Feedback & Reports

14 pound with longtailed sealice, spinning.

1 Salmon

Water was up from last time, 0.8+ at Ross and showing 9 on the gauge on the left bank on arrival, quite a lot of colour; but still easy fishing. The quicker water of Pulpit pool proved to have fish coming to a fly but I just couldn't keep them on! A fat Brownie of 12" did prove the new "Talon" barbless trebles work a treat though, slacken the line and they just fall out. Maybe that's why I was loosing bigger fish? Anyway, nothing taken on flying C but a 2ft+ Pike did leap clear of the water trying it's best to grab it.
I can't wait for a drop in water to make wading easier and to access the left bank/island as a fly will glide through Church Stream just like in all those DVDs you watched in the winter.

1 Trout

What a lovely beat, I think this could become a favourite. It has just the right mix of water to make it fishable with levels 2' up or even down on the gauge. And the owner is a very nice chap too!
My effort on this blustery day began with a quick on/off with a big swirl of silver in the "Pulpit Pool" on the fly; cracking bit of water this. Followed by a well mended kelt on a Flying C in "Church Stream Pool", another stretch that is ideal for spinning but would better suit a fly if water levels dropped.
I found the right bank on the top quarter of the beat could be tricky for casting a fly, unless wading in lower levels than today but on the lower sections the bank is close grazed and very open so, with the deeper water at your feet, a single hander will cover the entire river.
I fished hard all day but still failed to cover all the possibilities. Just have to go again!

1 Other

We settled on two pegs not far into the second field with the church behind us over our right shoulder. The river looked to be ideal but as per the previous couple of days, fish were hard to come by with one small chub around a 1lb on maggot coming early on and despite a variety of baits and methods tried no more fish were caught.

1 Chub

Our first time on this beat so not a bad result. All fish caught in the afternoon after trying several swims lower down. There were several salmon jumping through the day. After a foggy start it became warm and sunny in the afternoon. Lovely beat but a bit featureless. We look forward to trying it in the summer.

4 Barbel, 2 Chub

First anglers to visit this new stretch. River within it’s banks but chocolate in colour and roaring through. Testing conditions throughout with 5oz feeders struggling to hold bottom and the water level rising approximately 18 inches during the course of the day.
Clearly the upstream catchment area was seeing more rain than us (we were fortunate to only see a small number of showers all day).
CH managed to winkle out a 4lb 6oz Barbel using swimfeeder and pellet (on the second cast of the day, with a new rod making it’s debut!).
No further significant action to report but nevertheless, great to be out on the river.
Periods of warm sunshine, the obligatory Buzzards calling overhead and numerous species of ducks and geese (doubtless disappointed at the water levels receding from the fields).
Also had the great pleasure of meeting the owner of the stretch, with whom we had a very pleasant chat. Can’t wait to re-visit in the summer months.

1 Barbel