Feedback & Reports

2 Trout

Fairly clear and warm sun from when I started at 10am, thick cloud for an hour or so in the mid afternoon then clear in the eveneng. The river was low and flowing very slowly. No hatch all day and almost no fly life on the water, I could count the number of upwings I saw all day on the fingers of both hands. No surface activity aside from a lot of rolling and bubbling in the flats just up from the waterworks. I cast to them for a while with no luck until my dry fly became waterlogged and, as I stripped it back under the surface it was taken by what turned out to be a chub of about 1 1/2 pounds. When I climbed up onto the bank for a better angle I could see that all the activity was caused by chub, some of which looked quite large. No joy through most of the rest of the beat where I tried dry flies, spiders and heavily weighted nymphs. The very top end of the beat is lovely streamy water and prospecting over the shin and occasionally knee-deep water with a dry fly produced an 8" grayling and perhaps a dozen splashy rises from tiny fish. Only a few stayed on more than a second and were all fingerlings, mostly grayling, one trout.

I saw a large salmon moving up through Capel catch towards the rapids. It was moving in a curious way, almost swinging like a pendulum as it ascended, so showing one flank then the other. I've not seen this before (to be fair, not seen that many salmon...) so not sure if it's normal?

Six canoes came past me at Llangoed pool. I told them of the agreement but they wouldn't get out and continued down. I saw two more and a swimmer go in at New Garden when I was just above the Orchard but assumed they came from the house there and were just pottering around on the long flat stretch.

I should also mention that I went for a walk the day before along the river and saw two canoes going in from the left bank directly opposite the hut at the bottom of the Ty Newydd beat. I spoke to them and they got back out again but the path down from the parking spot on that side of the river is really very well maintained and perfect for canoeists, I can see why they think it's ok to launch there. I know it's impossible to make everyone aware of the rules or to make them follow them, but I wonder if a few signs on the most easily accessed launch points might be helpful?

1 Grayling, 1 Chub

First visit to the river Usk as have mostly been fishing the river Wye. As stated before the river is in need of a lot of rain to bring it up to its best. I did drive through the field as no sheep present and parked by bridge. Started bottom of beat and worked my way up. Some trout rising and did have a chance but missed to a fished KH side 10. Only action was at top of beat with the only fish of the day caught on size 10 jig black nymph which has been a winner recently. My biggest trout to date and was around 10/12 inches.

1 Trout

4 Trout

Good day fishing - a beautiful and wildlife-rich beat. Quite a lot of fish rising, many taking mayflies, however they were hard to tempt with dry flies in the big pools where the flow was slow due to the river being low, and they were easily spooked. The couple of fish I did catch were in the faster water at the head of the pools. Thinking about it afterwards I wondered if a mayfly nymph would have been a better bet in the slower water.

2 Trout

I have fished this beat a dozen or so times in the last ten years. I hardly ever catch but keep coming back.I only covered a fraction today. A dodgy leg prevented waders and much clambering so I just fished what I could from the bank and exposed river bed. About 6 small trout, none larger that 12 cm, lovely Usk colours. All caught on various, tiny dry patterns in the foam line of the various pool tails. Saw dippers, wagtails, kites, swifts and a squirrel the size of a cat. Im sure I heard an otter squealing.

6 Trout

A fun afternoon spent on the Edw. Despite bright and sunny conditions we had 8 trout up to 10 inches all caught on small dries. Not the easiest casting on this beat, but that’s what made it so enjoyable.

8 Trout

Very low water levels made this incredibly tricky. Only some parts of the beat were fish able. X2 trout sighted and lost.

2 Other