Feedback & Reports

Dry fly fishing lovely day but nothing caught, river look great but the water level looked low.

A strange day's fishing - I started with a dry fly on the dropper and a nymph on the point and on my very first cast in a deep shady pool caught 2 trout at the same time - both about 1.5 lbs! Both released. The rest of the day I caught nothing, despite trying a variety of dries and nymphs, although I did spook a 2lb+ trout in the tail of another deep pool. And I saw a couple very small fish rise that I couldn't tempt. Not many fish in evidence, but ones that are there seem big. River low, about 17 degrees, sunny at first then overcast later.

2 Trout

Second day on this lovely stretch only had a limited amount of time but was pleased to catch a good barbel and a decent sized chub both on pellets.

1 Barbel, 1 Chub

Found it difficult - very few fish or rises seen. Tried nymphs in the pools and dries.

Just a few hours on the Wye before heading home from a three day trip, three Grayling to Klinks. Last session of the season on dries. The brief spell we were on Abernant was highlighted by a big boy Salmon leaping up stream, splendid !

3 Grayling

1 Trout

Lovely looking beat, with a variety of swims. Early morning mist and due gave way to a really hot septembers day; clear skies and bright sunshine.
The river itself was very low, you could see the bottom in most swims, with the near margins being the only deeper water. These two conditions combined made the fishing slow and difficult. 2 small chub and another 4lb+ were caught later in day, with a barbel of 8.12 being banked mid morning. Talking to the anglers on the opposite bank, who had been fishing for a few days, it was apparent that everyone had been struggling. Standard ledger feeder tactics were used. Baits were pellet, Boilies and meat.
A cracking looking beat which has a number of 'typical barbel' swims, we just needed a little bit more water. Having said than we still had an enjoyable days fishing.

1 Barbel, 3 Chub

Lovely start to the day with mist in the valley and bright sun above. Mist burnt off quickly and the rest of the day was a mix of cloud and sunny spells with a gentle to fresh breeze. Very little in the way of insect life until the early evening when a very few small upwings were spotted, so we spent most of the day fishing nymphs and a couple of hours with dries.
Five trout between 4-8" came on weighted caddis nymphs around lunchtime while the 5 grayling ranged from 7-15" and were all taken in the early evening. Two fell to CDC olive patterns, the other three to hares ear and polyphaetus nymphs. The largest was from the pocket water just below the bridge.
A fine day out.

5 Trout, 5 Grayling

Second day of our annual pilgrimage to the Wye. Arrived around 9am and got the 'Taxi' down to the beat. Well worth it. It was a pretty hot cloudless day. Walked the beat and we both fished swims opposite the NT gardens. Another case of nothing doing until the evening. My mate caught a few nice chub. Really memorable day with my first close encounter with a Wye Salmon of around 15lb that shot out like a torpedo to attack my pellet as I was reeling in—sadly all but too briefly on the line. This was followed by a pristine Chub at 4lb 4oz then another surprise—a Pike at 6 1/2lb. Then a specimen Perch took a lunge at my hook bait but didn't connect. Finally a stunning Barbel just shy of a double at 9lb 12oz, just as the light was fading and the farmer had arrived to drop us back. Not the best in terms of numbers but a very enjoyable day. Will definitely return to this beat. Maybe on a weekday when there are less canoeists about (though most were couteous) and not so many screaming kids in the picnic area.

1 Barbel, 4 Chub, 1 Pike

My first time on this beat. A balmy temperature for the time of year, combined with (unusually) no wind.
The water was very clear and fish spooked easily. I only saw rising fish under the tree canopy and they proved frustratingly difficult to cast to. It was impossible to target them with a roll cast as the canopy was just above the water and the unfurling leader simply hit the trees. A side cast was also tricky due to the confined space restricting one's back cast. I am an intermediate caster at best and I think this beat was just too technically demanding for me. Not even a take for my efforts.
It's certainly a lovely looking beat and I saw one sizeable fish just below the bridge, so there are fish in there. If the catch returns are to be believed, the Upper Crai is incredibly lightly fished - mine was only the third visit this season.
Note that the field system on the left bank is in a poor state with bad drainage and standing water. If you try to follow the fence line back to the bottom of the beat, you find yourself stuck in a corner. The field entrances are quagmires, so you are better off striking off directly up the side of the valley until you hit the road and then walk down back to your car.