Feedback & Reports

6 x grayling 8-18 inches, fishing nymphs under the rod top. Not an easy day, with a cold wind developing as time went on, but a couple of very nice fish at 16 and 18 inches were included in the bag. I packed up early due to the sudden development of the dreaded wader leak and ingress of icy water....very demoralising.

Reflections at the end of the first part of this grayling season on our rivers - and by first part I mean the time when we can expect the fish to be taking at the surface - September, October and normally a bit of November with luck:

The Irfon is always a good grayling river, but this year it was an absolute star. The fish were in wonderful condition, free-rising and plentiful. Maybe we will look back on 2011 as a vintage year, or maybe it will go on getting better and better? I only request, should you find the pools where the big grayling live and have a spectacular day...don't try and repeat it too many times in the same spot! They are a finite resource.

The upper Wye fished well too, when it was in condition. Apart from the WUF beats, a friend and I had an excellent day on the Builth Town water before the present floods - with larger fish than in previous years.

The Arrow and Lugg suffered terribly from drought this summer, and only just now seem to have come into condition with the latest flush of water bringing fish onto the take.

The Monnow also suffered from drought and, to my knowledge at least, doesn't seem to have produced many good grayling catches.

It has been, so far, a remarkably warm autumn. Anglers have been taking grayling on the dry fly right until last week, practically into December, although I doubt this can go on very much longer. Still, if you see those large dark olives and a sipping rise at the surface one afternoon, it's always worth a try with a dry fly, even in mid-winter.

Whether it is due to the warmth or lack of frost I am not sure, but trout in good condition and obviously feeding steadily have featured in catches more than usual. Do we conclude this will be a bad spawning year for brown trout or will it all happen later in the winter?

First time on the Lugg and quite a hard day. Lots of micro Grayling and four substantial fish - 0.5lb, 2x 1.75lb and one beauty at 2lb06oz. The Grayling appeared to be quite localised and a lot of time was spent searching the water without reward. The four larger Grayling were all caught in a 100m stretch! A lovely river and one I hope to fish again soon.

Very slow start in the morning with only 3 small grayling showing from the bottom part of the beat. After a break we fished the top part of the beat both fishing the duo and what an afternoon!! My fishing buddy had over 20 Grayling and I had 13 Grayling. Fish in the deeper pools and we both lost some good fish. Largest fish approx 2 to 2.5lb.
Great day out and well worth the cash. Thank you Wye and Usk.

Lots of fingerling grayling to amuse us throughout the day taken on small sedge and klinks. Two grayling each to half a pound. The wind was causing a few problems until early afternoon which then suddenly abated leaving us to enjoy near perfect conditions. This was the first opportunity I had to try my new Snowbee 9' #4 prestige outfit, superb.

First time on the beat. Water low with some areas very slow moving.
Very very windy, when I turned my back on the wind I thought my landing net might throttle me as it spun in the air.The good thing about this beat is that it has many bends and it is possible to get out of the wind.
I only manage half a dozen small Grayling and out of season BT although missed a very good fish in a very brief fight. In fact if it had not turn over on the surface I would have thought I had simply snagged on a rock, which is where the rest of my setup ended.
A good call for anyone traveling some distance to these 'Marcher' beats is breakfast at Morrisons in Leominster which opens at 8am. This is located on the A40 on the way to Brecon/Builth, Going to this beat might entail a little detour of five minutes to the other side of this town, but a breakfast like this keeps one going all day, especially when daylight fishing time is so precious at this time of year.

10 grayling to 2lb, all on weighted nymphs. The river was at 11in on the camera, and the weather was calm and bright with temperatures rising to around 11 degrees. The fish were spread out across the beat, including the newly cleared section above the top weir. Please note that the access point above the weir still has some barbed wire embedded in the ground as you go over the stile to the river bank - beware, ripped waders are no fun in the winter! It is worth noting that the section above the top weir can be accessed only by wading, and there is no exit from the river at the top of the beat - you must wade back down the river to the top weir. Not ideal because you disturb the fish again on the way back.

Three small grayling less than 1/2 pound. Rising to spider patterns.

One grayling (12 inch) and one out of season brown trout. The weather was cold and heavily overcast, but dry and still. The river was showing 1ft 4in on the lugg camera and was reasonably clear and falling.
Overall a disappointing day given that the conditions were ok. The beat is generally easy to access except for the lower end weir which is almost impossible to access due to barbed wire on the very old stile. We fished most of the beat but did not connect with any grayling shoals - perhaps next time!

Lovely day with the river only about a foot above normal and slightly coloured. River temp 10 deg C same as the air temp as I started. This is a cracking beat but the fish were difficult to find. In the end managed 3 grayling all about 12 " and one oos trout about same size. Fished Czech nymph hard all day and lost quite a few heavy point flies on the bottom. Nevertheless enjoyed the day.
Saw several dragonflies (in November!) and some pesky comorants which I shall put on the cormorant watch website.

I had a good days fishing and managed to catch some small grayling on dry fly. I also lost a grayling of well over a pound at the net. It took a weighted nymph. Also caught and returned 1 out of season brown trout. Would it be possible to install some styles/crossing places at both ends of the field to aid getting over the barbed wire?