Feedback & Reports

The river was a little high, but unusually very coloured for most of the day (perhaps there was some river work further upstream?). The weather was clear and sunny, around 15 degrees, no wind. The water was still very cold and there was only a small hatch around the middle of the day, with no fish rising all day. The fish did respond to deep nymph tactics, with the best trout around 12 inches and a bonus grayling over 2 lb. Lovely day to start a late season.

2 Trout, 3 Grayling

My first day booked through W&U Foundation. Two visits made on the day, morning and evening. No visible fish activity on either visit. Will try wet fly next visit.

Drove up previous evening in the camper van and spent a clear starry night in a quiet location. Woke to white frost and ice on the windows. Fished from 7.00 until 8.30 and caught two 1.5lb rainbows on Montana. After breakfast continued fishing in bright sun and and very light breeze with no further luck either on fly or spin. Otheres were catching on worm and fishing deep. A brlliant days weather but little action after the initial success.

2 Trout

We were well looked after at the Royal Lodge Hotel at Symonds Yat East. Thursday was a warm and sunny day. The river looked very inviting with an occasional LDO hatching off, but despite our combined persistence with dries and nymphs we finished up fishless. The salmon fishers that we spoke to at the hotel were similarly placed but we had all enjoyed being out in wonderful surroundings on a great day. Thanks for the reminder about the catch return.

We fished in low water conditions on a warm, bright day.
Despite the lovely weather there was nothing by way of a hatch, just the occasional Grannom coming off the water.
Fishing a gold-ribbed hare’s ear in the tail of the Church Turn pool yielded 2 small brownies. We saw no fish rising apart from tiddlers in very shallow water.
This is a very picturesque beat and I would thoroughly recommend a trip to the Glanusk Estate. Everyone we met was friendly and helpful. Thanks, as always, to the Wye and Usk Foundation for their help and advice.

2 Trout

The lower part of the beat is not really fishable from the river, only from the bank. Fished from the middle of the first field up river and there are some nice runs all the way up to the bridge( beat boundary). We only landed one brown which was returned safely.

1 Trout

Thank you for letting me enjoy your wonderful river.

Fished 1230-1700, limited rise of Dark Olives but fish not responding to (my!) flies, missed two takes on a Mayfly and a White Wulf on the lower beat, middle beats seemed fairly lifeless.

7 x trout 10-14 inches, 2 x out of season grayling 8-9 inches, dry March Brown and Dark Moorgame spider. Warming up a bit now, with less wind, although rising fish confined to the middle of the day. River also quite low. Flies were a hit of a mixed bag, with a few grannom, olives and two short flushes of "march browns". These last were what interested the fish.
I used to worry about whether we had the real march brown (Rhithrogena germanica) or the late march Brown (Ecdyonurus venosus) or the large brook dun (Ecdyonurus torrentis). You can't really go by the time of emergence, as the march brown, where it is common, is more of an April fly these days, just as the may fly is really an early June onwards fly in most parts of the country. Both names are older than 17th century calendar revisions. Suffice it to say that when I want real entomological advice, I turn to Dave Collins, and we have identified the true march brown from both rivers, by colour, wing vein pattern and thigh markings. My practical suggestion to anglers is that, as the hatch of these things often lasts no more than about 15 minutes and the fish do appreciate them very much, rather than rushing to the car boot for a magnifying glass when you see them, you tie an imitation on and get right to it without more ado!

7 Trout

Quite a warm day at last, even in the river valley, and not much wind! Olives and small flies hatching most of the day, enough to at last interest the trout, although they stopped at about 2pm. Returned 3 trout, all on Para Adams in the glides, 2 at 8" and one cracker at 12".
All in great condition as well.

3 Trout