Feedback & Reports

Day 2 of 4 day trip and back to a favourite beat. Nice sized WBT came up to my dry but a very quiet day on the river. Nothing rising. Too cold. I got to the Bridge Pub at the top but only by marching for the last hour. I walked past some great looking pools so next time I will start half way up. Glorious pint of Butty Bach in the pub!

7 Trout

Escley in fine shape, fining down from recent rain and plenty of water. Slow start in chilly conditions but had a great 3 hours between 12 and 3. 12 x wbt, 4 around the 12" - 14" mark, the others 6"-8". All taken on BWO and Adams patterns. Steady hatch of olives and the odd grannom. The two things that always strike me about this beat: the sheer quantity along with the high average size of fish. They also seem chubbier and fleshier than their muscled Usk cousins. Also, at this time of year the canopy is reasonably forgiving.
It is a long trek, realistically 7-8 hours' fishing. We always fish the lower and mid as follows: Fisher 1 gets in at start of lower, fisher 2 drives up to end of lower / beginning of mid, when fisher 1 gets to top of lower drives to top of mid and gets two pints of Butty Bach in at the Bridge Inn to welcome fisher 2 who will arrive shattered and traumatised having walked at least the last mile of the beat!!
If you're up for the physical challenge this beat rewards in spades.

12 Trout

Good flow, sparse hatch of LDO. 20+ between 4"-8"

20 Trout

Windy and cold.

9 Trout

River level good but cold wind got up and steady rain most of day gave up at 4pm no sign of a fish !!

3 Trout

Late report that I found in the Salmon log at Weirend of two fish caught in May after high water about 10lbs and 11lbs. No further detail at this time.

2 Salmon

Fine day on the Honddu, which was running full and fast, although coloured. No campers so I had the river to myself, and all day there was a constant stream of all sorts and sizes of fly - the trout did not seem to notice! With no rises I started with klink and PTN nymph which attracted 2 trout, and when eventually 2 small trout had a go at the klink I switched to a para adams and searched the likely spots. Eventually landed 7, 9" to 13" all of whom fought sturdily in the fast water. Ended the day weary after wading the current all day but very happy with the return.

7 Trout

River slightly coloured and dropping. Plenty of insect life and a few fish rising although mostly "oncers". Winkled our 3 lovely fish between 10 and 13 inches between us - an excellent afternoon's fishing, thank you. (Fish pic to follow on seperate email). Spooked a cormorant off the river - and when the beat paperwork says access to wooded areas isn't easy it certainly means it!!!!

3 Trout

Arrived at the water at 9.00 to heavy rain and strong wind so sat in car for half an hour untill shower passed. Started with the fly, 2nd cast nice trout about 2lb on black tadpole. Fished for another 3 to 4 hours with fly and had quite a few takes but could not connect with any fish. Changed to float fished worm for the last hour and caught a further 3 trout.