Feedback & Reports

Great day being tutored by the Welsh International Rivers lads - great info and great value - thanks to John & Alun for organising this. Very highly recommended for anyone who (like me) has struggled to read the river.
Took a lovely pound-ish brownie after the workshop in fast water - within a metre of where I was standing (hardish wading) and in water I'd already been covering for 10minutes+. Really hammered home the tips from the day!

1 Trout

The weather was very bad, grayling are starting to move, the nymphs were working very well, Pheasant Tail Nymph and Golden Head Ear Hare. The river Wye is quite healthy in terms of salmon, quite a few parr. Some of them quite big 15-17 cm. Everything catch and return of course. The right bank was more easy to have access and to wade.

3 Trout, 5 Grayling, 15 Other

Seemingly perfect conditions but despite a substantial fly hatch things were a bit slow particularly in the afternoon. Having said that smaller fish were moving continually through the day.
Caught on damsel emerger, olive, or brown buzzer type fly.

7 Trout

First day out this year. After an hour using a size 12 shrimp pattern had a gentle pull at the bottom of the Bathing Pool and then a good take and fight from an approx 10lb salmon (returned of course. It was reasonably fresh. The river was a nice height for the fly but there was a cold wind and there was no further action for me that day.

A happy day both fishing and listening to the Test Match.

1 Salmon

Difficult day with low air temperatures and high winds with constant squalls blowing downstream. Once again nothing rising of any note and mix of dry fly and gold head nymph secured the few fish. Lovely water and a favourite of our group but it was just colouring up after two days of rain so not in best shape.

4 Trout

Learning to fish day for my son, so not trying too hard.
Conditions were cloudy and wet, river was running clear but disappointingly very little fish movement throughout the afternoon.

1 Trout

5 Trout, 1 Grayling

For the first time for some years, I decided to fish TN, as the level was back down to 12" after the recent short rise, and a fine settled day was forecast. So much for weather forecasts! Fish rising at an early arrival, shirt sleeves until 10.15, then the sky darkened, the mist descended, the temperature dropped to 16 degrees for a while, the jacket was put on, rain beckoned but never arrived and a cold upstream wind blew off and on until until about 4.30 pm. Not what was planned! Some Yellow Mays and small olives / PWs in the morning but with few fish rising, and then midge and sedges off and on from mid-afternoon, also with few fish rising. Variously tried nymphs, duo and a single emerger throughout the day. In spite of the conditions, I still managed to find a dozen trout but none bigger than 10" and fifteen grayling, most of which were 9-10" but four of 12", and a lot of salmon parr. Some fish taken on PTN variants but most on size 14-20 HE emergers, and mostly non-rising fish - they were looking up! From 5.30 p.m. the river was like a mill pond but nothing moved. Decided to head off at 7p.m. to discover that the Aussies had scored over 300 runs for the loss of just one wicket...not good! All in all a very strange day!

12 Trout, 15 Grayling

The river had risen slightly over night and seemed quite coloured, overcast all day with intermitant rain. Caught the most beautiful brown trout about 10" around 10am and missed/lost several others all on a black gold head nymph, the only thing that saw any interest all day. I also landed what I would believe to be a Salmon parr around 6" to the same fly on the next cast! Had a couple of more pulls in the afternoon around 3pm but had to leave by 4:30 so missed what looked like it could have developed into a relatively decent evening session as flies were begining to emerge along with a few trout.
Most amazing stretch of the fantastic river, first time I've made it out with a rod in a couple of years, what a fantastic start. Thanks to all at the Wye & Usk foundation.

1 Trout, 1 Other

Found directions very good, although missed the entrance first time. Map supplied was very detailed and helpful considering this was my first river outing. Some good fish showing at Bathing Pool and Armies Pool but was down stream of these fish.
Caught two beautifully marked Browns - 8" long on DT8 floating line - Pheasant Hothead/Teal Blue and Silver. Good takes and hard fighters for their size. Look forward to returning for another great day out.

2 Trout