Feedback & Reports

Arrived early and left around 3pm. The river was very low, weather overcast with rain showers. Fish not really interested in feeding. One half hearted take on a buzzer under the lower end bridge but fish lost. Only trout landed was about 8-10" taken, rose to a small black ant around mid day.

1 Trout

Overcast day throughout, with intermittent showers. River running higher and faster than previous two visits but clarity good.

All on gold-headed pheasant-tail nymph patterns - several at end of drifts when starting to retrieve. All fish small though brief contact with a couple of bigger fish.

2 x 8oz
3 x 7oz
4 x 6oz
1 x 5oz

10 Trout

Afternoon / evening on the lucky stone. Chub of really good stamp averaging 4/5. Barbel all smaller than previously caught from this swim apart from one which although I didn’t have my scales was a pb for sure, I estimate a low double. Absolute beast. Was raining and river was rising. Caught on robin red margin ground bait full of pellet. Darkened off with super g black. Boiles and pellets on hook. Crazy amount of chub in this swim at mo.

4 Barbel, 29 Chub

First time to fish this beat. Vehicle access for the entire length was extremely helpful.
Plenty of attractive swims to try, with the river still being coloured from rain the previous week. A day of two halves with the morning sunshine giving way to heavier than expected showers in the afternoon.
Couldn’t entice a Barbel this time (if it was that easy it would be called catching, not fishing). As always, the challenge is part of the attraction.
Numerous baits and methods managed to winkle out four Chub. Caught fish at both the top and bottom of the beat. Swans, Mallards and Egrets kept me company all day. Great to spend a day at the river after a gap of over a year.
Cattle were present at the bottom of the beat but were calm and caused no disruption to either my vehicle or my fishing. Only a handful of canoes throughout the day, all of whom were courteous. Thanks to all at the Foundation for a great service.

4 Chub

2 Trout

2 Trout

River was a good height and running clear, though signs of the low water and high temperatures of earlier in the year were everywhere in the brown algae coating the gravel and stones. One Salmon Parr and all but the best grayling at 14", which came to a hydropsyche nymph fished in the head of a fast run came to a s18 Adams or hairs ear f-fly. Best brown at around 15" was covered in a small pocket between rocks and low hanging trees and I was surprised by its size given the tight location. There was some semblance of an evening rise in the slower stretches near the top but almost impossible to cover the fish effectively with the tippet showing clearly against the strong surface tension in the water, until I figured out to cover them casting downstream with slack line when it was almost dark - note to others, don't be as dumb as I was.

2 Trout, 3 Grayling, 1 Other

1 Trout

Conditions were favourable, decent flow and some colour to the river, overhead cloud, shame about the rain!!!. Not exactly prolific but we had a few fish and no one blanked. Two powerful runs, clutch screaming, Barbel! Nope, a fine
Chub, although I didn't weigh it, steep slippery bank by this time, a confidant five and a half but nudging six in my opinion,
21" nose to tail(The width of my unhooking mat) with an impressive girth to match, not a gnarly old warrior either, a splendid looking fish, good luck to anyone who banks him come Sept./Oct. !. Chub to bread flake and meat and unusual
but by no means unheard of, the Barbel to bread.A few Chublets, there are plenty of them in the river at the moment, one
good sign for the rivers future at least, and as one member of our party commented, considering the size of the hook bait,
you have to admire their ambition!!.

1 Barbel, 14 Chub