Feedback & Reports

First fishing of 2015 took me to the Arrow for winter grayling. The water was coloured but I gave it a go with both upstream nymphing with pink shrimps and trotting with maggots.
Both techniques produced fish. Nothing of any size but there are plenty of fish in this section of the river based on the number of bites I missed!

4 Grayling

Nothing caught this time.

I had not fished this section before and was unsure of the effect the extra water in the river would have on the fishing. The river was running fast with a good colour. The EA river level reading at Butts Bridge was 1.22m. Although not having any previous experience of the river I would imagine that it would have been better to fish if there was a foot less water in the river.
My dad and I fished a bread feeder for the majority of the time although I did try cheese and maggot. We had 6 chub in total, 4 small chub of about 1lb for me and a small chub and a fish of 3lb 8oz for dad.
A nice stretch but with lots of snags that the fish were well aware of (I lost 2 in near bank snags).

6 Chub

The river was up a little when we got there but rose about 4 feet during the day. I caught 2 on my first 2 casts. Richard pike fished with no luck. The best chub was about 4 pounds.

5 Chub

No catches, appalling weather, called it a day after an hour on the upper stretch. Access to river very difficult at point instructed and due to overgrown brambles it is also very difficult to walk along the beat between pools. Is there another place to access?

A bit of a struggle but nice to catch something on the first day of the year. The predicted breeze was more like a gale at times which made fishing difficult. One small grayling and two of 10 inches, taken on PTN and Czech nymphs. Also lost a small trout.

3 Grayling

What a lovely small river, I arrived at 8.30am and was greeted with a smile by the couple who live in the white cottage, what a great start to the day. The weather was very windy and the rain stayed off until 2pm, I managed 5 chub the largest weighing in at 2.5lbs, but I went down to enjoy myself which I did and took maggots with a small feeder rod and just in case a float rod.
I will be back.

5 Chub

This was my first time fishing a Foundation beat, I'm pleased to say we were not disappointed, despite the very wintery weather with high winds making trotting very difficult. The river was spot on for fishing with a tinge of colour. We finished with 7 Grayling and one trout all together a very enjoyable day cannot wait to get back.

1 Trout, 7 Grayling

8 x grayling 7-14 inches, 3 x out of season trout 8-13 inches, Pink Shrimp. Plenty of water coming down with a nice greenish colour. Frost to start but warming as the day went on. Heavy bugging all through, one with Tenkara and the other with conventional gear.

8 Grayling

Gave Chanstone a go as I've never fished it in winter. Heavy bugs took all fish one out of season brownie of 10 inches and four grayling, three of eight inches and one which I was shocked at of 16 inches. A heck of a good fish this far up the dore, fought very hard on my 6ft #2 rod.

1 Trout, 4 Grayling