Feedback & Reports

I spent from 12noon - 2.30pm on The Dulas hoping to find swarms of Danica but was unlucky. Perhaps they've all emerged as only occasional imagos were evident. The stream was very low and seemed almost lifeless - perhaps with such low flow there is a lack of oxygen.
The three rising fish seen all fell to Mike Weaver's hackled Mayfly pattern and the fourth was lifted from the depths of a deep pool with a weighted Endrick Spider.
The recent high winds have created more work for the clearing gang next winter with some quite large trees across the stream - but I can report that they don't restrict the fishing too much for the present time.

4 Trout

Fished Chanstone court 10am-2pm hoping for a mayfly hatch which never really materialised. The odd mayfly that were on the water the trout were quite willing to rise for. Stuck to the dry fly all day and managed 5 trout 8-10inches from the faster, shallower sections of the river. Nice beat and hopefully next year I'll catch the mayfly hatch. Fished the Dulas brook 2:30-4pm. Few more mayfly hatching here, though many of the pools lacked flow. Caught 3 trout, 6-8inches, on the dry fly again. Enjoyable days fishing.

8 Trout

All fish 4/10inches, most on my favourite March brown spiders size 16, one rising fish to a size 10 mayfly the only riser of the day, but a beauty. Hooked and lost many more! Sporadic hatch mayfly and others. Stream is very tricky, full of debris and very low.

15 Trout

9 x trout 8-11 inches, Monnow Gosling. A rather bright, hot day, slightly quiet with only the occasional rise to naturals. However, mayfly were around and fish were certainly very ready to come up to a big pattern. I missed far too many and lost one when the hook gape opened. Eywas Harold had some sort of carnival going on; finished off with a pint in the Dog - the perfect angler's pub, which never seems to close.

9 Trout

A few hours on the dulas today. Lovely stream with a good head of trout. All fish came to beadhead nymph and black f-fly fished duo. All trout around the eight inch mark with one or two a tad bigger. None of the larger fish could be tempted due to very bright conditions.

15 Trout

Grabbed 2 hours fishing this lunch time for WBT. River desperately low and in places there were more leaves than river! I did not manage to catch a fish but did have two fish splash at the fly.

Started fishing at 6.30pm - last fished this beat after WUF Volunteer clearance work a few years ago - now much overgrown again. Water low, bright day with a few clouds. Worked my way up beat through various pools and drifts with only a few signs of fish present - very dark under canopy. Arrived at top of beat relieved to find small pool below bridge where a few evening Olives were hatching with a number of fish rising to these. Had a number of takes on an Olive Para and switch to small Lunns - particularly as light faded - brought a couple of very nice 9" brownies to hand and safely released before light faded. The Farmer came by for a brief chat - nice chap.
Can recommend the fish and chips from the Stables Fish Shop in the village - nicely washed down with a pint of Otter from the Dog. A very nice evening, but conditions not ideal for the main beat.

2 Trout

Very difficult to find the parking as indicated and the location itself. Did need several local inquiries to find the exact location. GPS coordinates could do the job and a better map also. Was around 1pm on location and "hunted" for the trout. Did use a 3wt 7ft rod and caught beautiful brown trout in deep pools. Used a klinkhamer to do so (after trying several other flies).

3 Trout

Managed to rise a single fish. The fish were very spooky even though they were feeding quite well.

8 x trout 6-12 inches, Rusty Klinkhammer and Monnow Gosling. Another morning of showers found me wandering around the Monnow catchment, looking for a stream which wasn't muddy. I don't have much spare time in June; this will be the last chance at the mayfly, I thought. The Dore was pretty thick, as might be expected, but the little Dulas, surprisingly, looked reasonable. It's a while since I fished it and I had forgotten what a cracking little stream it can be on the right day. The flow is slight, but there are pools here which you cannot wade through. Not very much was rising (and only a couple of natural may flies seen) but prospecting with dry flies brought some explosive rises. Quite a number of 10 inch fish, which seems a good size for a small stream, and a very nice one of 12 inches. Finished with a pint at the Dog below the bottom of the beat. Believe it or not, Roger Smith's book Fly-Fishing the Welsh Borderlands lists a reversed hackle mayfly pattern specifically named for the little Dulas. One to try out next year.

8 Trout