Feedback & Reports

Heavy rain during the night so checked the gauge and it was just about safe so headed to the beat. When I arrived at 8am, the river was dark brown so no possibility of catching on the fly. I only had until 2pm to fish and the river would not be clearing sufficiently before then so headed home.

River quite settled and clear. Although many fish were rising through the day, they were very picky, and many fly changes were made. Of the seven fish we caught, about half were on dry and half on tiny nymphs. Best fish was 1.25 lbs, with the others at around the pound mark. Just a note to the foundation; in the six consecutive days we have been fishing on the Usk, we have seen quite a lot of mink. Particularly on the Ashford House beat. Within a two hour period we saw three mink, two of which were dragging some hapless creature back to their respective lairs.

7 Trout

River still quite high, but clear, following rain at the weekend. Mostly fished the top half of the beat, and found many fish rising, as a good show of fly on the water. We caught 18 trout between us, many of which were caught in the rapids, the fish hitting the dry flies, like lightning. A good buoyant fly helps you to follow it, but sometimes, you just hit the splash.....exiting stuff! Most fish were around the pound mark, but we did get one of 2.5 lbs, 3 of 2 lbs, and 2 of 1.5 lbs. A great days fishing!

18 Trout

Great Beat with nice variety of water, easy wading with good access in and out of water. Mostly bright and dry but gusty downstream breeze on and off.
Plenty rising until late morning then suddenly switched off when conditions became overcast. Warmed up again mid afternoon and clouds of tiny midges appeared, although didn't bother me or the fish. Fish suddenly came on with 2 8-9 inch brownies in quick succession and 2 more "on and off" before I even saw them! Another dropped off as it came to hand before the temperature dropped and a stiff wind sprang up. All WBT and all around the same stamp. Great days' sport in a beautiful setting.

2 Trout

Arrived in drizzle to a river high and with the colour of 5 day old stewed tea. No hatch to speak of but managed to tempt 20 WBT on a small green may and Umberto Oreglini's March Brown dry variant. (check it out on YouTube).
Great day.

20 Trout

A late May day, cloud cover, river at summer height - conditions where you would expect a good hatch and freely rising trout. Maybe it was a little cool at 14 degrees but while there were some flies hatching, it was a hard day's fishing. Three trout in all - 8, 12 and 14 inches. One to a upright Olive pattern, one to a GRHE nymph and one to an Adams dry. Was hanging on for an evening hatch but the rain came in at 7pm and I left. Always good to be out on the river though.

3 Trout

9 Browns caught. Most fish on a dry Adams, 1 on a PTN. Largest fish 14 inches. Average size 10 inches. Nice stretch of river and good fly hatches. Big Olive hatch and some Mayfly around.

9 Trout

River water was clear. I fished dry fly - and caught nothing, broken by one!

Fished two short sessions. 17th ( 10.00 -15.00) and 18th (16.30 - 19.30). I wish I could have stayed longer! The WUF description of the beat is accurate and all of the water is accessible and wading easy, when required.
Two WBT of about 10oz, caught and returned on 18th, both on size 14 GRHE nymph. Sadly I missed a good olive hatch, earlier that day, when a fellow angler, apparently had some spectacular sport. On the 17th I blanked, largely due to my lack of practice on such challenging water!
It is ten years since I had fished the middle Usk and had forgotten just how difficult it can be.
Conditions cloudy with good breaks of bright sunshine, but a cold wind. Water very clear and fish easily spooked. Great fishing that tests ones skills to the limit - not to be missed

2 Trout

Slow morning but picked up in the afternoon with three fish on the dry. One a good size. Very easy access and wading made for a lovely day

3 Trout