Feedback & Reports

Challenging beat if you try to do the whole length thing, lots of fallen trees to pass about 1/3 way in and there's no escaping! Water was low and some colour following rain earlier. Several rises but only netted one.

1 Trout

Not well but tried to fish but saw none.

Tough day today, only raised about 6 and briefly connected with one - I think they were just small trout playing around. Could see every stone in every pool, even the deepest - useful for future trips but useless for fishing today - even watched the weighted nymph I put on for a short time trundle along the bottom.... River is slippy bedrock and the whole range of rock and stone sizes - needed the wading staff, with more water and a bit of colour the staff would be essential. Did not leave until deep into the evening but nothing was moving.

I didn't actually fish it. Having had a blank on the upper Tarrel Libanus section the previous day I fished the town water of Brecon instead.

This report is for 3 lunch time visits this week of approximately 1.5 hours total effort. The Tarrell has really come alive, all sorts of fly life about including caddis, brook dun and olive uprights. Landed 6 fish and lost several, but all to nymphs fished duo style as rises in short supply. 2 around a pound, but most being 10 to 11 inch fish typical of the river.

6 Trout

After all the rain I wasn't too hopeful but came out anyway for my first visit to this beat. The water was quite clear and flowing strongly with plenty of cover on both banks which kept to cool breeze away (although there is scope to remove some of the lower branches that reach down almost to the water and impede casting). There is a great variety of water here, mostly knee-depth with thigh-to-waist-deep runs and the odd deeper pool. I fished dries and then switched to nymphs trying to get down to the steam bed but no luck. Nothing was rising, despite a small hatch of March Brown's in the early afternoon, and I didn't spot anything fleeing from my clumsy approach to the various pools. I suspect it's still a little cold at the moment (water was 9C) and any fish that were present would have been hiding deep down.
I look forward to returning when it's warmer.

Worth noting on access that the farmer is happy for anglers to walk across the fields to get to the start of the beat but at the last field you have to cross a barbed wire fence. There is a section that has been pushed down by a fallen branch which is easily negotiable for taller people, but if the fence is repaired then it would really benefit from a stile.

Spent a short lunch break on the Tarrell. River rising rapidly with torrential rain. This seemed to get the fish into a feeding mood - 2 x 9 inchers in quick succession, a bigger fish bumped then a magnificent specimen of 18 inches, in prime condition. All fell to a 2.5mm jig nymph fished duo style.

N.B If you are unfamiliar with this river, do not attempt fish it in heavy rain - it can become extremely dangerous within minutes.

3 Trout

I parked where the map said to and then tried to walk to the start of the beat. The choice of routes were walking down the scary A470, or over the fields with frisky herds and multiple barbed-wire fences - both with significant downside! So, I got back to the car and drove to the Brecon Industrial Estate/Business Park to park the car at the start of the beat.
In terms of the fishing I saw plenty of fish but disappointingly blanked. I was on a dry but really this beat needs you to tumble nypmphs through the boulders and bedrock to find those trout hiding there. I saw a few rises to sporadic hatch but I just couldn't get close enough to present the dry well enough as the water was gin-clear despite the downpours overnight. I'll definately come back to The Tarrell with my high-stick.

First time on this beat, on a cooler and breezier day than of late. Tried to park by Fishtec but the Estate was full, went to the farm where the owner kindly let me park in their caravan area, from where the river was accessible. Fished upstream to the bridge, took me most of the day - river very rocky or slippy smooth bedrock so I was worn out at the end! As others have said, there are mainly steep, wooded banks with mesh and barbed wire fences so you have to wade through the river. Lots of mini waterfalls, fast runs and pools, but many have low overhanging branches so it is difficult. As to the fishing, little was hatching and very few rises, none of which were interested in my offerings. Fooled 1 11" trout from a fast run on a para olive, a couple of others looked but did not take, that was it. Looks a very 'trouty' river though.

1 Trout

Difficult, no fish caught.