Feedback & Reports

Trout caught on a dry fly size 16. I used light-beige colored flies. River was slightly tinged with runoff. Plenty of trout starting to rise once the bug hatches begin around 7-8pm. Beautiful location with easy access and camping nearby. Bummed the pub was under renovation but hopefully I’ll be back in the future to experience it at a later time! Big thanks to the property owner for making this type of experience possible for a guy like me coming from America to the UK for the first time. Absolutely loved it!

1 Trout

Enjoyed a couple of hours fishing in the evening, working up the river from the bridge. No interest in nymphs or wets, so tried the dry fly above the riffles at the top. Plenty of takes but nothing landed...broken off by 1 trout, most were taking very tentatively and difficult to hook. Very good dry water at the top with plenty of fish about. You do need to wade but its an interesting little beat. Many thanks to owner Barry for being so hospitable and sharing his knowledge of the beat with me.

A great day out on this lovely stretch of water. Two Chubb caught and returned using a dark PTN and a lovely Trout, at what i'm estimating to be two pounds in weight, jumped out of the water and threw the hook. Saw a Mink early in the day just below the bridge. Thank you to the keeper for informing of the best places to fish.
Looking forward to returning soon.

2 Chub

Weather was quite mixed and breezy at times. We fished from 11 until 4.30 as we were booked on another beat for the evening. With some helpful advice from the Beat owner we enjoyed the fishing and when we found fish rising they were taking emerged patterns. 2 on the drys and 1 on the nymph. It is a good beat once you get into the water. We found this easier from the caravan side and up river from the bridge.

3 Trout

Beautiful setting, conditions ideal for wading where appropriate. But unfortunately, no salmon caught today. Will definitely go back. Beat owner incredibly helpful and welcoming , for which many thanks .

River was a little murky on arrival which surprised me - maybe a weekend thunderstorm, or just that this is a lower beat than I usually fish? c. 3ft visibility at start, but it fished well. Maybe it encouraged the insects, and/or the trout were less wary than they would normally be in the sun? I was hoping for a green drake hatch, did see just a few duns and spent spinners of those but it never really materialised and the trout did not switch on to them. However there were other mayflies hatching, in particular yellow may. I've never seen so many yellow mays hatching - in my experience these are usually very sporadic with just the odd one or two. Not here - still not loads but it was steady enough through the day and the trout were definitely on to them - all eight trout caught on yellowish-green dries, either emergers or spinner patterns later on. Not electric for most of the day, but if you looked hard and walked the beat you could usually find one rising. Most were caught late in the day - then the yellow may spinners came out and for about 90 minutes it was epic! The largest fish of 16" came then, but it was rather a lucky dip as most were sipping the spinners very delicately, so often impossible to say if the trout were big or small. Average size was good though as usual for the Usk - most fish were in the teens. Some tricky wading and casting to reach the best swims, from tight spots with trees and bushes close behind - glad I chose the bamboo rod today as most of them demanded a good roll cast, there was no other way to reach them. I just woudn't have been able to make the cast to cover most of the fish with a faster-action rod. Also lovely for playing the fish - the give protects the tippet so well especially in close quarters with cover nearby (and feels great too). Bamboo is not dead! All fish released as usual. Thanks again for a lovely session!

8 Trout

This was a last-minute booking after we were washed off our regular Wye beat. The river was running clear and at a good pace to swing a fly for most of the beat (0.7m on the Chainbridge gauge). No salmon seen or caught, but at least we had a chance. Many thanks to Allyson for recommending the beat and to the owner (Barry), who very kindly called to offer advice.

Lovely beat, running a little fast and high, however the fishing was excellent. Returned 5 brown trout, all caught on floating line and small nymphs under a Klink hammer dry fly.
Many thanks to Barry for contacting me and giving me a great run down on the beat.
Well worth a visit when the water level is a little lower.

5 Trout

Very cold (7 deg) but lunchtime sun brought slight hatch.

4 Trout

A bright day with cool downstream breeze could not dampen the enthusiasm of being out to play at last after the longest close season in living memory. River was a perfect colour. The electronic Natural Resources Wales gauge was indicating 1.10 m although the robust physical one at the foot of the steps was indicating just under 1.0 m on arrival which appeared a more accurate representation for those of us familiar with the beat. This 10 cm discrepancy could put people off on what was an eminently fishable day and wadeable with care. Close season bank work on Upper Rock has improved accessibility and it was possible for us to wade from the top of the beat almost to the Chine on lovely fly water. At this height there is also a good flow below the bridge by the pub and just upstream of the cables. Felt I was going to get a take with every cast.. Intermittent hatch of Grannom from 12 till 2 and just 1 or 2 LDO’s could not tempt even trout to show. Still a lovely day in great company.