Feedback & Reports

Fished the whole day through rain and wind... This didn't seem to put the fish down as we had a good hatch in the afternoon of olives. The first few fish were taken on nymphs in fast water, this included a big out of season grayling of 2lbs plus (safely returned). The afternoon was more exciting as the fish seemed more inclined to look up to a well presented dry fly. We came across a pool that had some big fish in that were sipping away but couldn't seem to find the right pattern that they wanted. I persisted and eventually got a rise and landed a stunning 3lbs cock fish. He had beautiful markings on him and was safely released to get bigger. After this another few fish were caught on nymphs. We didn't have a fish under a pound for the whole day.
The only thing I would comment on is the amount of rubbish in the river and on the banks... We saw everything from syringes to a mattress in the river... This would be a place that we would come back to time and time again if it was a little cleaner. Something needs to be done...
Saying that - an amazing days fishing! Oh and some of the most challenging wading we've ever done! We're in our 20's and we went for a couple of swims each!! If we could post pictures of fish we would - WUF this may be a good thing to do?
WUF Note: We would be very grateful to receive any photos sent to admin@wyeuskfoundation.org and would be happy to include them in the fishery's gallery, the monthly reports and elsewhere.
With regards the litter, Merthyr Tydfil Angling Association work hard in removing it from their stretch of the Taf. Unfortunately, it is a curse on this and many other urban rivers across the UK but please be assured efforts will continue to clean them up.

7 Trout

A good hatch of March Browns produced a brace of nice 12" trout on a dry F fly. River full of litter though - shame really. It would be very pretty between Quakes Yard and Aberfan otherwise. Wading can be slippery over the large stones and boulders in the river bed. Would recommend a wading staff
Thank you to MAA for providing a nice day on the river

2 Trout

Excellent river with some beautiful looking fish. 3 trout all on nymphs

3 Trout

Spent a few hours on the Aberfan stretch of the Taff. Arrived at 1.00pm hoping to find hatch of LDO, MB's and therefore rising fish. Rod was rigged up with size 12 parachute Adams, my 'go to' dry for this time of year. Walked the banks looking for risers - and found some. Landed 6 nice fish, with each one spotted and targeted carefully with the dry. All in mint condition. Nothing small, every one in 14 - 16 inch range and very strong. Missed, pricked and lost many more. Hatch and rise over by 3.00pm. Could have caught more by fishing nymphs blind, but what fun is that compared to a take off the surface!

6 Trout

Really lovely stretch of river, however the banks have a lot of rubbish which is disappointing. Conditions were excellent and there are a lot of very nice pools and runs. Started at Quakers Yard station and worked my way upstream for about a mile. Landed one small trout on a Nymph and missed a few others. I am sure a more skilled angler than I would have caught a few more considering the conditions.
MTAA Note: We know that we have a problem with waste/rubbish. The association does various clean ups on parts of the river with Keep Wales Tidy and just normal members doing their bit. However, with the river Taff being an urban river it is pretty hard to keep up with it all. In time we hope to eradicate all rubbish.

1 Trout

Lure caught. 1 X 7 inch and 1 X 11 inch

2 Trout

A mixed experience. I fished from Abervan to beyond Merthyr Vale and back. The river is clear, board, wadeable over stony ground, and the trout are of a good size and fight wonderfully. There was a profusion of bird and insect life even in mid March (lovely to see white throated dippers, nut hatch, and grey wagtails). The water was cold, gin clear, and I had bright sunshine all day so it's no surprise that I caught three of my four fish (all between 30 and 40cm) once the shadows grew long. I kept just one and it was delicious eating. The downside was the extent of the fly tipping, which on this stretch at least is truly horrendous. It was a dispiriting shaddow on an otherwise wonderful trip.

4 Trout

Fished the upper Taff again today. Fished weighted nymphs for a short period of time before my French leader snapped around a snag in fast water so fished klink and dink afterwards. Managed another dozen plus wbt ranging from 1/2lb up to 2lb.

12 Trout

Fished the upper Taff (mtaa). River had risen over night and high but very clear. I fished a team of weighted nymphs on a French leader. Managed to catch 2dozen wbt ranging between 1/2lb up to 2 1/2lb. All fish seem to have spawned well during the winter.

24 Trout

It was my first Time on the Taff and I had a nice afternoon fishing some excellent pools. Fish were rising to the dry fly and I had a few takes on greenwells glory and Tupps indispensable but my rustiness meant I missed some good surface takes! I saw two other people fishing at the foot of the railway viaduct. The river banks are so very steep I found accessing the river quite tricky at times and had to waste quite a bit of fishing time walking to find a suitable access point. Maybe some help could be given to anglers with this. Inevitably with this kind of semi-rural river there was a considerable amount of debris in and around the river including a bike, the occasional traffic cone and general litter. However it didn't affect my fishing too much on a lovely river which was full of interesting features. The river itself is obviously in very good nick and there was an abundance of fly life, kingfishers herons and trout (elusive though they were on this occasion!)