Feedback & Reports

River perfect at 8" on the Ddol Farm guage and running clear, so that helped the wading on this beat where some care is needed at all times. Very sunny all day with little wind. Some sedges present a.m. and p.m., a few small olives on the water in the afternoon and some big spinners in the air in the evening as well. A few fish rose off and on all day and I even caught my last lady at 8.30pm when I could barely see the olive that I had cast to the rise. Lovely stuff! As at Abernant last week, the grayling were in heads-up mode but here some trout were rising too. Fished a single emerger most of the day and took fish on it as well when fishing duo with various small nymphs, none of which elicited any response. Most grayling of 13-15" and trout 14-15". As usual at Doldowlod, the absence of smaller year-classes of grayling is always a concern. Undoubtedly the goosanders, four here today, have a say in that. Took rising and non-rising fish on small hare's ear and dark olive emergers and one on a Grayling Steel Blue. The little olive was by far the most favoured. A lovely day right through to the dusky finish!

8 Trout, 14 Grayling

All fish caught on dry fly, hopper and red quill. River very low and clear and a very bright sunlight so quite difficult but still fish rising though several takes missed. Familiar with the beat but haven't fished it for years, pleasantly surprised by the number of fish moving. Its a fabulous stretch of river well maintained.

1 Trout, 3 Grayling

Only fished from midday, just as the sun started to show! First time on the beat cracking fly water, should have done a full day. No fish caught, saw a 2 or 3 fish splashing in the Vanstone.
More rain please.

Fished morning only. Few fish rising. No takes despite several fishing methods. Will try this beat again.

Water level very low. Nice stream and accessible. 8 trout caught, from 4" to 13".

8 Trout

Great afternoon fishing. Caught 3 good grayling one of which was nearly a pond. Two to weighted nymph and one to dry fly. No sign of any trout. Only sporadic rises but there was good fish activity.

3 Grayling

Fly fishing only. Gauge at 6", weather cloudy & dry, wind stiffening from the east. Made it to the beat at 6am to get some pre breakfast fishing and to beat the canoes. It paid off, a 7lb grilse caught in the Vanstone on a red Ally's Shrimp. Slightly coloured, it was not fresh.

Nice fly water though it was on the low side which meant that the fly didn't swing as easily as I would have liked though it did make wading easier. Way too many canoes but should be expected on bank holiday weekend I guess. Access to some of the pools was a little tricky. Maps and pool descriptions were spot on.

Stayed a Orles Barn, Ross on Wye. It's very comfortable and the food is very good.

Finally, great service from the WUF.

1 Salmon

4 Barbel on pellet. Another hard day.

4 Barbel

2 x trout 12 and 15 inch, Mallard and Claret and Hatching Olive. A late evening session before the wind dropped at dusk.

2 Trout

Fished the first third of the beat late afternoon. Six small trout on my own pattern nymph (Irfon Bug) fished upstream dead drift. Hooked two other fish, one was larger, but the hook hold lost. Very nice stretch of water: the main challenge seems to be getting into a position to cast at the likely pools without spooking the fish. The nature of the riverbank and the extent of vegetation this time of year precluded a stealthy approach from the bank which makes the game harder. I saw several fish spook from the merest hint of water movement or gravel disturbance while wading.

6 Trout