Feedback & Reports

Poured with rain from early morning until about 3pm. Almost didn't bother to make the journey. Arrived about 12.30pm and managed to climb down bank to swim to be greeted by the river pushing through and chocolate in colour for the first third of the way across.
Tried fishing beyond this to no avail then decided to fish close in, which produced barbel about 6lbs in the first 5 minutes in the pouring rain. Ten minutes later second bite and fish took off like a train eventually brought to the net about five minutes later. Opening the net looked like a double so unhooked it and took quick picture with my forceps beside the fish to give me some idea of scale of fish. As it was pouring with rain at the time I quickly weighed fish and was disappointed to see it go to 6lbs 12oz on scales, then returned fish. It was then when I was ready to start fishing again I noticed the scales were set on kgs, so it was 13lbs plus! Caught 3 more barbel to 7lb+ all on halibut pellets. Later scaling of photo showed fish to be at least 32" long.

D E caught 5 Brown Trout and 1 Grayling to 3/4lb and a lot of salmon parr.
K E caught 2 Brown Trout and 2 Grayling to 1.75lbs and also a lot of salmon parr.
Caught using a brown 'F - fly' and black/brown headed nymphs.
Also found a trout rod and reel in Lady Alexanders Catch Pool aswell as seeing a mid teens slightly coloured salmon repeatedly jumping in the neck of the pool.

Started at approx 3pm, barbel being our target. Chose a sociable swim on the right hand bank, fishing within talking distance of each other. We did not have long to wait for the fist rod wrenching bite - 2 minutes to be exact!! Bright sunshine and a little southerly breeze made no difference to the barbel today. The fishing was full on for the first 3 hrs: 12 barbel to 8.5lbs and 5 chub to 4lbs and 5 fished bumped off on the take. Baits which caught were blitz pellets banded, 12mm halibut hair rigged, sweetcorn, chilli meat,(which accounted for a 2.5lbs eel)and 2 of the chub came to bread flake.
We also met the owner of the beat and his Labrador, had a very enjoyable chin-wag to boot. Fantastic place, thanks for a splendid day. We will be back.

Evening only 6.30-9pm. Covered about 2/3rds of the beat, banks obviously well grown at this time of year and some deep pools with river too deep to wade at one point necessitating difficult exit. However fish taking consistently during the evening with 7 BT 6-9inches and as many missed. First visit to this stretch and really enjoyed it.

6 barbel to 7lb 8oz and a 4lb+ chub. Nice warm evening promised more; what's to be dissappointed with in this lovely setting?
Should have got there earlier and had fun with trotting gear in an ideal swim in the middle of the beat.

Although catch reports were encouraging I found this little brook disappointing. Despite a warm evening and decent water levels there was virtually no fly life to be seen, and hence no rising trout. I tried a number of flies and managed to rise a couple of trout, but missed both. Among the many small streams I have fished it is among the most difficult to get at even with a short rod. Towards the upper part of the beat there is a lot of junk in the river, sunken pallets, old fences etc, which make wading difficult. I'm sure it has better days!

5 barbel to 6lb and 7 chub to 3.5lb. River low and very clear.

No salmon caught.

Caught 4 barbel.
Access to swims was quite difficult in many places.

I was ready to fish and could hear the river but blowed if I could see it. The "Passport" said follow the white posts but beware they were once white and and now some of them are missing. However once down into the gorge the river is surprisingly fishable with plenty of backcasting space. Several really good pools to fish one of which produced a nice 12 inch brown trout on a black Klink. Five others caught from 6 to 10 inches on a combination of a brass beaded nymph and Klink.