Lugg !!!!!

The first fish was an absolute cracker , at about ten inches , beautiful Lugg markings , and bright red spots , superb !!!! The potential to this small wild stream is huge , and there are some cracking brownies , lurking in those depths of the deeper pools . . . .

Sport was pretty frantic and fun throughout the five hours it took me to get to the bridge . . . Nine cracking brownies to hand , and five or six slipping the barbless hook , as the Lugg brownies go baserk when hooked !!!!

The fish ranged from seven to twelve inches , all in superb condition , and about two a hatch brought them on the go , and various upwings where evident , once the rain petered out , which was great to see , had a bit of a chill out about half way , just enjoying the little river . . . .

I continued with the tiny flashback nymph , as takes were so confident to it , a superb five hours , with nine gorgeous brownies to hand , and the regular up and down flight of the kingfisher , just a blur of bright colours as it went about its business . . . .

Reached the bridge just before three , there are quite a few trees down along the route , sometimes a bit of an assault course , but keeps you fit , and great cover for brownies too !!!!! After all wild is what they are !!!!! Great fun , back sooooooooon !!!!!!

9 Trout

2 Trout

A hot afternoon fishing from 13:00 to 16:30.Quite cool and shady by the river which was welcome. Plenty of May fly hatching and a few fish rising when I arrived. Fished a Cdc and Elk May fly emerger on a 10ft Tenkara rod,which was a little too long.
9 Trout all around 6 inches apart from 1 near 12 from a deep pool. The Byton gauge was reading 0.45m.

9 Trout

Warm sunny day with the occasional cloud, turning hazy as the day wore on. Very little wind and the river running at a nice level and clear.
On arrival walked down the beat, and managed to rip my waders on a wayward bit of barbed wire, not a good start!
I spooked a couple of fish on the way down too, and figured that I'd never get in range of these fish with a dry so I started on the nymph.
However when I got to the first pool I noticed a rise, so on went the the rusty clinkhammer, and after an awkward cast the first fish was brought to hand.
In the end 8 brownies from about 4-10ins came to hand and at least that many missed or lost.
I only managed to fish the lower half of the beat as I didn't have much time, but had a great afternoon!

8 Trout