Feedback & Reports

I'm not a great flyfisher but this was the hardest fishing I have done. It was much colder than of late and I had forgotten my waders, so I was in wading boots and waterproof trousers - cold!!
The stream is small with not a lot of water but some tricky wading and deep gully's that are not always obvious. I dare say I spooked a lot of fish. I'm sure there are good fish to be had in these gully's but the dense growth makes for very difficult casting (more flicks really). I got hung up on many occasions.
There was a good hatch in the afternoon, but I saw only a couple of rises from tiddlers.
If that all sounds negative, it isn't! I felt I was learning a lot on a lovely little stream and despite the cold, I had to be dragged off the water at the end.
I managed to hook, but not land a small trout (long distance release).
This was my first WUF expedition but it will not be my last! Well done to all at WUF.

The river was very low and gin clear and no fish were moving when I arrived at 12:10pm. The wind was blustery and down stream with showers but it cleared mid afternoon to leave a sunny warm and clear evening. Fish began to rise around 5pm and I managed to catch a trout around 8" and 2 grayling all on a size 16 olive Parachute dry fly. I am a relative beginner at river fishing so was delighted with this. I had 4 sightings of a kingfisher and to make my day an otter swam past me not 20 feet away. A magical spot and one which I shall return to in the future. I had a magical day.

1 Trout, 2 Grayling

Low water levels, sunny/windy/showery conditions. Tried Lower Clochfaen to begin with but wasn't really in the mood for the kind of wading needed to negotiate this pretty tricky beat. However, to my delight, an otter came out of the water right under my rod - he took one look at me, realised his mistake and disappeared in a flash! I soon moved back to the upper beat, where I only managed three small (4 - 6") wbt - all on nymph. Always wanted to experience the upper Wye and was not disappointed.

3 Trout

River a few inches higher than of late. Several very heavy showers and strong wind. Chub more inclined to feed than the barbel (best 7.2lbs).

4 Barbel, 10 Chub

River in good shape after some rain - Fish came steadily through the day although shaded areas were sought to keep the takes coming. All fell to standard pellet and feeder tactics
'Other' species included a perch and a most welcome eel!

12 Barbel, 5 Chub, 2 Other

Fished from 12pm - 3:45pm
As others have commented this beat is particularly overgrown but it is the slow-pools with tree cover only a few feet above the water that made it so challenging. Towards the top of the beat it opens out and fishing was easier. Some of the pools were deep enough to reach the top of my chest waders (6ft 1")
The Stream was very clear in contrast to the Wye tribs I have fished over the past couple of days.
This session was really of two halves:
From 12pm to 1:30pm I only saw 3 fish, two of which were no more than 4 inches, the third was skulking in the shadows and far from in feeding mode. My thoughts were that the only time I have seen this before was when someone has fished a stream through just before me!
At about 1:15pm I finally found a group of feeding fish half way up the beat. With good cover from foliage I could sight fish which was nice. The first fish came quickly to a GRHE, a nice grayling of about 11 inches.
As nothing else was doing I thought I'd stay and experiment. 6 flies and three more fish later I moved on. Two trout fell to induced takes and a nice grayling of exactly 12 inches, all to a size 12 barbless PTN.
Second half. Moving up the beat and sure enough I could see signs that someone had fished it through just before I got there, with fresh footprints in the margins and flattened nettles where they had entered the water.
However with time to settle down the river was alive again with fish visibly feeding all over the place.
Takes were now regular although the fish were still obviously a bit edgy and the rest of the session was a real pleasure.
All apart from the first grayling came to the PTN and all were returned. The largest trout was 9 inches. I'm sure there are larger fish there but they seem to take longer to recover after being disturbed.

11 Trout, 5 Grayling

18.00 to 21.10 Sharing rod with grand-daughters, one first time fishing. Luncheon meat touch-free-lined with one swan shot and 8 hook with spring to screw bait onto, cast into current from end of bottom crib and let settle just as. Any more weight constant snagging up. All 18 chub could have been clones. I photoed a 1st time angler with her first fish. Weighed just that one and it was 3lb 14oz so all around this weight and in good condition and fought well in current. The other fish was an eel 1lb ish.

Thought we had used a lot of bait only to be later told by grand-daughter that a big black rat has its head in the bait> it was a juvenile mink and the chase along the bank with landing net in hand resembled Laurel and Hardy film with more colourful language!! Despite a limp in its rear RH leg it went under a rock and into river. Never known one come so close, I hope anglers are not feeding them ?!!! or perhaps the limp leg gives the clue to its hunger?.

I have a problem now that both grand-daughters want to go fishing again, never worked so hard without actually hooking a fish myself but happy smiles all round.

The river is now in excellent condition since the short flush through and fish are on the feed, surprised no barbel but perhaps chub were beating them to the bait and pellet and feeder would have caught barbel. Thank you Don and WUF.

18 Chub, 1 Other

River at normal summer level with a touch of colour from weekend rain. Fish fed throughout day and all fish caught on feeder fished pellet. All 11 barbel were in the 6 to 8lb bracket.
Very enjoyable fishing, great scenery. The only slight downside is that the road is so close and there is quite a lot of noise from passing traffic.

11 Barbel, 1 Chub

2 Trout

Nil return.