Feedback & Reports

Sunday morning's rain had arrived at Caradoc! We arrived to find the river about a foot from the top of the bank. So the choice was to go home, go to the pub or go fishing. As the pub was not yet open, we decided to go for a walk, during the course of which we spotted 3 swims which we thought fishable should we be able to resist the call of the ale.
As the pub was still not yet open, we drove to the chosen spots (very convenient for the ageing angler) and unloaded. R H had chosen the swim Mr. Crabtree would have fished - a nice slow eddy with a good crease on the outside.
J M and I settled into a double swim with a relatively smooth glide down the near bank. 20 minutes later I had a barbel - so our decision to fish started to look less mad. The river level started to recede at lunchtime and dropped nearly 3 feet during the afternoon. I finished up with 7 barbel to 8:06 and a couple lost. J M got 5 and also hooked a couple which fell off during the fight.
Our own Mr Crabtree had failed to interest a fish in his eddy and tried a couple more swims just above the bridge, also without troubling the fish.
We had a very enjoyable day and our confidence in fishing the high river has been boosted. What's more, the sun shone and the procession downriver of footballs, trees and what appeared to be the contents of several pigsties, just added to the entertainment. Lovely.

2 barbel and 2 chub, caught on halibut pellets.

The river was still a few feet up from Friday's rain, but dropping slowly. R H and I chose the best looking area given the conditions - a relatively smooth flow through the inside of a bend. I caught 8 barbel and R H finished the day with 5. Our biggest went 8:09.
I did wander around a few swims with the chub gear, but didn't get a bite. Maybe the chub don't like the dirty water? Or maybe they were hiding where I wasn't fishing.
The other member of our party fished Lower Carrots and Luggsmouth and despite fishing a perfect-looking swim, blanked.

1 Rainbow Trout 1lb 6oz, taken on Mepps Aglia spinner. First time on Usk reservoir. First Rainbow trout! Lost a bigger Rainbow earlier in the day which shipped spinner just at the point of landing.

2 barbel, 2 chub.

3 barbel, 6 chub.

16 chub 1lb-4lb, 28 barbel 1/2lb-9lb 4oz. Various baits. Fish fed on and off all day despite hundreds of canoes.

6 chub.

The river was well up & coloured, however my fishing partner Trevor Johnson saw a fish move about 3 foot from the near bank on the lower part of the beat, covered it with a flying C, and was rewarded with a lovely 4lb bar of silver grilse. It must have come up right past the Ryder Cup! This was his first ever fish.

Three days spent on this wonderful fishery. 1 Barbel, 4 to 5 pounds, 3 chub at 2,3 and 4 pounds, all caught on ledgered meat in the bottom pools of the fishery. Plenty of dace caught on maggots also. Exellent natural fishery well worth a visit. Big thanks to Don for making us feel so welcome. Planning next visit asap.....