Feedback & Reports

Drizzle in the morning, brief sunshine in the afternoon and a chill wind. River was slightly coloured but looked fine. Saw perhaps half a dozen upwings come off the water around 1pm, but didn't spot any trout.
Fished nymphs without luck and wrapped up just before 3pm as I started to get a little cold. Despite the chill, a really beautiful spot and always enjoyable to spend a few hours in peace listening to the sounds of the river.
Most exciting moment of the day was while changing flies standing in the tail of the pool just upstream of the bridge. A cormorant that had clearly submerged itself a long way upstream suddenly surfaced a couple metres in front of me and took off in a panic. I nearly had a heart attack.

Ok,if you're reading this hoping for tips and guidance on how to tackle this water them I'm afraid I will be no help whatsoever!
This was my first ever attempt at fly fishing, my companion however is much more experienced than me having been once before. First I'd like to thank the WUF for making the whole experience possible, what a great organisation.
The day was a bright, chilly, very early spring day, the river looked glorious, clear with just a tinge of colour and running through at quite a pace and very cold.
Marc used a pink shrimp looking fly while I opted for a Grayling special and gold headed nymphs, by the end I think I was doing a reasonable impression of someone who knew what they were doing, a very steep learning curve. In all a fabulous day out in a wonderful location but no fish were caught. Maybe next time...

This was my first visit to this beat it is easy to find and parking excellent.
On a very cold morning I failed to catch on the lower half but after stopping for lunch and a hot drink at the car I managed four Grayling on the top half in the afternoon.
All fish caught on weighted nymphs in the deeper pools.
Three fish were around half a pound and one superb fish estimated over two pounds tested my 2 weight rod to the limit!

4 Grayling

Lovely mild day. River running a little high but could see down a couple of feet so not too coloured. No takes or fish seen unfortunately. Enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings though.

Arrived to find the river slightly higher than I anticipated and rising, but we decided to crack on anyway. Stuck at bugging the whole day, first fish was an out of season WBT followed at regular intervals by a few grayling up to 12". All taken on a pink shrimp deep.

1 Trout, 6 Grayling

Day started badly after I was nearly hit by a farmer driving a pickup truck like Colin McCrae over the bridge forcing me to dive out of the way bashing my elbow and hip in the process!!!! Chap didn't even stop!
Anyway, picked myself up off the floor, composed myself and carried on. Fishing was hard, very few fish about. Had 6 on various heavy tungsten nymphs but just couldn't get in the zone after my near death experience so called it a day after 3 hours and headed home.
Searched the local farms for the pickup to no avail.

6 Grayling

13 x grayling 6-12 inches, 8 x out of season trout 6-10 inches. No large grayling today, but mainly shoats of 10 inches or so. On the last day of October, I can't believe it's so warm all the time. Nights seem to be 14 or 15 degrees while days are 17 or 18 degrees. Water still slightly high (it's hard work wading up the Lugg with the water foaming round your knees). Started as usual here using heavy nymphs with most fish taking a Pink Shrimp. It takes the whole of a short winter time day to do this beat thoroughly with nymphs. Stopped for lunch at the bridge, noting the parapet capping stone marked 1844. Shortly before dusk, I found a whole glide with a population of rising grayling. Glad to find a tapered leader in my pocket, I took off the nymphs and made up a dry fly leader with a Grey Duster and caught the last 5 on that, which made a very happy end to the day. Before driving home, a pleasant chat with the owner who was working on her cottage while owls hooted all around us.

13 Grayling

A testing day with 6" more water on Byton gauge than I would have liked. Water was coloured and full of leaves. Fished with two nymphs and ended up with 4 grayling ranging from 4" to 12" and 2 oos wbt of 10" each both of which spent more time in the air than the water. Bite detection a challenge - must have hooked 50 leaves over the day.
Probably last chance to fish this season - roll on the Spring!

2 Trout, 4 Grayling

Hard going after the first frost of the year. Ended with 3 grayling.

3 Grayling

All fish were caught Czech Nymphing (biggest 8oz) from the various deeper pools of this beat. All fish returned.

3 Trout, 5 Grayling