Feedback & Reports

Hot and bright sunshine making fish spooky. Only fished dries and some nice hatches although fish not rising too freely. Good, interesting and challenging fishing.

6 Trout

River very coloured so did not fish

Fishing not possible due to river conditions muddied from previous days rain. Please confirm if this is declared a wash off?

It was 4 rods, rather than 1 rod, and we were of mixed ability, with the better rods helping the Usk first timers. Nothing much happening before 1pm with the only fish showing being chironomid/terrestail feeders cruising the slacker bits, but from 1pm till we left at 6pm the trout rose steadily. After numerous fly changes we found they readily accepted a #14 loop wing olive presented well. Best fish was 16" (caught prospecting some fast water), 3 more were over 14", with the bulk in the 9-11" range. A couple of bigger fish were lost and several good fish came short (educated?).

Most of the action was over the more gravelly middle section especially in the middle and tail of the ever reliable poplar pool, with the rises rather sparse in the spectacular rocky upper section. We didn't venture below the car park which was, in retrospect an error.

A few Yellow may duns, LBD's and green drakes trickled off, supported by a decent hatch of Olive uprights from 2pm to 4pm, but it was the medium olives which hatched steadily from 1pm till we left that most of the fish appeared feeding on

Whilst the beat is in fine shape for trout fishing. There is a huge tree lodged on the vicarage rock weir which would prevent a salmon angler fishing the pool, and both the poplar and long gutter could do with some of the willows and overhanging branches trimmed to allow someone to fish down the left hand bank . The path through the wood could also do with a haircut.

28 Trout

Overnight rain and cold breeze made fishing difficult A few takes but sadly no fish landed.

Tough fishing in low water and bright conditions. Walked whole beat for 5 fish of varying sizes. Good insect activity but only occasional rises.

5 Trout

5 Trout

3 Trout

5 Trout

Very windy tough casting but beautiful day