Feedback & Reports

What a beautiful day. It was like mid- summer. I haven't fished this beat before but I can understand why it is seems to be so many people's favourite. It has gone to the top of my list of wild stream beats. The water was at a perfect height and for those of us who are no longer young, the wading is quite easy: at this time of year, the casting is not difficult either. I could easily cover the river. Another plus point is that access is extremely well provided: there are plenty of entry points in the fencing. It is a really well presented beat. Thanks to the owner of the land and the wye and usk. As to the fishing- I thought it might be a little early for this beat and although there were flies coming off the water, I saw no rises. My new year's resolution is to learn to use the nymph as I tend to stick to the dry fly. So, I fished from 12 - 3 and had two nice trout, 8/11 inches on a bead head pheasant tail.
One small query for the Wye and Usk - the new website is great and easily accessible so congratulations on that. This beat shows as a bookable wild stream best when you find the the Upper Wye section. However, and I have checked several times, does not appear to show when you go to the available wild stream section. Entirely possible that I am doing something wrong, but I just though I would pass this on.

2 Trout

The river was low and clear. Weather bright and breezy. Little showing and I failed to find a really consistent tactic. Three fish to hand - one to a small PTN the others to an Adams and a Klinkhammer. Best fish a plump, healthy 12". Raised, pricked and lost half a dozen more from water under overhanging branches.

3 Trout

After fishing Cregrina in the morning I moved to Hergest for my last trout fish of the year :-( and like Thursday on Aberedw, the fish only turned up in the afternoon. I have caught a lot of fish on the Edw this year, mostly around 10". Today most fish were on 12" with only one less than that. One was more. I thought I had caught my largest Edw fish yesterday but the best of the day was 14" Edw trophy from shallow fast moving water on a CDC dry. Goodbye and thanks to the Edw until next year.

9 Trout

Nice warm, grey, overcast and still day. Caught approx. 20 trout, mostly 5 - 10 inches but one nice fish of 15 inches taken from a deep hole under an overhanging branch. Also one salmon parr. Used both dry fly and a PTN, the latter taking the better fish. A very pleasant day.
There is a discrepancy between the beat description and the map. The description gives the top of the beat at Hergest Falls but the map shows it as being upstream of the footbridge, so about 100 metres above the falls.

20 Trout

River really low and initially chilly but lovely sunny day. Fished late morning and through afternoon. Mostly fished a leggy soft hackle upwing dry size 14 and a smaller light olive bodied bushy f-fly type thing on a 3 weight and skinny tippet. Copper head nymph at close range sorted out couple of 14" fish. Only fished bottom of beat in unhurried fashion. No pools to speak of with the water so low, so stealth needed, was bit like chalk stream fishing today. Fish switched off a bit as day progressed to be replaced by tiny salmon par that attacked anything. You don't want more than 7' rod here really. Picnic tables abound, take the hamper.....

20 Trout

Did I say this was my favourite beat on the WUF? A hugely enjoyable end of season day on Hergest. Fished up to falls and beyond to the beat top proper. The large haul of fish was helped on by catching 4 or 5 fish from each of 3 larger/deeper pools which I fished very carefully from the tail. The coloured water helped as in clear conditions the fish spook easily on the Edw. I fished dry on a 3WT with a wide selection including Adams (without the Para bit), Duns and Olives. I didn't note which was most successful - sorry!

26 Trout

River in good shape after recent rain. Quite coloured but on balance that does give the angler much needed cover on small streams. Felt the conditions were excellent but very little fly life and precious few rising fish.
However, casting a dry to likely spots resulted in 12 wbt, 6 big 'uns and 6 little 'uns. Best was 13" and all plump well conditioned fish.
For me, two points of interest. I am a para Adams addict, so promised myself on the M4 I would not fish this pattern today and tried many long forgotten flies in my box. What I observed was that of the 6 flies I used (elk wing olive, grannom, f-fly, bwo, olive klinkhammer and iron blue dun) they all seemed to work equally well. All flies were 14's so maybe this was the trigger. But I increasingly think on small wild streams the residents are opportunistic and if it's in their feeding zone they'll have a go.
The other point was the laziness of the take of the bigger fish. I'm used to my fly being smashed most of the year. But every large fish I hooked today was done in a slow, leisurely manner. Then of course all hell broke loose!
Sorry this has been a bit of a ramble but far too often I fish at 100 mph doing the same thing as I did last time, and the time before and the time before that.......

12 Trout

Delayed start due to over indulgent hosts the previous evening so only managed 2-3 hours on this delightful stream. Caught two very lively trout up to 9" on a pheasant tail gold head and missed a few others rising to a klinkhammer.

2 Trout

River in good condition had some takes but no fish caught. At the top section above the falls I was asked by a couple who claimed the leftbank rights for sight of the map showing the extent of the rightbank fishing which I provided.

All fish were rising and were taken on on an iron blue klink,

4 Trout