Feedback & Reports

Had a enjoyable days fishing on friday at Backney, the river was very clear with lots of leaves and weed coming down and the fishing was quite difficult but I managed 6 nice barbel to 7lbs.

2 dozen plus Grayling and a few small browns between the two of us. Like a couple of other correspondents, I am catching mainly smaller fish - my best Grayling might just have made the pound mark - from this venue and, catching nearly all my fish from the bottom of the beat. Any thoughts that I might have had then to the effect that (a) 2lb Grayling were a figment of the imagination and (b) the top meadow was devoid of fish were banished PDQ when Tom nailed a couple of near 2lb fish from one of the oh so enticing deep pools just downstream of the hut as we made our way back up river for lunch.

River running low and clear. Sporadic hatch but, other than a few very small fish, as far as I could tell,nothing feeding on the top. Fish taken on beaded PTN/GRHE, Copper Johns and Czech nymphs. All fish returned.

This time last year all was white frost, the line froze to the rod rings, what a contrast this year, autumn gold trees and mild weather on this beautiful beat. Caught a grayling first cast and maybe 20 others all between a half and pound and half on double maggot, one red and one yellow on size 14 hook. Made contact with as many others but lost before net, never known such a high proportion of grayling to jump and throw the hook! At dusk got broken twice on 3lb hooklength so upped to 6lb and caught 3 large chub, 2 around 4lb but weighed the last at just over 5lbs caught on the last possible cast of the day. Great sport and feel on a centerpin reel and light trotting rod. Since finding this beat several years ago via Wye and Usk Foundation web site and which is kept in superb but natural condition thanks to Mr Charles Picton I actually look foreward to putting the clocks back! Thanks to Allyson and Wendy for your help in booking the day.

Quite possibly one of the best days fishing I've ever had. After being welcomed into the Cammarch Hotel for a much appreciated cup of coffee, I was given beat maps and directions for parking. A short walk across typical Welsh farm land, and a look around at the stunning autumn scenery, and I was at the river. Leaves fell all day making it difficult at times, but using heavy nymphs and a big dry I managed 9 grayling, the largest weighing just a fraction over 3lbs. It was 20" long and took me all of 6-7 minutes to land. It was an absolutely stunning fish, and with its large male dorsal fin, looked more like something from the sea! 3 other fish measured 14-17". Thanks again for the river level report from the WUF, and to the Cammarch Hotel for their hospitality.

Took your recommendation and went and fished the Lyepole fishery yesterday. Fantastic fishing, lovely little beat. The river was low and clear, a few olives, spinners, midges and the very occasional sedge about.

Loads of grayling!!!! I hesitate to say how many we caught suffice it to say I ran out of fingers and toes twice.
Mainly fish around three quarters of a pound to a pound and a quarter. R managed a couple of leviathans from some deep hole above the bridge. Mixture of flies - small pheasant tails, GRHE, and a few on klinks in the afternoon. Also had a few fish on jigs, Red tags and GRHE. Plenty of trout probably a dozen each, all in great condition no sign of any spawning yet. Also a few salmon parr.

Really brilliant day, just the way to celebrate another Birthday yesterday.

A terrifc October day, in an idilic setting. 2x 4", 2 x 7"
Grayling, 2 x out of season Trout, returned. 1 x 14" Grayling taken. All on pheasant tail gold head.

First time we have fished this stetch after passing over the bridge hundreds of times on the way to other fishing. Great day weatherwise, more like early May than late October. Fish rising all day, mainly small grayling but not all of them, some were larger fish as my wife found out.
She began by working her way up a pool towards a pod of rising fish, mainly small grayling she thought. Fishing a Klink & Dink she managed 3 or 4 small grayling (4-5 ins) on a gbptn and lots of fish going for the Klink. She then got into something a lot bigger! She managed an out of season brownie, must have been nearly 2 lb.

I spent most of the morning searching out the pools and had limited success with small grayling and the odd small brownie. After lunch I had a trout of about a pond and some slightly larger grayling (8- 10 ins) shortlining Czech nymphs. Had a great time with the dry fly trying to catch those small grayling! They were really up for it, I took about 8 on a size 16 black Klink, missed so many more. Finally I found a pod of bigger fish and had 4 decent grayling, best 16ins on a gold bead nymph, the wife managed a few better fish on Czech nymphs. Overall between us we had 20 -25 grayling, from 4 - 16 ins, 6 out of season trout, best approx 2 lbs. Great bit of water, I will be back.

1 small pike. River low and clear. Access to top end of beat very difficult, banks steep and overgrown making much of the water unfishable.

I've been out with the trotting gear this week - although I reckon the fly rod would have done at least as well for grayling, so warm has it been. Large dark olives of autumn hatching steadily, but also some of the smaller summer olive species still going, plus late sedges, midges everywhere, including the biting kind. However, grayling rarely averse to a red maggot trundled down the gravel runs,

8 x grayling of which 6 were between 14 and 16 inches; 3 x out of season trout 9 - 13 inches; 1 x chub 2 pounds; numerous smaller chub and particularly small dace 6-8 inches. A new beat for me: I explored the lower bit from the weir to Hay Bridge and I was surprised with the average size of the grayling when I managed to make contact. I spent the last couple of hours with the rod extended to 16 foot whittling out little dace from above Hay bridge, which was great fun with a bite on every trot, just like the old days on the Thames. I'm sure a matchman would have put up a good weight.

It was a very pleasant day with gorgeous weather, the river was in good condition and we had a good catch of barbel. I caught and returned 8 fish, mostly around 4 to 5lb, best at 7lb 6oz, my brother returned 4 fish, best 6lb 10oz and my other companion, Keith Windsor, had 9 barbel to 8lb 8oz all returned.

Many thanks for providing the opportunity for some excellent sport in a wonderful location.