Feedback & Reports

Very hard work on Llyn Em Tuesday, what with the water still high and the snow-storms and all. I thought I was surely going to blank, but made some contact after lunch and took just 4 grayling on heavy nymphs before the cold got to me. But one of these was what I call a proper specimen at 18" - a wonderful heavy-shouldered male fish - which made a cold day worthwhile.

Best wishes.

2 chub 2lb 12oz and 4lb 6oz both on white maggot. The river was up and coloured but level steady. Saw one salmon moving up river. Very enjoyable day. Hope to return before the end of the season.

Fishing at Mortimer Cross, Friday, 20th Jan 2009. The river was in very good order but I was very rusty and only managed one trout on heavy nymph but no sign of grayling.

Excellent instructions.

Many thanks,

Unfortunately the heavy rain the night before put a damper on an eagerly anticipated first trip to this venue, on arrival I was greeted with a rising river, which was colouring up quickly.

Setting off upstream I was glad I decided to bring along my wading staff, although the river bed makes for easy wading the extra water and lack of clarity made it tough going.

This is a lovely secluded beat, I will certainly be returning here, hopefully when the river is less of a challenge.

Managed to find 4 Grayling in total with the largest at 12" all falling to heavy nymphs.

Tried my best but very windy. I struggle to get a straight line out in the best conditions. Persevered for a couple of hours, but nothing to report.

Did see some very large aalmon on the banks. Also a good number of salmon parr trapped below the ice when the water dropped, but they appeared to be none the worse as they made their escape as the ice thawed.

WUF Note : On Grayling fishing at Gromain (Upper Wye)

Freezing cold day with the river very clear. Suprisingly we had a really good days fishing, I caught 10 grayling and 1 small Trout, M had 15 grayling. Most of the fish were small but we managed around 5 fish of around 1lbs mark. All the fish caught on the dead drift on small tungsten nymphs.

Apologies for late returns. We went on a hope over expectation trip, partly just to see a new beat. Very cold day and rod rings froze up. Walked past most of lower beat as water high and slow but had some sport from top half where quicker water began. Two Grayling on single Czech nymph rig with extra soft lead on leader fished deep and two on Sparkle Nymphs as point fly on team of two also very deep.

Lovely beat and access not as bad as I'd been warned. It was a very tricky day weather wise and couldn't help but think how good it would be on a summer evening, especially the lower end where I am sure ther must be some big trout judging by the perfect lies.

While here I'll give you a very late (sorry) catch return. In December, can't remember exact date, I fished the Dore with vouchers. Truly brilliant way to spend a couple of hours and full of fish. Caught four Grayling on slim red tag nymphs, the biggest was 14 inches and three out of season trout (all returned) including two from one small run, one being 12 inches and the other at least 15 inches. This beat is a real treat with surprisingly big fish but I would advise a short rod, stealth and patience as it took me several changes of fly and the bottom third of the beat to get my first fish which then came thick and fast, many takes being missed.
Best Wishes.

WUF Notes : 2 rods fishing

Happy New Year to everybody!

Holiday grayling results as follows:

27th December Abernant and Plas Gwyn
Between 3 rods, 10 small/medium grayling, most from the upper part of Stone Catch, trotting and nymphs.

28th December Pwll y Faedda
33 grayling, mostly small/medium but included 3 or 4 fish of 15 to 16", from the Boat Pool, trotting and traditional grayling wets when they came up from the bottom around midday.

29th December Gofynne: 1 grayling. I wish some-one would advise me how to fish this Irfon beat in mid-winter! I try it most years and always seem to be able to see every stone on the bottom, but no fish. When I had just about given up, just like last time, a single grayling took pity on me and accepted a tiny Grayling Steel Blue weighted down with a sacrificial bug. In the same place as last time, top of the beat. Maybe it was even the same fish as before? A proper Irfon grayling though: 16", so I count the day as a good one.

30th December Llyn Em:
21 grayling and 2 out of season trout, on high-sticked Tungsten Hare's Ear fished along the gravel near the bottom of the beat. This was a lovely shoal of grayling, nearly all between 14 and 16 inches and several larger. One of the trout was a good one too. Depressing, though, to see the number of saw-bill scars, both old and new, carried by these older fish.

31st December The Rocks:
Blank. I just couldn't find fish and seemed to spend most of the day de-icing rod rings and trying to avoid falling into those deep pools.

2nd January Glanwye:
Blank. Again desperately cold with tackle freezing up all morning and couldn't find grayling in any of the usual places. The Wye was actually starting to ice up with rafts of what the Scots call grue coming down the main flow and all the slack water iced over.

Evidence of salmon spawning activity including dead kelts on almost all of these beats.

Friends from Total Flyfisher, tell me they are out again today on the Cammarch Hotel water, so we will hear how they do - brave fellows.

I'm now tucked up in the warm tying flies with a bottle of single malt at my elbow.

Catch : 8 Chub to 3lb 14oz

Looking for pike but too cold and clear. Fished for 3 hours till dusk without a touch. The beat looked magnificent and the sunset was fabulous