Feedback & Reports

Another cracking day on the Escley. 15 or so trout to 14" on nymphs, Adams, and mayflies. Plenty of fly life about and presented in the right place I think they would take anything in your box. Some very wary fish, however by exploring right into the fastest water and gullies took some lovely trout. Highly recommended day out and thanks again to the Foundation for the ease of it all.

Spent about 2 hours in the evening with very little activity due to cool wind I think. Pricked two but landed none. Met a lady on her way back to the cottage with a similar report suggesting the beat was overfished. I don't think that's the case. Some days it just doesn't work for you! The walk was lovely.

Prolific hatches of yellow may and sparse Mayfly (E.Danica) occurred throughout the afternoon mixed up with an ongoing, blizzard-like Welshman's Button caddis egg-laying swarm.

The fishing was pretty challenging with occasional fish showing committing to eating dry flies. Lots more fish refused just short of taking.

In the evening the fish were more forgiving with some fish up to 2.5/3lbs gobbling small CDC balls of fluff in sizes 18 and 20.

Beautiful piece of water, I look forward to fishing it again, thanks to the Foundation for making this available!

Very quiet day. Lots of mayfly, but no hatch or rise throughout the day. Water level very low - below the summer flow mark on the gauge.

3 x Brown Trout: 1 x 11", 1 x 10", 1 x 7". All fought hard, belying their size. All rose to a red sedge. I fished this beat in March and water levels have dropped significantly since then. Nevertheless, some deep pools remain, and I saw a surprisingly large number of fish rise, particularly in shaded spots and deep water. 2 of those I caught were to speculative casts on water of this kind, rather than to confirmed rises.

One of us is a beginner who unfortunately blanked but thoroughly enjoyed the day. The other rod had a cracking day, fifteen Brownies despite a nasty wind and very low, gin clear water.

A lovely beat, well maintained and very scenic.

Landed 5 small trout and 1 shad ( max 12" ), all on GH PTN in the faster water. Lost another 6 on the way in, and missed about another dozen. Saw a few mayfly, but no rise, even late in the day.

Arived 4.45pm set up and the third cast a lovely 10" brownie followed by another and then a 6" little fighter. Then the rain came, which put the dampeners on it quite literally.

The yellow dun mayfly hatch was spectacular while it lasted, but the trout that were rising all over the place did not want any may pattern presented, instead they were taking a green olive No12 hook presented as a wet just
sub-surface. Lost a few but great fun while it lasted. One final note access is still quite difficult with high vegitation on the bank and in the water, trees etc.

10 brown trout beetween 4 and nine inches. 3 on a green pt nymph before the hatch and small dries after took the rest. Great wilderness fishing experience.

It's a very rough track down to one of the most secluded waters I have ever fished but although you do need a 4x4 to get there it is well worth the effort. Crystal clear water and complete silence welcomes you. Parking by the boat house I chose to fish the left bank, quite boggy walking. Started with single size 14 dunkeld about 100m from boat house. 2nd cast resulted in a quite violent take from a 1/4lbs immaculate dark, yet well spotted wild brown trout. When the east wind eased, it was possible to use dry flies...shipmans buzzers...f.fly...griffith gnat...and general hoppers in 12/14 hook sizes to eager rises (great fun). Later in the day I decided to walk round over the bridge and fish of the steep rocks, good move this water a lot deeper a small gold head prince of nymphs size 12 took 5 fish in 10 casts all fish were generally bigger this side .... if you like fly fishing this venue will not disappoint.