Feedback & Reports

8 x grayling 10-16 inches, 2 x trout 9-10 inches, on two heavy nymphs fished with an 8 foot rod. A grey, close morning, very warm and without a breath of wind. My general experience with these North Herefordshire streams is that, once the may fly is over and done with, I do better with the nymph rather than the dry fly. Nothing much was rising this morning, so that is what I tried. Very low water and my time was limited, so I'm afraid I cherry-picked the beat, just plumbing the deep holes where there was enough flow to move the flies. One good grayling, a decent number in the 10-12 inch range and saw lots of grayling parr, which is always encouraging.

2 Trout, 8 Grayling

River clear. Grayling of 10"(3), 9"(4) & 8"(1) caught on goldhead hare's ear (4), goldhead red tag(2), goldhead white nymph(2). Enjoyable day.

8 Grayling

All looking pretty quiet when I arrived with no sign of rising fish as I walked to the bottom of the beat. Very difficult access on the way up: July is probably not the best month to fish this beat. When I finally found a rising fish to cast to I was immediately joined by a gang of young bulls who waded straight into the water and scattered the fish. I know gang is not the correct collective noun, but I use the word advisedly. And no, they were not bullocks - they had the anatomy to prove it. So after one tiny trout and one diminutive grayling, I decided to cut my losses and head for the main river Wye. As things turned out, it was a very good move!

1 Trout, 1 Grayling

Fished from 4.30pm. All quiet so started with small PTN on long leader and 2nd cast produced a 14" OOS Grayling! Soon after 6pm some sporadic rises so changed to dry and during the evening success with 3 trout (10-13") and 2 further small grayling. All taken on a sedge pattern though the visible fly life was mainly black gnats, medium olives and mayflies. Larger fish taken 1lb 4oz. Home contented in the dark.

3 Trout, 3 Grayling

Fished for a few hours in the early afternoon. Sunny and warm with lots of Olives and Mayflies about. No sign of fish apart from one solitary rise and lots of fry in the margins.

Fished 3-7 in afternoon (obviously just after another fisherman). Fish rising sporadically throughout beat, taking emerging mayflies with gusto, 2 fish x 8 inches, 1 14 inches and 1 belter of 16. Others lost and pricked. All on soggy French partridge and half drowned Dogsbody.

4 Trout

Walked dogs along Pinsley this morning and trout rising everywhere. Decided to pop down to Court of Noke afternoon and early evening. Should not have bothered. Despite a steady Mayfly hatch and other fly, not a rise or sight nor sound of anything. When I first picked up a fly rod four years ago it was Court of Noke I started on. For a couple of seasons had nice bags of trout on a regular basis. Last two years have caught a few parr and fingerling grayling - but have seen nothing decent. This stretch of the Arrow does seem to have deteriorated.

First time river fly fishing, only managed two grayling around 8" but well pleased. Taken on GHE size 18 from deep pools. No fish seen and none rising. Lovey beat, what a way to spend my birthday!

2 Grayling

River still rather high and coloured. Despite fishing hard, no sign of fish to maggot or corn. Newcomers to this beat should realise that if they cross the bridge there is a gate about fifty yards further on. This is quite invisible from the bridge and it is easy to believe that the only access is through the bushes at the end of the bridge.

Overcast and increasingly windy day. Three good sized out of season trout, three minnows and 6 grayling all on trotted maggots. 5 of the grayling were minnow sized and the other was a very large fish that looked over 2lb. Lots of fry in the margins and 4 fish seen rising.

3 Trout, 6 Grayling, 3 Other