Feedback & Reports

3 grayling all released, 2 wild brown trout both kept. A difficult day, strong winds, sunny spells, prolific Grannom hatch, the water blanketed at times with sheer numbers of winged insectlife. All fish caught on pheasant tail nymph and varients of that pattern.

WUF note: 4 rods.

Arrived early to the water with still a touch of mist in the air. The day promised much which it delivered in due course but it was slow. I walked the whole beat to get a feel for it, and wait for the mist to burn off.

I was fortunate enough to meet Banu from this forum about half way through my recce. To whom I owe great thanks for the photography. I am so often the one with the camera. Which means many of the pictures I have of good fish that I have caught are either in hand or on the bank side. It is nice to have a pic of me grinning like an April fool and holding a fish.

Of the day's fish what can I say, there were only three but they were all crackers as you can see.

WUF Note: 3 x Trout, 15-17"

As requested: Grannom hatch began on Usk town water today from around 10 to mid-afternoon. About 11 it was really quite intense: like a snow storm of little brown scraps. For all that, the trout didn't seem to be that engaged by the activity yet. I got 3 with some difficulty.

Lovely day on Gromain on 2nd April - probably the best early season day we have had yet. 1 rod had 7 trout, 2 grayling - the other 5 trout 2 grayling, all fish on dries.

Steady trickle of grannom and olives throughout day and occasional large stone fly. Best trout 14" - spotted like a leopard, best (out of season)grayling a lovely 18" female. The minnows were spawning in the shallows, the heron was fishing too - but so was a cormorant when we arrived!

Thanks for usual efficiency in organising a great day's fishing at short notice.

Beat R40, 22nd March. 8 trout to 12" & 6 out-of-season grayling to 13". All taken on gold headed nymph fished below a klinkhammer. Lots more missed. The lower half of the beat is much easier to fish, so the walk down to the start is well worth it.

Lovely water. Very strong and cold downstream wind limited fly choice to heavy nymphs. Managed to fluke a couple (2) in extremely difficult conditions. Both went around a pound. Will definitely try to return later in the year when conditions are more favourable.

First trip to Gromain,very nice and varied stretch. It was a very windy day which made things difficult. A few olives around mid day. I sruggled and caught 1 10in trout, missing a few others. My friend James fared much better with 9 trout and a couple of nice Grayling taken mostly on spider patterns.

No fish - lost one on PTN and rose one other. Some fish rising to olives but difficult to present dries properly with string downstream wind - felt maybe we should have done better but tried many patterns and not stirring fish. Very sunny and water very clear so maybe fish a bit spooky.
Better anglers may have had a few fish....

The service was excellent and will be back later in the year - perhaps a little early for the dries.

Great looking beat, river looked perfect, only one small brownie - 10 inch - but perfect. Lots of follows and knocks, but we were just to slow!! Perhaps when the cover grows it'll fish more confidently.

Very pleasant day even tho' I didn't catch anything. Usual friendly & helpful WUF & another good day with Colin (HL's gillie).