Feedback & Reports

Hard work today. Not sure why as the river looked to be in reasonable condition. OK, so it was up a bit and really pushing through and it had been cold overnight. Talking to the farmer, the river had been carrying colour on Saturday, but come Sunday the colour had all but gone so it was a confident angler striding down to the bottom of the beat on a glorious autumn morning. Not to be though and, come lunchtime not so much as a sniff of a fish. More and more frequent changes of fly during the afternoon. All the usual suspects - PTNs, GRHEs, Copper Johns, Czech Nymphs etc - but to no avail. Finally saved the blank by putting on a Klinkhammer and casting to the first fish I had seen rise all day. More of the same in the next run on a day when results did not match application.

First time on the beat. A big river - it is surprising what a difference being a few miles downstream makes - and, with a nasty downstream wind, was glad that I took the 9 ft rod. Mind you, with so many meanders and being able to fish both banks, the downstream wind was less of a problem that it otherwise might have been. Gin clear water. River pushing through.

Started in the bottom weir and moved upstream looking for the sort of even-paced runs that are usually stuffed full of Grayling on the Lugg at this time of year. In spite of finding plenty of likely looking candidates, it didn't really work out that way although, I picked up fish fairly consistently as I worked up river but, if memory serves, never more than one fish per run. I ended up with around a dozen Grayling - mostly in the 10-12 inch bracket - on Czech nymphs/PTNs/Copper Johns. Found a few fish rising, just above the Bridge mid-afternoon. Switched to a Klinkhammer for a couple of small Trout and a couple of even smaller Grayling before an early finish to beat the rain.

An interesting beat which, under better conditions, should really produce.

7 x grayling 10-19 inches, 2 out of season trout 8-9 inches. I spent nearly all the day bugging, a brief dry fly spell after lunch resulting only in a large number of grayling parr from the gravel flats. It was quite a business locating fish of size, but then in late afternoon three very nice fish in succession came from a single hole: 15 inches, 19 inches and then 17 inches. I was duly impressed; I don't see 19 inch grayling every day.

Twenty fish caught (14 grayling and six trout), most of which were around 10". All caught on Czezh nymphs fished in the riffles (the induced take method worked really here). Didn't see any fish rising and there was only a very sparse hatch of what looked like pale wateries in the early afternoon. The river is narrow at the lower end of the beat and is too deep/silty to wade. You can fish from the bank but the pace is slow (feels more like a coarse fishing section). The few gravel glides riffles in the mid section offer easier wading. Didn't try above the weir or the wooded section so not sure how the top end of the beat fishes. A nice new acquistion for the WUF.

River level high, but still had a good day at this beautiful beat. Catch returns as follows: IM, 2 Grayling to 10". TH, 4 Grayling to 16" and 6 out of sesaon trout to 14". All fish returned in good condition, all caught on nymphs.

2 anglers sharing 1 rod (teaching a beginner) 9am to 2pm. River was at 1ft 3 on the Byton gauge, running quite coloured. 12 grayling (best a stunning fish over 2lb) and a couple of out of season brown trout. All were caught on nymphs fished deep. Superb beat with easy access & wading. Great day.