Feedback & Reports

Nice mild day after the cold snap. River clear and at a nice level - 1'2" at Byton. No fly life about and, it would appear, few fish showing; perhaps they needed a day to adapt to the change of weather. Only had the two small grayling between us, one each plus a fingerling trout, all on weighted nymphs. DB's first visit to this very pretty valley.

1 Trout, 2 Grayling

17 x grayling 6-16 inches, Pink Shrimp and Tungsten Hare's Ear, 1 x out of season trout 12 inches. A dull day, slightly warmer than of late. Lugg water beautifully clear with that slight grey-green tinge, but with 1 foot 3 inches on the Byton gauge, a bit higher and more turbulent than ideal in my opinion. Thus there was much tinkering around with the weight of the nymphs in order to try and get the right result. Mostly shotts, but a couple of good ones turned up as the light faded. Interesting how often that happens.

17 Grayling

1 Trout, 5 Grayling

A good day on the river, sunshine, mist rising and frost in the fields when I started. Kingfishers and dippers were flying low over the water and buzzards overhead in this beautiful valley. The fishing was slow, but very rewarding and a perfect morning was completed with the landing of two very nice grayling of just over a pound each. The afternoon brought rain and a couple more fish before the gathering gloom meant it was time to return to the car and start the journey home.

1 Trout, 7 Grayling

High sticking on 10ft 3WT before lunch and got 2 Grayling both to a gold head. After a blustery start the wind dropped, the sun settled and a constant hatch came on. I became preoccupied by the number of rising fish and caught one flicking out a dry submerger on the 10ft rod but after fly got wet and went down I couldn't tempt the rising fish. So, back to the car and after a quick lunch went on the dry with 7ft 3WT. Caught another 5 Grayling and 5 out-of-season WBT on a nicely tied CDC dry (barbless.com). Lyepole is a lovely beat. The water was very low and by 3.30pm the fish stopped and I was getting cold. 4 or 5 hours of nice fishing. All fish were between 10-12".

5 Trout, 7 Grayling

A pleasant, dry and warm day for the time of year. Four good size grayling taken on dry fly.

3 Trout, 4 Grayling

Overcast day on this picturesk beat, river as low as I have seen it at this time of year. Five fingerling Grayling and one 11 inch out of season WBT caught on a Copper John weighted nymph on a Tenkara Rod.

1 Trout, 5 Grayling

Arrived slightly despondent from the day before but found this stretch rather more enticing. Fishing with various nymphing techniques failed to produce anything, a switch to Grayling Steel Blues and Griffiths Gnat brought five hard fighting and very quick recovering Grayling between 8 & 14-15 inches from the right bank bend at what I think would be an island in higher water a couple of hundred yards up from the bridge. Not a huge bag I know but they saved our weekend ! We both thought a return to this beat in the trout season could prove interesting.

5 Grayling

A lovely day at Lyepole, sun came out and a bit chilly, fished for a couple of hours on wets, nothing happening, changed to dry as saw lots of rises as sun warmed up, 3 small grayling, and 2 small trout, all in beautiful condition, my first grayling too, will come again, water very clear, only downside, ripped knee of my waders on barbed wire, grrr

2 Trout, 3 Grayling

River very low today with the weir pool hardly present. Not many rising fish evident but a size 18 grey duster did get some little fellows to have a go. A weighted red tag and beadhead ptn also proved of interest. 5 modest sized grayling and 5 oos trout made it an enjoyable 3-4 hours. One curious incident: whilst extricating a snagged back-cast found myself face to face with an owl perched within the tree. It promptly flew out; gave me quite a start. Incidentally, this beat must be in one of the prettiest little valleys around.

5 Trout, 5 Grayling