Feedback & Reports

River very low with weak flow. Blustery wind and hot, bright sun added to the sense of a tough day ahead. There was very little insect action, but in the morning there were quite a few random splashy rises with 2 or 3 fish properly in the air. Between 9am and lunch I kept to the top half of the beat and fished only on the runs into pools where the flow was strongest. I kept to an Adams Para 16 or 14 on a 4WT, and searched the lines on the run. I was rising a lot of fish but most were fingerlings - one of which I kept on and is included in the count ;-)
The other three trout fish were more respectable 8"x2 and 12"x1. The Grayling came to the smaller fly and was a beautiful, feisty fish at 10". All fish were caught before lunch on barbless and returned quickly in good condition. After lunch I tried the lower half of the beat from below the church to the gauging station with absolutely nothing moving or seen.

4 Trout, 1 Grayling

The Irfon down to its bones. Low, warm water with little flow and little sign of fly life or fish. Managed 2 wbt on a sedge pattern after lots of speculative casting. The second wbt about 9". I know this beat quite well so interesting to get a look at the structure of the river bed, particularly those areas that usually hold fish in higher flows. Never a wasted day, always learning.

2 Trout

The rivers are extremely low and not knowing the beat I walked a long way upstream to find fishable water. The beat changes character quite significantly and narrows down a great deal as one progresses upstream. I took fifteen or so trout up to a best of 12" and one grayling. I was very pleased to get the grayling as I love catching them and this is my last day on the Wye /Usk waters.
Although daytime temperatures have been in the mid to high twenties this morning when I went out at around dawn the temperature was 3.5 degrees centigrade. I could't believe the chill.
I enjoyed a very pleasant morning, I had only planned to fish for half the day as I have to pack and sort things out for my onward journey.
On the river I saw a family of otters playing in the shallows in the deep shade of the tree cover. Unfortunately they saw me at much the same time and I didn't have time to take a snap. The trout on the Irfon seem to punch well above their weight and put up spirited battles. A lovely morning on the water, thank you.

15 Trout, 1 Grayling

4 Trout, 11 Grayling

Never seen this river so low. Though day cause of the low level. 2 small BT around 6/8 inches with dry fly and another 2 missed. Spot several big graylings and BT too, but the absence of water makes fishing extremely difficult.

2 Trout

Had forgotten how much of this beat there is – and only got half way up today! River showing her bones but plenty of insect life around and a few fish rising – although the decent ones had to be searched for.
Fished parachute dries as always for 13 fish between us. 10 brownies from 4 to 15 inches and 3 grayling from 9 to 18 inches. Unfortunately the big grayling had been on the end of a cormorant attack.
There are some clonking trout in this stretch. I lost what looked like an 18”er when he took me around a rock and broke my leader but we saw two fish significantly larger than that…one day!

Thanks for another excellent day.

10 Trout, 3 Grayling

beaded nymph caught a small brownie returned.

1 Trout

2 Trout

Very warm day with clear skies. Fish taken throughout the day did slow off considerably during the afternoon. Sporadic hatches which were short lived. Beautiful countryside. Most fish taken on bead heads.

8 Trout, 9 Grayling