Feedback & Reports

6 Trout

After a long wait we finally managed to book onto this beat. Great beat but with limited swims, which may have been due to exceptionally low river level. Blistering sum and 30 degrees made fishing uncomfortable, but at least sun was on our backs.
Having walked the beat, we were pleased to see the other angler fishing last peg on the island, and he informed us we were on the island as we wouldn't have known as water dried up between island and main bank. He was bagging up on chub on floaty which was promising. As other reports have mentioned the path at the far bank is tricky, and we struggled even without our kit.
We fished the deeper water nearer the end 10.30-17.30 but really struggled, only managing to winkle out one 3+lb chub on meat. Hopefully next time it will not be quite as warm.

1 Chub

Far too low and hot so only fish for a very short time.

1 Chub

2 Trout

Low bright conditions very busy with bathers but enjoyable after 8oclk barble caught to corn and pellets largest barble 4lb chub to3lb not advise fishing on the weekend or holiday times early morning best I think enjoyable few hours

3 Barbel, 4 Chub

Arrived at 6am before the heat of the day and left at 12:30
River very low and clear
Fished in the usual spots
All fish caught on the float with bread flake or meat
No barbel caught
50 plus Chub caught I lost count
Very nice morning then went home for lunch
I would think last knockings tonight would be amazing but not for me today it’s just to hot ????

50 Chub

Nothing caught, fished only for a few hours due to very low water levels and oppressive heat. Unfortunately one of the penalties of booking in advance, better value to join one of the local clubs. Very serious concerns over the condition of this beautiful river.

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I've never fished this beat this late in the summer before so hadn't seen the water so low - it certainly changed the nature of the beat. It is still gorgeous with some very tight, overgrown parts to navigate but, of course, less fishable water with some stretches only a few inches deep. I started at 0630 in an effort to beat the heat. The water was just under 14C, which I thought wasn't too bad considering the run of hot, dry weather. The larger pools I remembered from before were still there, just a little lower and harder to approach. The first three hours were hard work - no fish seen rising but I persevered on hands and knees approaching each pool and tiny run. It was apparent that this brook is still full of plenty of healthy fish - every pool had a handful sitting motionless on the bottom that flashed away when I got close - but I had to get really close. I got within 6ft of some decent looking fish in crystal clear water that zipped upstream only to gently slide back into the same position 3 or 4 mins later as I stood still changing flies. It was exciting to see, but they clearly weren't interested in feeding.
Around 0900 I saw the odd rise and then had a 7" trout on a PTN in one of those lovely deep, very narrow bedrock channels. A few more pulls and splashes near the dry fly kept me entertained until the waterfall below the mill which, as ever, produced the best fish of the day - 2 trout at 7" and 9" on a GRHE and PTN respectively.
I finished at 1120 having fished to just past the mill - walking out of the thick woods into the sunshine felt like opening an oven door!
Lovely day, as always. This is my absolute favourite beat and I must make the effort later in the season.

3 Trout