Feedback & Reports

A tough day on a very overgrown beat. I failed to estimate that the undergrowth but be at its highest and hence access to the water proved tricky.
Where I could get in I would have one cast then catch a tree or the bank. I lost a decent OOS grayling that took a dry and had a couple of refusals. Fly life was great but not many rising fish in evidence. I suspect if Id stayed until the sun was off the water this may have been different.
A first for me was to see a mole swimming across the river, moles can swim, who knew??

Short afternoon session today, was supposed to be a recon mission but tempted by some nice pools and runs at the top of the beat I didn't explore much. What I did see was encouraging, will come back for sure. Car park might do with a trim otherwise excellent access with pipe on the barbed wire noting access points, nice touch. 1 WBT on small nymph, klink and dink, no rises.

1 Trout

Water very high by virtue of the rain

River still quite high. Nothing seen

Couple of hours at midday. trotting for grayling but only an out of season, but very fit, 12 inch WBT caught and returned.

1 Trout

Terrible access, and with the river up a little, much of the river was inaccessible/ dangerous even with chest waders. Only a few fishable swims. Won’t be returning.

Even in lower water conditions I don’t see this to be an inspiring beat. I love my small streams, not this one.

Arrived to blue sky, snow on the ground and sub zero temperature. Two of us trotted maggots through the deeper pools, difficult to trot at first due to line freezing in the rod rings. Around midday temperature just got above freezing making fishing easier. Only connected with 2 small grayling and a minnow. Both cormorants and goosanders seen on the beat.

2 Grayling, 1 Other

Fishing abandoned after the first pool. A mixture of Himalayan Balsam and nettles have grown up to obscure the bank along pretty much the entire beat. I have enough knowledge of this beat to know that there are some well camouflaged drops into the water, but not enough knowledge to remember exactly where they are. Shame as this was one of my favourites earlier in the year. Still, at least it stays open for Grayling fishing, which will give the flora chance to die off a bit.

Arrived mid afternoon and fished for 3 hours. On and off drizzle during fishing. Caught 6 trout and a very small grayling. Some active risers, others by prospecting. Trout were all between 5 to 8 inches. All caught on dry flies. Sz18 para Adams and black klinkhammers.

6 Trout, 1 Grayling