Feedback & Reports

3.45pm - 10 pound cock fish - Boat Pool.

1 Salmon

No hatch, no rise, no fish.

3 Trout, 2 Grayling

This was an evening booking and a gamble after thunderstorms in mid-afternoon. When I had fought my way to the top of the beat (the riverside path beside Crawnon Pool looks unlikely to continue but it is there) I found the Crawnon pouring cocoa into the main stem but fortunately it kept to the near side, leaving mid-stream fishable. The wading was something else and I was amazed that I escaped without a ducking or for that matter a tumble on the land where deep holes lurk among the boulders and greenery.
Here fish came to a team of nymphs/shrimp but in the high water presentation was not easy, the best a fish of just over the pound. The tail looked inviting but was devoid of steady risers and although I had the odd pull and saw a few 'oncers', some leaping for the fly, as I worked down towards the more accessible flats, action dried up in the last hour, perhaps a response to the now mixed coloured water coming through. In lowish water Glan yr Afon would warrant close attention and is a strong candidate for most treacherous Usk beat yet waded!

4 Trout

8 x trout 6-12 inches, Rusty Klinkhammer and Monnow Gosling. Another morning of showers found me wandering around the Monnow catchment, looking for a stream which wasn't muddy. I don't have much spare time in June; this will be the last chance at the mayfly, I thought. The Dore was pretty thick, as might be expected, but the little Dulas, surprisingly, looked reasonable. It's a while since I fished it and I had forgotten what a cracking little stream it can be on the right day. The flow is slight, but there are pools here which you cannot wade through. Not very much was rising (and only a couple of natural may flies seen) but prospecting with dry flies brought some explosive rises. Quite a number of 10 inch fish, which seems a good size for a small stream, and a very nice one of 12 inches. Finished with a pint at the Dog below the bottom of the beat. Believe it or not, Roger Smith's book Fly-Fishing the Welsh Borderlands lists a reversed hackle mayfly pattern specifically named for the little Dulas. One to try out next year.

8 Trout

Arrived 1.30pm, surprised to find the river clear. All fish taken on dry madam/march brown variants. 3pm, May fly hatch, no rises, however birds enjoyed the hatch. 4 fish to 8inches, plump and well marked. Departed 4.30pm.

5 Trout

Started fishing at 6pm and packed up at 8.45pm.
10 trout to about 10" and around the same amount of missed takes.
Large hatch of Large Brook Duns with the odd Mayfly amongst them but the fish didn't seem interested in the hatch. Fished duo balloon caddis and bead head hares hear. Most fish to the hares ear.
Anglers beware, there is now a LARGE BULL in the field.

10 Trout

First visit to this lovely water and not disappointed. The river was fining down after the weekend's rain and the fish were obliging. 36 wbt were caught between 4 anglers mainly on beaded PTNs fished NZ style and some taken on Iron Blues and Yellow Mays. A beautiful beat with some lovely water, looking forward to the next visit. Thanks to all at WUF.

36 Trout

Fished all day yesterday from 6:30am with the water looking in prime conditions, slightly coloured with 1'5" on the gauge but to no avail again.
This year is certainly proving very tough catching the running fish just right. My 10th (200 mile round) trip to the Wye this season with only 1 fish to my name.
Notably my fellow angler hit a pod of Shad with umpteen takes and hook-ups in the Rock Pool tail out. If they're there, surely the Salmon are?!

6 Trout, 2 Other

1 Trout