Feedback & Reports

WUF / LAFA Wild Streams Day - Feedback
Two small trout (6" and less!) on a deep nymph.
Despite the general lack of fish, I enjoyed the day very much and would like to thank the organisers and our 'enthusiastic amateur' guides for their help and generosity in sharing skills, knowledge, and top tips. I learnt a lot and will now 'attack' the wild streams with renewed confidence.
Some discussion at the de-brief concerned the difficulty of allocating beats for such events. My suggestion to aid the process would be to perhaps provide an opportunity when booking the day to express interest in the type of beat / difficulty where experience was desired. In my case, I was looking specifically for advice on how to tackle the smaller streams with very limited size 'pools' and awkward access. Some form of provisional allocation could possibly be then made prior to the day.
As a further hopeful suggestion; any chance of a repeat performance aimed at Small Stream Grayling?? Put my name at the top of the list please!

2 Trout

Now the clearance work on this beat has matured the result is a much improved river for fishing dry flies, with long streamy stretches developed with room to cast. With warming weather having prompted a healthy mayfly hatch I spent a peaceful day making my way upstream. The fish seemed to be happy to take a mayfly imitation. I was also accompanied by a kingfisher and a curious cow. This is fast becoming one of my favourite beats.

12 Trout

Two weeks on from my last visit and the Arrow was a more familiar height and colour. A week of cold mornings (during which County cricketers have endured snow showers) seems to have put a pause on the season. An early afternoon hatch of Olives on the upper section induced a brief rise and three fish to hand in quick succession. Other than that it was nymphs fished through the bends that proved successful. Three fish were in the region of 12”, the rest 6”-8” and all perfect. Stopping to change a fly at one point I glanced up and saw a Kingfisher at close quarters surveying the river from it’s perch. They really are remarkably beautiful birds.

7 Trout

I’d stayed overnight locally full of enthusiasm for the new season and flushed with some unexpected success on the Kington wild stream beat the previous afternoon. So, it was somewhat disconcerting watching it snow as I ate my breakfast. Overnight rain meant that the river was still pushing through strongly and coloured, certainly fishable but I regretted leaving my wading staff at home. As the day wore on the sun came out and eventually there was a sparse hatch of Olives but no response from the fish (wish I could identify the small, dull coloured bird that was acrobatically taking the Olives in flight). I tried GRHE, PTN, Kite’s Imperial and an Adams all to no avail. Finally facing up to the prospect of total failure I fished an Elk Hair Caddis above a size 16 Hare’s Ear nymph very slowly in the pool below the old mill. It’s amazing how one fish can transform your day. A beautiful 12” trout took the nymph and came to the net - Happy.

1 Trout

Beautiful stream but difficult in the very cold weather that we have had.

There was a touch of frost on the grass as I made my way down to the start of the beat at 9.00am. The early morning mist was followed by bright sunshine and virtually no wind. Crystal clear water meant I could see the fish but they could see me too. Amazed to see a whole flotilla of small trout, side by side queuing up for passing food in the shallow section of the weir pool. Needless to say my fly line scattered them in all directions spooking everything in that part of the river.

Unsurprising then that six of my eight fish came from the upper more enclosed and shaded section of the beat. Nymphs cast upstream into undercuts and riffles accounted for all but two of the fish The exceptions were tempted by a Klinkhammer. Three fish were about 12”, the best of which was caught below a bush besdide the uppermost cattle drink approaching Hergest Bridge.

8 Trout

Got to the beat about 8.15am. Chilly to start with until the sun burned off the morning mist. Then, with only the slightest breeze the weather was at it's autumnal best. The flushing effect of the recent rains had transformed the Arrow since my last visit to the wild stream beat back in August.
Fish could be spotted feeding subsurface in the obvious spots. The combination of a Klinkhammer Duo trailing a PTN proved productive from the first cast at the bottom of the beat. By mid-afternoon seventeen fish had come to hand. All were in excellent condition with more than half of sufficient size to have me reaching for my net. Of those just one came to the Klinkhammer and one other in the last half hour when I tied on an Adams out of curiosity.
Drove home listening to that remarkable World Cup Rugby match between Japan and South Africa. All in all quite a memorable day out.

17 Trout

Water level low and very clear, big contrast to the Wye two days earlier. Saw quite a few fish mostly upstream of the parking spot but seems they were not feeding or very spooky. Access not impossible but had to limbo under some barbed wire fences.

River low and clear and a bright sunlit evening. Very easy to disturb pools when wading. However, got rises to small dry flies in the streamy water. Missed most of these, hooked one 6" brownie.

1 Trout

Only 2 weeks ago this little river was alive with Mayfly. With their departure it has become surprisingly quiet; very few hatching insects and hence few rising fish. What fishing could be done was sight fished with upstream nymphs.

3 Trout