Feedback & Reports

I was hoping that Friday's rain would be put a bit of life into the river but, in spite of a pulse of water going through on Saturday, come Sunday morning, it was back down at 3 point something on the Byton gauge.

I had to work harder for my fish today; and had the impression that I was covering water that had been fished recently. No reports on Wye & Usk of anyone fishing on Saturday - so perhaps it was the occupants of the cottage? With the exception of a fast run just below the weir; where I had half a dozen fish in not much more than half a dozen casts, none of the multiple catches I associate with Lyepole - with a number of banker runs failing to produce.

Most of the Grayling were in the 7-8 inch class. Ditto for the Trout. I fished a Size 14 tungsten Endrick Spider on point with a Size 16 Snipe & Purple on dropper; with the majority of the Grayling taking the point fly and, if memory serves, all of the Trout except one taking the dropper.

As ever, the above figures are an estimate - these days I struggle counting past 5

10 Trout, 15 Grayling

Some occasional light rain and wind blowing down the beat which made casting interesting, the holiday cottage was in use so bypassed this short section, fish caught using weighted nymphs, one or two fish rising but no hatch today, there is one location where the cattle are getting into the water but maybe this is ok,

This was my second visit to Lyepole but by no means the last, its such a great beat . please don't tell anyone else about it.

3 Trout, 1 Grayling

Myself and a newcomer to the sport fished the whole beat, lots of fish. Size 16 and 18 beaded nymphs.
The numbers are an approximation and less than the true number, short of a clicker counter I can't see how you can be any more accurate with the numbers of fish in double figures for Grayling and WBT. No fish seen rising but a good number sighted and cast too with single nymphs. The lions share on 2lb tippet and a French Leader.
Good sport again.

15 Trout, 25 Grayling

A fabulous day at Lyepole ! I've wanted to fish this beat for years but the opportunity just didn't arise until last week. I was not disappointed ! There is water for virtually every style of fly fishing and at every turn in the river you're presented with a new set of challenges. I was mesmerised into fishing several shallow riffles and inviting gullies before I twigged that most of the fish were holding up in the deeper pools. My final catch return was rather modest and could easily have been trebled if I'd spent more time actually fishing than just walking the entire beat. I shall be back in the autumn and winter !

Incidentally I have just read the return posted by B.S. of Bristol for the previous day and find it hard to recognise his or her description of the neat. I didn't encounter any balsam and the tree cover was just as I would have expected for a small, intimate river.

This was always going to be a recce than a serious fishing opportunity. River very low. Number of trees down. Un-fishable in places due to trees. Access to the river very poor along the whole stretch. Balsam everywhere. But worst of all is that barbed wire is everywhere.
A nice beat badly let down by non-existence maintenance.
There's no doubt that there are lots of fish there - and lots have been caught recently, but I won't return there.

8 Trout, 15 Grayling

Nice few hours, tried nymphs but lost a few fish, changed to a dry and had all my fish on that. Please be warned about the bull in the last field downstream as he's a bit aggressive.

2 Trout, 5 Grayling

2 Trout

Excellent Fishery with a fantastic head of wild fish, plenty of fish on French leader and beaded nymphs,and a good amout of Grayling sighted rising and cast to with a Dry.
The trout ranged from 4" to 12".
The Grayling all seemed to be 8,9,10",
Two fish in the 12"+ bracket.
The numbers are roundabout, I lost track of the Grayling tally but the Trout numbers are correct I think.
Excellent day again on the Lugg.

12 Trout, 25 Grayling

Such a beautiful setting. River very low so wasn't expecting too much action, just wanted a day on the river. My first time on the Lugg. I'm generally an Usk man so enjoyed fishing the smaller river. Started at 8AM and fished upstream of the bridge. Spent time in the deep pool on the bend 150 Meter above the bridge. The odd fish rising but started with a deep fished single nymph, Czech style. Immediately landed a really healthy 1Lb Graying followed by a second a little smaller. Both returned with out them being in any distress. Saw a trout rise to a pale watery (I think) so switched to light colored dry Klink and landed a beautiful brownie just over a 1lb....happy days. Things went quiet again so switched back to nymph and caught another similar sized brownie. I decided that I wouldn't bash this pool to death and spend the rest of the day about 100M further up stream targeting small rising grayling with a variety of dries. Caught about 6 fish. Loads of fun practicing my target casting. Dropped a nymph in the pool down stream and landed a further 1.5lb Grayling. Such a lovely day. Thanks W&UF.

2 Trout, 6 Grayling

I tend not to fish Lyepole until later in the year but, with low rivers and indifferent fishing all around, I was fast running out of ideas. Arrived de bonne heure, to be greeted by painfully low river with little flow and, unless you count algae, no colour. Not that the fish appeared to mind; while I cannot quite claim the 51 that our friend from June 29th landed (can I even count up to 51?), I was not far short. Let's call it 40 shall we.

Upstream to a deafening silence, punctuated only by birdsong and the murmuring of the river, in the morning; with fish in just about every run that I covered. Surprised to find the Grayling shoaled up so early in the season but, two of the glides (and anyone who knows their Lyepole will surely work out which two) each produced double figures ; for the most part, peas in pod - so much so that I could have been forgiven for thinking I was catching the same fish over and over again. Less productive downstream in the afternoon. Mind you, it was very hot by then (28C). A few straggler Mayfly hatching; but very little surface activity, with all of my fish coming on weighted nymphs.

Most of the Grayling were in the 7 to 8 inch bracket, with half a dozen or so bigger fish - including two at around 14 inches (that's nearly 2lb in old money). Trout from 6 inches to 10 inches.

A summers day at Lyepole, and all's well with the world ...

10 Trout, 30 Grayling