Feedback & Reports

Rather disappointingly nil caught or seen

Two brown trout caught about 32-35 cm both caught between 150 and 200m upstream of the bridge.
Both trouts released.

3 WBT to about 10oz caught- all then deep on tungsten caddis. Despite cold wind brief hatch of olives p.m but only saw one or two fish raise to them. Very interesting stretch of river - just a shame lack of surface activity.

First time on this new WUF beat. Simple to find, easy access and safe parking. Grey, cold day with a chilly North West wind and plenty of water barreling down the Usk. Quite a varied beat with fast deep gullies and some very deep pools below the island. With nothing rising and precious little fly around nymphed unsuccessfully for two hours. Given the depth and flow of the river found it difficult to get my bugs down deep enough.
Over lunch on the bank had a think about tactics and with a few LDO's and Yellow Mayfly beginning to show in the tail of the pool above the island changed to a French Partridge and was rewarded with 5 pristine wbt. All in the 12"-14" class, wild as the Usk and fin perfect. Each take was very, very aggressive accompanied by all sorts of aerial acrobatics. All returned safely. The action stopped just as quickly as it had started, the fishing window being between 2pm and 4pm.
Really enjoyed this beat, lots of variety and am looking forward to fishing it again with perhaps a little less water and warmer climes to get more out of it.

Conditions nearly perfect. River clear and level dropping from .95 at Chainbridge gauge. Some wading possible at this height, but not essential. Managed to get 2/3 across by spey casting from the bank. Fished above and below bridge.
Plenty of trout seen.

Beautiful lake and surroundings. On the day was pretty windy and wet but was fishable. 2 brownies caught, 1 lost and a few missed takes. Fish fell high in the water to stick fly and Kate Mac.

Again river very full, no catch

Arrived around 4pm after the hail storms had passed through and the wind had died a bit. Caught 10 brown trout from 6" to 13". 3 from the same pool were over 11". There were a few fish rising but all were caught on GRHE. Covered just less than half the beat but a great few hours fishing.

18lb Beat 2, spinner

Having missed a season on this stream due to the low flows last year, I was excited about the prospect of fishing the Escley again. The river was still carrying extra water with a tinge of colour (perfect), the sun was intermittent through cloud with a light breeze. I fished a black flashback nymph, 2 feet under an olive kilnkhammer and caught 2 fish in the first pool, catching in every pool thereafter. Lost a very good fish, perhaps 1lb + in one deep gutter, and landed 3 fish of 11-12". The total was around 15 browns in 2 hours of fishing. The Escley at its best. I recommend anyone who wants to fish a small stream but cant' quite get motivated or are a bit unsure, to get out there now - following the rain and after superb clearance work by the volunteers, you'll have no better chance in my opinion.