Feedback & Reports

Afternoon started well with nice 10” brownie on first cast on PT nymph, but that was it, or at least the only one hooked. Changed to dries on seeing the very occasional rise & missed a few takes from very fast & probably very small fish. Got out shortly after the fallen trees, now just passable with care.

1 Trout

The first time I have had a 'duck' on this beat. Water good - no activity. Otter prints!!!! Good ranunculus. Much better access on upper section - thanks W&U! BUT: bluebells, wild garlic etc. and dozens of sand martins also steak sandwich and pint of cider at the Riverside.................who needs fish?

Bright and breezy day with the odd brook dun and a sporadic trickle of yellow mays appearing. Never quite enough hatching to get fish rising happily to the adult duns, but fished dry fly anyway and managed a few mostly to emerger patterns. Couple of rods fishing the opposite bank.

7 Trout

Evening session nothing caught

Got to river later than I wanted, fished the fly down the rock pool and bang into a fish yes, but we parted company when it screamed straight at me. .
Shad are now present

3 Other

Morning session 10 to 12.30. 5 WBT on nymph. No significant hatches and no rises seen.

5 Trout

Afternoon session 1 to 4pm. A couple of fish seen rising but all fish caught on nymph.

4 Trout

First hot day of the year! River at a nice height (10" on the Brecon gauge) and running clear. Fished the very bottom of the beat from 11:00. Some rises to Olives; took one BT on Olive CDC but that was it in terms of rising fish - even though there was a good hatch of olives around 15:30.

There have been concerns expressed re accessibility on this beat. Though a mile in length large sections are unfishable because of deep water and trees. The very bottom of the beat is a nice spot for dry fly/upstream nymph but you then have to walk half the length of the beat to be able to drop in the water again. The top third of the beat is nicely accessible - but it was a 35 minute walk back to the parking at Ashford House. Parking adjacent to Tal y Bont bridge at the top of the beat is problematic thanks to a profusion of double yellow lines. Fording Caerfanell stream was tricky for someone who is not quite as agile as they once were - the winter flood had carved out a deep central section and some of the banks are vertical slopes. A more clearly marked route across the stream would be helpful to those unfamiliar with the terrain.

1 Trout

1 Trout

Fly and spinner nil return other than one small Shad. River at a good height but no fish seen which at this time of the year was unheard of. Access to two of the best runs difficult in one case and dangerous in another (the Neck) which was one of the best runs at the same height when I last had the Friday rods some 30 years ago. Beat requires some bank work and trimming/clearance of withies on the Islands. Additionally, some less than thoughtful anglers have discarded their rubbish by dropping it over the veranda of the fishing hut. Saddening lack of weed in the river which used to be plentiful particularly above Boughrood Bridge. It was also sad to see a once glorious part of the river reduced to what it is now. River authorities need to hang their head in shame.