Feedback & Reports

Decided to chance my arm on the newly re-opened, Pontithel beat. After it's recent pollution incident and having never fished the Llynfi before, I was not expecting a spectacular result. The river was reading 0.17 on the gauge at Three Cocks, and the river was indeed very low and crystal clear. The bottom was generally covered in the brown algal slime, that is everywhere at the moment. A few of the slacker spots were full of a bright green surface algae too. Needs a good flush.
Started off quite promisingly, with a few small fish showing under the very low hanging trees adjacent to the first meadow. Impossible to get a cast into them though. Continuing on, the river straightened out, almost into a canal, about 18 inches deep, and it was at the top of this run I had my one and only fish, a grayling of approx 8 inches. It was from behind the first of many downed trees. Carried on to the end of the beat seeing a few fish rising in the flats, but approaching them in the very still water was too much for my poor wading technique. Rounding one bend I came across a nice trout of about a pound, but it refused everything. As I was concentrating on the trout, an absolute submarine of a grayling, probably 15-16 inches, cruised past.

An interesting beat, the glides probably need a bit more water, some of the deep holes are very deep, and undoubtedly hold some big fish. Some of the trees across the river are a bit difficult to get round, would be impossible with an extra 6 inches of water. There are plenty of fry in the shallows, which bodes well. The river is also alive with crayfish, I've never seen so many, out in the open water during the day.

A lovely beat, that I will return to.

Fishing Passport Note : A reminder to visiting anglers that signal crayfish, are an invasive aquatic species and have severe negative effects on other aquatic biota. Anglers must ensure against cross contamination by approved check/dry/disinfection procedures, and importantly waders, nets and tackle should be disinfected before and after fishing.

1 Grayling

River was murky and looked like there had been some big floods recently. All I caught was the occasional branch, both above and below water!

Was only able to fish for a couple of hours, and river was quite off-color. One OOS trout.

1 Trout

Tried again today, river was lower although clarity was about the same as yesterday. Managed two Grayling one at about
7oz the other maybe 12oz. Young fish, but good to see they are there again. Both fell to big pink nymphs and fished on a
nymphing line with coloured bite indicator markings.

2 Grayling

Another Christmas trip to Pontithel, river was high but not too bad. Fished as best I could but no joy. I like this stretch
but hate the parking by the busy road.

First time fishing Pontithel. The stream was much bigger than other wild streams I have fished. Started off with 6ft 3wt and soon realised I needed a longer rod. Good thing was the car park was next to the river. So a quick trip back to the car to change to 8ft6.

Had 1 grayling and 4 out-of-season brown, all taking deep pheasant tail nymp.

Could not fish all the way to the beat-end. About 3/4 up the beat, it became too deep to wade. Tried to go around but the left bank had barbed wire and the right bank had thick thorn bushes. Barbed wire was definitely a no. After successfully climbed the steep bank and used the wading stick to make my way through the bushes, ran into another barbed wire. So called it a day and painfully made my way back through the bushed to the river.

Overall, still enjoyed it. Oos browns were quite large for wild brown standard.

Ps > the grayling didn't make it way to the camera as it slipped out before the shot was taken

4 Trout, 1 Grayling

Lost a few flies in the abundant vegetation but an enjoyable half day exploring and problem solving (eg how to get down into and cast into the pools) on the Llynfi at Pontithel. I suspect the level was a touch too high and water too coloured for optimum grayling conditions. Still, learning a bit more with each trip out and would probably go back when conditions more suited. Parking is very close, as long as that layby is empty.

Nice day on the river. Nothing big caught, trout in the 6"-9"range and grayling up to 12". Spotted a grayfish in the clear and low water. Deep pools should hold some nice fish.....

3 Trout, 3 Grayling

RIver low and grubby. Only saw the fish I caught.

1 Trout, 1 Grayling

Staying in Hay-on-Wye for the weekend with my wife. After a visit to Symonds Yat and Tintern Abbey grabbed a cheeky couple of hours fishing before dinner. Pretty beat with a good head of trout but the bank vegetation impossible to navigate so plenty of chest-deep wading along side some of the deeper pools!!! Managed 4 wbt to about 9 inches on a Parachute Adams before returning for dinner - Tomatitos in Hay which is super-friendly and well worth a visit.

4 Trout