Feedback & Reports

Caught a 9.5lb Salmon on the Fly (Size 11 Calvin Shrimp) from Lower Trostrey on the R.Usk. River slightly coloured but clearing after recent rise.

1 Salmon

The river wasn't particularly high so I was surprised to find, when I arrived, that it was thickly coloured with visibility down to two inches. Might have been ok for barbel but I was fishing for pike, and blanked!

First time I had fished this beautiful beat. It looked full of promise but, in the event, I saw very few fish all day. Those that I saw rise were frustratingly unreachable and the day ended blank.

5 fish caught between JD and JE all between 10 and 18". Two large WBT (16 and 18) fell to klinkhammer dry as they finned around shallow pools for fry. Generally not much hatching although big fish were rising throughout beat particularly towards dusk.

5 Trout

Used feeder tactics in swim at downstream end of venue. Took two Chub including one fish of 2 and a half pounds. Also caught several Dace, Roach & Bleak. Conditions difficult as recent rain meant there was quite a lot of floating weed in the river.
Very beautiful surroundings and a helpful bailiff made it a pleasant day. The only observation I would make is that the swim I used and several others I saw appeared to be quite treacherous with mud and steep banks meaning it was very easy to fall in, a big enough danger at this time of year but even worse in Winter. Difficult to suggest a solution other than to warn visting anglers to be extra careful.

2 Chub, 5 Other

River at 1ft 5" and 4ft vis. Great conditions. I only had time to fish Rock but missed a salmon like pull in neck and then had a storming take in the tail to a size 8 Bann Shrimp. Thought it was a very big fish a first, a thought reinforced when after swimming up to me it ripped 50 yards off the reel at alarming speed. Turned out to be a coloured hen of around 13lb that had the length to have been several pounds heavier when she ran in. Didn't cast again but a friend fished my rod and had a 37" kyped up cock fish (C.12lb) from neck of Rectory on a size 9 flamethrower.

2 Salmon

Very enjoyable days fishing. Caught in deeper water on feeder and pellet tactics. Barbel to 8lb and chub to 4. Fish came on and off through day.

14 Barbel, 11 Chub

10lb hen fish, coloured, returned, taken on a flamethrower conehead tube.

1 Salmon

Water level up about 3ft from previous day, gone from clear to chocolate coloured with a fair old push. Only fished the morning but had one barbel of about 7lb to pellet.

1 Barbel

Arrived at 7 a.m. to find the river at good fishing height (0.72m and falling) but unexpectedly a deep red colour with visibility of 6 inches.

Toiled with a large gold and yellow flying C for 6 hrs with only a 4oz and and 8oz trout (equals my season's record!) to show for my efforts. Owner Barry arrived with a colleague and a most enjoyable afternoon ensued. River dropped to 0.64m during the day clearing slowly. Had a swish with the 15 footer for a few hrs. Then spun below the bridge. Not a trout or salmon showed all day. Decided to have a last fling on Rock at 6pm and was rewarded for my persistence when a lovely 10lb hen accepted my Golden Killer, tore off with attitude and leapt out of the water above me. After a lively fight she was returned and swam off strongly. Another lovely and lucky day.

1 Salmon