Feedback & Reports

Quote from a person fishing the Taff:Had two good days on the Taff this weekend, about 20 Fish up to 2lb. Lots of fish lost and lots of flies. Even though the waters so low the fish fought so hard, had a job keeping them out of snags. Never get bored of that river. Quote:Class day out on the taff today, biggest brown trout I’ve caught on the river, on fly, photo doesn’t do it justice. Caught 3 in total, biggest on dry fly, other 2 on nymphs.

Cold, misty start 11' rising to 21' when mist cleared. We found scores of small spent flies in the slack water, some Gnats some Olives.These are difficult to represent artificially and the trout were unimpressed with most offerings. Most fish were 0.5lbs to 0.75lbs, except for a 1.5lb trout from the rapids on a bead-head nymph, and at 6pm a trout of 2.5lbs on a small dry March Brown from the tail of Chain Pool.

7 Trout

6 x trout 6-10 inches, Monnow Gosling. Rather a slow start today - still not so many natural rises - but they do seem to be switching on to a big fly. Nearly trod on a huge eel.

6 Trout

River in good shape with plenty of insect activity including a few may flies. There were very few rises and there did not seem to be much fish activity.

2 Trout

shad

6 Other

River in lovely condition. No fish seen, however Nathan (the ghillie) mentioned a couple of fish that showed through the day.

Fished 8 till 5 p.m. Trallong gauge 0.26m, so getting low. Cool start at 12 degrees and then got to a fish-unfriendly 26 degrees by mid-afternoon. The water is now at 15 degrees so, as for the last ten days, there are insects on the river at last. Saw surprisingly few Olive Uprights, hardly any Yellow Mays and not much sign of fish feeding on gnats in any afternoon shade today, but plenty of Large Brook Duns. Once the sun appeared at about 10 a.m. there was a hatch of smallish olives which got fish rising until midday when, as the hatch ceased, so did the rises, apart from a few oncers here and there. Saw a few mayfly as well. Had eight fish from 10 -14"; the 14" fish were around 1.5lb, so well fed. Fish taken on LDB and dark olive Duck's Duns, and a couple on a size 12 HE parachute whilst fishing duo in the afternoon. Very hard and very spooky fishing, so quite pleased with the result on the day. Missed or jagged over half as many again as well - not good! Saw quite a few large spinners during the day so the evening may have held promise. Must go back soon and stay for the evening rise.

8 Trout

Very warm day with clear skies. Fish taken throughout the day did slow off considerably during the afternoon. Sporadic hatches which were short lived. Beautiful countryside. Most fish taken on bead heads.

8 Trout, 9 Grayling

4 Trout

Arrived mid morning to find plenty of fly life and fish rising, we couldn’t get our waders on quick enough! Then I had a very entertaining morning trying to tempt an obviously big trout which was rising frequently in the smooth water just above a riffle, it stubbornly refused my dry fly over and over and carried on munching all manor of aquatic fly life which drifted towards it...most frustrating. Finally I got the take I’d worked so hard for and promptly missed it, so I moved on.
I found another rising trout which was far easier to tempt but as I saw it turn it threw the hook...more frustration and possibly a swear word or two followed.
Before long I found myself back where I’d started and facing another round with the big trout which was by now happily sticking its head up and flicking its tail as it fed. This time I took a few deep breaths, tied on a lighter tippet, double checked my knots and got very carefully into position and made my cast. It was a good cast and as I watched the dry fly I’d tied myself float down stream up came the trout and took it, what followed was heart stopping stuff but eventually I got it into my net and I could breath again, a new PB WBT, I was very happy indeed, thank you WUF.

2 Trout