Feedback & Reports

I did much better than expected on a very hot sunny day (24 degrees) with a nasty upstream wind in the afternoon hampering decent presentation. Water temperature was 17 degrees - the main stem of the Wye (Ddoll Farm) had been dropping rapidly over the previous 48 hours but compensation water from the Elan had topped this part of the river up from Saturday evening onwards. Fresh compensation water can be bad news but maybe 36 hours or more had been just long enough to let fish settle down again. There was little fly until a few sedges and olives appeared in the afternoon. In the morning, only a few trout rose but in the afternoon the grayling were looking up as well. Almost all fish were caught on a small HE emerger, with a heavy flashback PTN also nailing a couple whilst bugging in the morning. Most of the trout were caught in the morning and most of the grayling in the afternoon with about half being non-rising ladies moving to the emerger. Trout ranged from 9-12" and grayling from 9-14" (quite a few 12, 13 and 14", ~ 1.25lb, fish on this day). Hard!!

12 Trout, 22 Grayling

River even lower. No sign of barbel. Chub to 5lb. Spotted an otter.

3 Chub

I was fishing with one other and we elected to fish the bottom of the fishery with a sort of gravel beach. ideal spot. whereas the main river was low slow and sluggish, this stretch has a bit of depth and pace . I managed one small chublet, my colleague fishing a mere 30 feet away managed 6 barbel in tough, hot sunny conditions which included swimmers showing zero consideration coming right through our swims, canoes, bbq's, dogs and, for 5 minutes, somebody flying a drone right above us. but having said all that it is a beautiful spot and will return but probably not in july/aug in a hot sunny spell.

1 Chub

Have had a great day but haven't cought any fish. Cheers.

River very low,no rain for two weeks, bright sunshine all day, fish caught in the last hour of light.

3 Barbel, 8 Chub

My son and I fished the beat in what I thought were good water conditions but unfortunately did not connect with a fish and only one fish showed, below the Rocks
This is the second time to fish The Rectory so hope it will become a regular beat for me.
Tony Evans

Fished until 3 p.m. on the corner just downstream from the weir but could not get a serious take. I moved up to the boat house swim and the river livened up after about 7 p.m. Hooked but lost a decent fish early evening and finally netted a 5.5 lbs chub caught on pellet around 8.30 p.m. Packed up at 8.45 p.m. Not satisfying to only catch one fish but at least not a blank. I will give Lower Canon another go next time I am down as it is a beautiful place and want to give it another go asap

1 Chub

River low. Had to work hard to catch these fish

2 Barbel, 3 Chub

Lots of fish jumping but not takes

First time on this beat even though only 10 minutes from home. Knew it was not best time of year for this beat but work commitments have limited fishing this season and needed to get out.Thought that I would at least find some fishable water as most of the Arrow and Lugg wild stream beats are not jungle. Did go prepared for Eyton's own infamous jungle sections with a machete.
Walked to bottom of beat where weirpool shows all the signs of being a regular swimming spot with fire remains bottles, clothing! Was also impossible to thrash a path through to enable any serious casting. Moved on upstream where I had a 8" wbt on small tan fly on a slow stretch before lower wooden area which was inpenetrable.
Switched to klinkhammer and size 18ptn and concentrated on the stretches in the meadow section where I could find decent low. Ended up with a 10" grayling from a very shallow section, 3 more wbt between 6" and 8" and too many fingerling grayling and parr to count. Did try tungsten nymph through some of the deeper sections - but no interest.
Headed up to the top section but did not have the will to try and hack through in the woods above the weir.
A very enjoyable few hours and anyone used to wild stream fishing will not find this beat as difficult as a some reports suggest.
Would also like to thank whoever was responsible for all the new bank side fencing. Very easy to negotiate and not an obstruction at all (I am the wrong/right side of 60).

4 Trout, 1 Grayling, 25 Other