Feedback & Reports

After leaving the Upper Irfon beat I thought I’d stop off at Aberbwtran mainly out of interest in seeing if the Grayling shoal I found last week was still in the same place..it was and I caught 5 fighting fit fish between 12”-15” all came to a #16 Griffiths Gnat. An hour of rain put them down and I hooked and lost one other to a #16 tungsten hares ear.

5 Grayling

I opted for the Irfon today knowing there would be more water than on the smaller streams. I have had very mixed results on this beat over the years, it’s not an easy stretch to fish and usually Aberbwtran Pool has produced the best results ..but not today. I started at 8.30 at the big pool knowing I could return to it at the end of the session but nothing doing at all, moved to the other end of the beat and slowly worked every gutter with nymphs on the bottom and was about to give up when I found a pod of fish. Took six , 15”, two 14 ½”, 13”, two 11+” from the same short swim. Heavy strong fish which fought like crazy and kept taking the nymph despite their comrades having thrashed around next to them! Finally a really big specimen broke a 5x leader taking the indicator and #16 gold bead hares ear with it, I watched it swim off and felt bad hoping it would survive. All went quiet everywhere and I left at 2.

6 Grayling

Not much happening today, trout are very cautious and rejecting or spitting out most of what I offered. 1 big Grayling at 16” , largest so far from this beat, came to a #18 Griffiths Gnat. 1 small Trout around the 7” mark.
Ps. Does the Foundation have any info on the Pontithel disaster? Seriously hoping there is a prosecution with a significant outcome. I have written to Fay Jones MP but have had no response!
Also wrote to NRW who did respond by saying watch their social media feeds.
WUF Note: We have no more information on the Llynfi pollution and are awaiting the result of NRW investigations.

1 Trout, 1 Grayling

River was not fishable due to water levels

4 nice Grayling 12 to 15 inches from the slower water at the bottom of the beat. All fish took a size 16 Black magic nymph on a french leader and 10 foot rod.

4 Grayling

6 x grayling 10-15 inches, Grayling Steel Blue. I haven't been here for a while - the gravel bed has shifted a fair bit in the main pool, but still a secluded and beautiful place to spend a couple of hours. .

6 Grayling

A couple of small trout on heavy nymphs. A couple of nice grayling of around a pound on a size 16 Black & Peacock spider swung through the slower water. Signs of early autumn and and plenty of fly life.
Only fished for a few hours and there were certainly more fish there. A perfect stretch for a couple of hours fishing.

2 Trout, 2 Grayling

Salmon parr x 2. A wonderfully secluded beat and sufficiently testing fishing especially when trying to drop a fly under overhanging branches. All four fish were caught on a CDC emerges/dry fly pattern.

2 Trout, 2 Other

My first visit to this beat. Although water levels were low judging by the high bank line and exposed gravel it made for fairly comfortable wading, ( with a staff) and fishing. A lovely river to fish and although no trout caught I managed five very nice grayling up to about 17inches about halfway down the beat. The first 'came out of the blue' to a dry size 16 Elk hair sedge and gave me a merry song and dance leaping from the water about 3 times before I had him under control on my light tippet. Just proves that it is worth keeping your flies on/in the water even when confidence starts to wain. Having found one grayling I concentrated on that pool/area hoping that I had found a shoal. Others were caught using a very small pink head tungsten bead shrimp pattern under an indicator and the fish kept getting bigger! Great fun and I plan to return. Thank you.

5 Grayling

Abernant gauge was showing 0.25 and falling after a mid week rise. Easier to fish at these levels but wading still tricky. I was able to fish from the middle island up the lower pools which made fishing easier. 6 Grayling all very similar size 10 to 12 inches on a Black magic nymph on Tenkara rod. Plenty rising in one of the lower slow pools but I could not tempt them on dries so went back to the nymph.

6 Grayling