Feedback & Reports

A soft grey day - the forecast rain did not materialise and the river was in great nick. LDOs and March Browns (? - didn't actually positively identify, not sure they were dark enough!) hatched from 12.30pm till 2pm and in that period we should have had 8 fish on dries - but every one came off, 7 threw the hook and the one that was properly hooked smashed my 3lb point! The rises were often very subtle and even in the fast water I could see fish coming to the fly before they got there - probably means I was trigger happy! Resigned to a fishless - but none the less lovely day in the valley with wood anemomies out - we decided on 1 last go at 3.30pm. Just as I was entering the water a fish rose a couple of rod lengths out - so I waited and up he came again. Given the earlier experiences I wasn't over optimistic but a much more confident take of my size 12 para olive resulted in an excellent scrap from a 16" typical Usk Brownie - well hooked at last, safely returned. First fish of the season! Final score Fish 8 - Bullocks 1.

1 Trout

Two good fish on a deep nymph early on then at about 10.30 the odd March Brown appeared and the occasional fish started rising, so I tied on a dry March Brown. The hatch seemed to gather in intensity and so did the rise peaking at about 12.30 and it was over by 1.30. During this time I netted four decent fish on the dry and lost one. The odd fish rose in the afternoon and I managed to catch two more; one on the dry March Brown and the other, the last rising fish on the lower flats, I eventually beat into submission with a silver sedge. All fish were of a good size and full of fight - plenty of aerial acrobatics.I'd say between 10ozs and 1 1/4 pounds. This was a pretty good showing of March Browns and the fish switched onto them immediately - worthy of the early spring reputation the Usk always had. Let's hope they are making a comeback. Excellent sport!

8 Trout

Lovely day (11.5C or so) and river at last under a foot (on Brecon scale) and running clear, if a little cold. My partner and I arrived to start fishing at around 11.15am and soon saw the odd rise (to LDOs) on the flats near the bridge. These continued until around 3pm when we chose to stop fishing. Nothing seemingly rising further up (where my partner chose to fish) but enough happening at the flats for me to miss one rise altogether, prick another, have a trout on for 20 sec or so until it slipped barbless hook and land one of 3/4lb. Pleased to see dry fly action. Odd March Brown about also.

Very small brown trout, returned safely.

1 Trout

Very small brown trout, returned safely.

1 Trout

Lovely beat, quite a lot of good fly water at this height. About one and a quarter feet on the Glanusk gauge. A bit too deep to wade as much of it as I would have liked though. No sign of any fish moving at all apart from a few small trout in a sun-warmed shallow. Kingfisher, some small dark up-wings about.

No sign of salmon. Fly only. By-catch reprimanded and released.

2 Trout

Lovely day. Water clear and low (4" on Brecon gauge)and 60F. 3 fish caught, best 2 3/4lbs, 2 on nymphs and one on dry fly. There was a steady trickle of LDOs and smaller olives. All fish returned.

3 Trout

River at its lowest level for the whole year, cooler weather though helping fish.

10 Trout

Another lovely day on this most beautiful of beats. There are so many lies for salmon and hiding places for trout. I returned to this beat in the hope of not seeing bathers and dogs and children. I was disappointed!! Even during the evening rise there was a constant stream of people jumping and swimming with their dogs. More poachers seen too by the bridge. No wonder there are no salmon.