Feedback & Reports

After fishing Upper I decided to have a go at the Lower whilst I was here and had an hour to spare. Some good fish rising at the bottom end of the beat near the campsite, rose several fish but they were too quick for me (or the other way around) - sun was a bit high and bright and I struggled up until the top end of the beat. Some lovely looking runs that would take a nymph well, no doubt on a rise there are plenty more fish here. At the confluence with the Escley 3 fish rose to the mayfly pattern, great fun. Lovely beat - one of my favourites I think and good for a beginner to the small streams with less cover over your casting shoulder. Highly recommended.

3 Trout

Both trout were below takeable weight, and all fish safely returned. A great streach of river,nice and quiet and well away from modern distractions, easy access to the river,was well recieved. I will certinly return to have another thrash for those larger brownies which I know lurk in those pools.

2 Trout, 1 Grayling

River level now 9 inches so concentrated on the runs and necks, nothing on the fly early so tried spinner in the neck of the Rectory. Soon hooked nice silver fish of about 10lbs only for for it to come off after long fight, thought I had got it !! Continued on down the run and hooked another only 10 minutes later, fortunately landed this one at 14lbs, again lovely conditioned fish that swam of strongly. Caught a nice sized shad in the Mill Stream on fly later.
First time I had fished these bottom pools and notes were invaluable, thanks WUF. Although had a real struggle battling through the under growth to some pools and could not find a way through to Upper Glangwye !!
Another very enjoyable day on the Rectory.

1 Salmon, 1 Other

A wonderful afternoon on some fabulous fly water. An excellent height for this beat and felt fishy in many places. Alas no contact with Salmon nor any sightings but I am sure they were there. One lovely Chub got the heart racing. Met another angler, thanks for pork pie and that wine is wasted on me, turn out he lives 5 minutes away from me :-). A great day!
Thanks WUF, if you could now just find me a taker. Be back soon.

One wbt 13",caught during a splendid mayfly afternoon/ evening.

1 Trout

1 x 18 inch WBT caught on a Caddis larva at 11am, 1 x 19 inch WBT caught on a Yellow May emerger at 9pm. In between various sizes between 8 and 12 inches including a Shad around 2lbs and Grayling between 1lb and 2lb. Warm sunny day with reasonable hatch of mays from around 5pm. Strong population of stone clinging Heps and Baetis nymphs, worms and Hydrosphyches. Some large cased Caddis too.

7 Trout, 5 Grayling, 2 Pike

This place is absolutely perfect for a fine day's trout fishing. The river was in tip top condition with just a slight colour to it but otherwise faultless. Great combination of glides and pools all yielding the finest looking brownies I've seen in a long time. I arrived at 8am and left at 4.30pm and caught fish consistently throughout the day. Despite the prolific mayfly hatch, almost all of the action was subsurface and upstream nymph was the order of the day. I began with a hare's ear nymph fished shallow and caught plenty of brownies between 6 and 7 inches, all beautifully coloured and conditioned. On the advice of the cottage occupant, I switched to a deeper presentation and fished the nymph deep into the pools and landed two or three 9 inch brownies and a gorgeous 12 inch grayling. My catch record above is an estimate as I lost count after the 10th fish!

15 Trout, 1 Grayling

3 Trout

Lovely fly water at 8" on Fownhope Gauge but we didn't see a fish or feel a pull all day!

A few fish were rising regularly but not tempted by numerous dry flies I tried, mostly klinkhammers, although I think I missed one or two chances. I am unused to river fly fishing methods and would like to come back sometime with a guide. The sound of drums from the Mill House was unexpected in the countryside, but I got used to it after a while.