Feedback & Reports

river very very low, did not see touch or hear a fish all day!

Arrived at a sunny river, first time on this beat for me, concerns about access seemed somewhat unfounded, ok you can't wade some stretches and the egress/access can be interesting but the manicured banks of the Hampshire chalk streams are not the reason we choose to fish here really is it? AB and I chose to share a rod again having only one wading stick between us and he more than happy to be guided/tutored by me, ha ha! You can rest easy Mr Burch!
The river looked in fine fettle and we looked forward to a productive days fishing, not to be though. Targeting likely spots all we were able to achieve were two lost fish, one to a duo of nymphs and the other to a dry that I didn't even see! Thinking about this later, I concluded it was the angle of strike, being nearer to the river surface when wading deep and keeping low on the Escley yesterday? There are some great glides on this beat but we were totally bemused by the non existence of any rises, slightly odd? Oh, there were some very young Grayling supping further up of which we plucked out one on a grey duster and then thought better of it. We were on the beat at all time of the day for a rise but even though the hatches were small we at least expected some movement, not even those frustrating ones you see in the distance. I believe there were some anglers on the Skenfrith beat the same day, it would be interesting to see their report, probably a bag full knowing my luck ha ha !
With regard to the fly life, white mayfly in September?! Just a few but crikey.

The water was not very clear, however I could catch some good fishes. The best spots are in the ripples, the best one the latest, I lost a Big trout, in the last one quite big, I show it silvering when It decided to bend my rod too much and escape.
Big fun.

3 Trout, 3 Grayling

One tiddler caught in a pool in fast riffles - hooked on an emerger. Missed a couple of small bites. Tough beat given deep pools, even with water levels low, but good mix of conditions, enjoyable nonetheless.

1 Trout

Not quite as magical as the day I had earlier in the month on this beat. River level over a foot lower. Still a few mayflies and yellow Duns and olives. Still took some fish generally in 4 -12ounce bracket. Again fish in pockets once one taken. Maybe lucky for another then a need to move on. I never felt I matched what the fish were taking which seemed some sort of emerger. Flies which worked were Adams Kline, para Adams and small grey wulf.

10 Trout

Water a tad coloured, few rises - but the overall stamp of fish v good. Smallest 12" , biggest just a smidge under 17" from the pool right in front of the studio.

3 Trout

All trout taken on upstream dry fly. Successful flies were Adam's and Mayfly. Good hatches of fly and still good numbers of mayfly about. Fish were in fine condition and between 6 and 8 inches. A few in the 2lb range spotted.
A nice day all round.

3 Trout

Fished from 4 - 10pm. Best time seemed around 7 - 9. Plenty of proper mayflies coming off plus smaller mayflies. Yes you have to trudge the beat and there were sections with not much activity but with careful study good pockets of fish could be found. Of the 14 fish to net most were in the 6oz-12oz bracket. One fish was over a pound and the best was a clonker of around 2lb which gave me a bit of a shock. Perhaps a further 10 shed hook before the net and a couple of those would have been better stamp also. Plenty of missed takes as well. Most fish took a large Adams/small grey Wulf. The chub were very small but there seemed a lot of them going for flies. The access points in about 8 places had been hacked back which helped otherwise access might have been difficult. At one point I took about 5 minutes to haul myself out and one pool looked very inviting with rising fish but the bank was steep and I thought better judgement was required. Very enjoyable day and one of my best on WUF waters.

14 Trout, 2 Chub

Sunny day if a little windy. Saw some mayfly hatching but didn't see a single fish move, which is surprising given that are some really nice pools and glides. Fished in the afternoon, very pleasant but very quiet!

Lovely place but very hard work for me I'm 58 but I will be back.

2 Trout