Feedback & Reports

Good river condition, but one small grayling caught only.

1 Grayling

This was my third attempt at fishing this beat. The previous two were complete disasters; first visit was about the same time last year and the river was literally about to burst its banks, completely coloured and impossible to fish. The second attempt failed soon after leaving the house as the car started to play up.
A rare case of me being organised and having already bought all my Christmas presents meant that Christmas eve was free. The car was better and despite all the rain we've had in South Wales I noticed the weather had been much better just over the border, so I decided to have another go.
Fortunately it was a case of third time lucky. I arrived to find the weather pleasant and the river looking amazing. I made my way to the bottom of the beat and soon after was delighted to have the first grayling of the day. Two more 8" Grayling and an oos trout came from the same pool.
The rest of the fish came from various pools along the whole length of the beat. The biggest Grayling was ~12" but most fish were between 8 and 10 inches, hard fighting and in immaculate condition. Trout came from shallower glides whereas most of the Grayling came from the deeper pools. All fish went for a size 14 gold head nymph.
This is a stunning beat and certainly challenging. I'm sure I spent more time picking my nymphs out of overhanging branches than actually fishing! Saying that I couldn't have wished for a better way to enjoy my last session of 2014.
Thanks WUF and Merry Christmas!

5 Trout, 9 Grayling

Just a short 4 hour session. Managed just the one chub with the river pushing through and well up.

1 Chub

River looked good for a few fish but did not happen, no bites at all to report. River about 5ft up or so.

Decided to use an earlier wash off for a pre -Christmas session, before it rains again over the next few days! River pushing through though, albeit dropping, and much higher at 0.69m, than the level I usually fish the Irfon when bugging or fly fishing, so decided to trot some maggots instead. Not surprisingly, the fish were not in the places where I usually find them on this beat! River a bit coloured until midday then clear. Found 13 obliging grayling and one OOS trout. As usual this year, most fish were of 10-11" with a few better fish of 13-14". Kingfishers and dippers for company and, unfortunately, a cormorant early on.

1 Trout, 13 Grayling

13 x grayling 10-16 inches, 1 x out of season trout, trotting. I took the only window of opportunity which seemed to be available. More heavy rain due tonight, but at 0.75 and falling to 0.65 by the end of the day, the Irfon looked to be fishable. All the other grayling streams on our list were still in flood. Charlie Picton, who used to look after this water, would reckon that a big winter flood tended to break up the grayling shoals. I certainly had to go looking for them on this occasion, but fish were to be found here and there. No really big ones today, but several at 16 inches. The temperature only got up to 5 degrees and the sun never showed itself, but about 2 in the afternoon there was a brief but intense large dark olive hatch. I actually heard the sound of rising fish before I noticed the duns on the surface. A clever angler would have had a dry fly rod made up ready.

13 Grayling

A slow day on a river that looked just right. One bite, one fish, a PB Chub of 5lbs. Thanks WUF. Happy christmas.

1 Chub

A bitter cold day with some sunshine. The Arrow was carrying a bit of extra water from recent rain and with a tinge of colour I was almost going to turn around and come home. My client was keen to try though and thanks to his enthusiasm we banked 7 grayling and lost one very good one, all to trotted maggot. Each fish was in perfect condition. Some of the pools had changed and a few fallen trees made certain runs I had in mind, unfishable. No trout, but we did catch a bullhead trundling bottom - haven't seen one of those since I was a kid, mad little thing. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable days fishing.

7 Grayling

First time on Courtfield. Looked some pikey looking swims but unfortunately the pike weren't playing, although the river looked good. It was a little low and clear but we have fished in much worse conditions. Two of us fished all day, covering the whole stretch without a touch.

19 x grayling 6-16 inches, 10 x out of season trout 7-14 inches, trotting. This beat has been fished fairly hard over the weekend, but I had a wash-off in the bank so I thought I would give it a go. 18 inches on the gauge. Cold showers to begin; sunny later. A salmon kelt was wallowing and dying in the shallows with the characteristic white fungus. Eventually I cut the session short after lunch due to post-spawning trout which seemed to be all over the place.

19 Grayling