Feedback & Reports

This was my first time fishing a Foundation beat, I'm pleased to say we were not disappointed, despite the very wintery weather with high winds making trotting very difficult. The river was spot on for fishing with a tinge of colour. We finished with 7 Grayling and one trout all together a very enjoyable day cannot wait to get back.

1 Trout, 7 Grayling

Had at least a dozen grayling and as many again come off - a problem I seem to have whenever I fish for them. The average size of fish seems to be significantly smaller than a few years ago. None the less it was nice to be back on one of my favourite WUF beats after a number of years.

1 Trout, 12 Grayling

Very cold day. Two anglers found that new breathable waders are not so good on a freezing day like this one.
Long search for the grayling and the old neoprene clad angler found them at just after 3pm behind the church, catching seven before packing up at 4pm. Best fish about a pound or so.

7 Grayling

13 x grayling 10-16 inches, 1 x out of season trout, trotting. I took the only window of opportunity which seemed to be available. More heavy rain due tonight, but at 0.75 and falling to 0.65 by the end of the day, the Irfon looked to be fishable. All the other grayling streams on our list were still in flood. Charlie Picton, who used to look after this water, would reckon that a big winter flood tended to break up the grayling shoals. I certainly had to go looking for them on this occasion, but fish were to be found here and there. No really big ones today, but several at 16 inches. The temperature only got up to 5 degrees and the sun never showed itself, but about 2 in the afternoon there was a brief but intense large dark olive hatch. I actually heard the sound of rising fish before I noticed the duns on the surface. A clever angler would have had a dry fly rod made up ready.

13 Grayling

All fish were taken on float fished maggot and varied between 1lb and 6ozs. River was at a nice level and clear.
I saw three or four salmon during the day, leaping clear of the water and cavorting about; I don't know why.
Also saw the remains of a salmon, probably predated by an otter, judging by the damage. There were many otter footprints on the bank but I also saw a mink.

2 Trout, 12 Grayling

12 x grayling 10-17 inches, 4 x out of season trout 6-12 inches, long trotting. The best two fish at 16 and 17 inches taken whipping a single maggot with a Tenkara rod. A very warm day, this one, although we didn't see any sign of the sun. River is now down to 0.47 metres and clear. Rather tattered looking salmon now in a number of the pools - I saw the first dead kelt of this winter.

12 Grayling

A days trotting produced 14 grayling, 3 over the 1lb mark but there appears to be a large head of smaller grayling in my catch this year, good for the coming years. With no rain forecast...where to go next week?

14 Grayling

Fished the lower half and though the water was at normal level there was very little moving. Fishing with weighted upstream nymphs I only managed to catch two decent sized grayling but as always, a very enjoyable day on one of my favourite stretches.

2 Grayling

Upstream nymph/duo, river clear and reasonable height. x1 grayling, 1lb approx.

1 Grayling

10 x grayling 10-17 inches, 9 x out of season trout 6-14 inches, long trotting. After a virtually frostless Autumn, Winter seemed to arrive with a rush. Freezing fog and minus 2 degrees in the Irfon valley this morning and rod ring icing problems continued until midday. Grayling seemed slightly stunned at the change as well they might; the water was quiet until the sun came out during the afternoon and fish began to bite. Even so, trout seemed to dominate a number of pools. A beautiful Irfon sunset before the temperature dropped below freezing again as darkness fell. Note to self: it's definitely time to change to neoprene waders. Incidentally, both middle and upper parking areas are now a complete mess due to ongoing logging operations on the estate. You need a 4WD to park on either with much hope of subsequent extraction.

10 Grayling