Feedback & Reports

First time out this season; first time on this beat; and first time for several years using a 6ft rod. 11.50 - 14.10hrs. I found the suggested access to the water easy at the bottom of the beat, and a piscatorial world in miniscule under the canopy; low water, some small dark olives, and feeding fish. However it soon became clear that they were taking something in, or just under the surface film. So replaced a size 16 dry Greenwell with an unweighted PT nymph. Spooked several, rose and missed a couple, a very brief encounter with another and brought two 8 inchers to hand before finishing just beyond the bends above the bridge. Since I was struggling with proper line management and drag avoidance with the short rod, I was delighted with this. However a word of warning, while enjoying my picnic a couple of very friendly Labradors arrived splashing their way downstream and had I been planning to continue, this would have put paid to any likely activity for an hour or so, I guess. In all other respects a great little beat, and rather less challenging than many of the Wild Streams. Lots of trout too! And a profusion of wonderful wild garlic on the bankside, as a bonus.

2 Trout

3 x trout 7-10 inches, Rusty Klinkhammer. An early morning visit, though in warmer weather than of late. Rose 7 fish and hooked just 3, which was suitably humbling.

3 Trout

A cold, sunny day saw no fish rise, took four smaller fish on the Duo thanks to a small hares ear nymph. The better fish of the day fell to a tungsten bead nymph bumped along the bottom of the deeper pools. 7 trout for the cause and five lost off the hook in fast riffles due to awkward casting in the tight tree cover. An enjoyable stretch I would visit again before the brambles recover.

7 Trout

Very bright and warm day with a little breeze, water clear so I saw little sign of the trout. Not much hatching and only saw a couple of splashy rises tight under the bankside foliage so I couldn't give them a go. Perservered with weighted PTN and landed 4 good condition 8/9" trout. Folks passing on the footpath were very pleasant and chatty, and the dog owners kept them out of the water when they saw me. A very nice day.

4 Trout

First time out for me this year, and surprisingly not a blank.
The brook was running well but did appear a little coloured.
I started on the nymphs but at the second or third bend I saw a fish rise, a quick change to a rusty klinkhammer resulted in my first of the season.
I continued on the dry for a while losing one and missing one, before switching to a GHRE and catching three more trout one of which was close to 12 inches.
I had one more on the dry later on before heading home, overall a very enjoyable trip.

5 Trout

Sunday was a few degrees cooler than the preceding couple of days with a chill wind to boot. I optimistically started with dries but, about half way along the beat, gave up and switched to nymphs. I reckon the trout were feeling the change in the weather too and there wasn't any activity in the runs. I'll confess to not being terribly good (or comfortable) fishing nymphs any more than a foot down but still had a couple of pulls in the deeper pools; nothing stayed on for more that five or six seconds though.
Aside from the cold (it was sunny when I left home so, obviously, I didn't dress warmly enough!) it was pleasant to be out. There are a couple of newly fallen trees making some sections much harder to fish but someone has also been through and cut back a few branches here and there opening up more water so it all balances out and keeps the stream interesting.

Great to be out - perhaps not the easiest day on Bideford but I was happy with 5 on PTN, 6-8".

5 Trout

Unfortunately I was unable to fish.

11 x trout 6-10 inches, Goldhead Hare's Ear nymph. It's a bit early for the small streams but, the levels being as they are on the Usk, there was not much other choice available for running water. In fact, although the water was still fairly high and turbulent, the fishing seemed quite advanced - like the rest of the spring - with fat little trout in nice condition in the runs as well as the pools. I saw large dark olives and a couple of rises while walking back to the car lunchtime.

11 Trout

3 x trout 6-8 inches, Rusty Klinkhammer. At the end of an exceptionally warm autumn day, I spent just an hour before dark doing the bottom 100 yards. I guess that will be the last time this year. Farmer also using the last of the light to plough up the field on the right bank.

3 Trout