Feedback & Reports

Day started 12 degrees and overcast/light rain. Forecast was to brighten up. Water was low, but pushing through with the faintest of peat stain to colour, so fish in depths were hidden. The only issue was a blustery downstream wind, which was cold. Weather turned bright and cloudless about 2pm. there were soome insects hatching and a very few rises.

Stuck to dry: para's and a mixture of grey, brown and even the odd black. Size 14 worked best. Tried to cover the whole beat, but the wading on the lowest part was a real ankle breaker and I gave that up. The best pool turned out to be the 'main' field pool, which is some 300 metres long and a great glide. Action in tail and head. Middle 100m almost dead.

I fished 2 sessions. The break (to stock up with flies and tippet: Thanks Sports Fish, but they do a good impression of a wounded rhino...) didn't improve my reaction times. I literally lost count the number of times my fly was taken and I managed to miss them. Maybe 40? The ones I got were 3 in am session and 2 in evening. Most were 7" to 11", but the prize of the day (week?), from the rough water at the head of the productive pool, was a stonking 21" grayling that was only just hooked in the lip on a HE dry of my own tying on a Moser barbless hook. which any will tell you are bloody useless as hooks... They are effectively bent pins and have a tendency to revert to type under any pressure... Lucky me!

The day ended cold. My car said it was 11 degrees (from a high at 4pm at 17) at 8:26 pm. That is why the rise was so pathetic I guess...

Another great day out. Thanks WUF!

1 Trout, 4 Grayling

1 Trout, 4 Grayling

The river looked perfect and so expectations for the island swim were high. We used the usual feeder technique with a variety of baits and whilst we also lost a couple of barbel the returns were not as spectacular as when we last visited. Still an excellent day out and always the chance of a PB as these chub in the swim have such a high average weight and are in excellent condition. A really well managed and presented beat which is a privilege to fish.

3 Barbel, 21 Chub

River looking great condition. Lovely stretch but like yesterday on HL4 the fishing was slow. The other rod fished the bend and had a little more success. Caught the fish at miday in pre baited swim. Waited for evening thinking things might happen but they simply didn't. Salmon and pike showing everywhere. I'll be back!!

1 Barbel

Beautiful venue. Lots of fish jumping... none taking.

Difficult day, fish taking very small midge/gnats and very wary in the clear water. Struggled until almost dark and then managed a few during a Pale Watery hatch.

6 Trout

A late start. Took 3 good graling fairly quickly - two of which were in the 16 inch class. One on a hairs ear and two on a black Dibbler. A large hatch of blue winged olives was interspersed with sedge hatches later on but no more fish caught. This is a superb and varied beat that is also very accessible. I will be back again soon.

3 Grayling

Really well conditioned fish. All on fly.

5 Trout

Spin. Low water. Fishing from 1 till 7 PM. Fairly bright day. Many fish was interested in lures but very few actually attacked it properly.

C&R

6 Trout

This was the first time I visited the area. The Grywne Fawr is a very beautiful little river in a wild setting. It is good for the soul to spend time in such a place. I started fishing the bottom of the beat and worked my way up. Very carefully at first. But as time went on, and as I fished all the structures and specifically concentrating on the deeper pools I started to doubt that there was much fish to be caught. In fact, I walked the entire beat font and back and did not see a single sign of a trout. No rises in the distance, no fish being spooked as you wade up river. I am convinced the fish had moved downriver, perhaps due to the time of the season, or river level - not sure! I packed up before lunch. It is a real shame as I love to fish small and wild rivers like this. So to summarise: the location was stunning, but the fishing disappointing.