Feedback & Reports

12 x trout 6-10 inches on a small Rusty Klinkhammer. The occasional fish rising to terrestrials blown down by a warm breeze gave something to go at; otherwise prospecting likely spots. The average size in this brook seems to have increased just a bit compared to a couple of years ago: quite a number of 8,9 and 10 inch fish this year.

12 Trout

First time on this stretch of small river and was an enjoyable way to spend a few late afternoon hours. It was breezy day but once down at river level the density of plants and trees meant I hardly noticed the weather and it felt quite warm. Great fun wading up stream, casting a fly up into the pools above. Some of the beat is hard to access, mainly at top and bottom ends and a certain amount of scrambling about is required. This all adds to the enjoyment for me. Two small trout on nymph, one on a klink, best around 11 inches.

3 Trout

Sparse but varied hatch during the couple of hours I fished, olive dun, Klink and small nymph taking fish.
Lovely little brook with plenty of diverse habitat in a small package. The only worrying observation is the amount of HB along the banks.

5 Trout

Beat looking very good now looks like a good clean up operation has been done. Gloomy wet day, fish early on taking size 18 f-fly , later on size 16 olive. 5 of the fish were between 8-9 inches the rest were bout 5-7 inches. Great to see all barbed wire removed and the beat very easy now to make your way up it.

9 Trout

12 x trout 6-9 inches on a small brown Klinkhammer. You wouldn't believe how many I missed. Spring, it seems, has finally properly arrived and trout now rising or, which is nearly as good, prepared to rise.
Incidentally, apologies if yesterday's report on Aramstone salmon fishing arrived scrambled. I was editing text, doubtless of an over-long account as usual, and it suddenly disappeared from the screen. Long story short, I got one.

12 Trout

Cool, breezy and over cast. The beat is looking a bit rough around the edges due to the winter floods. Lots of trees down and a bit of rubbish around. Especially below the bridge. Although the wild garlic was very pretty. Taking it in turns my wife and I managed to rise 6 to the dry fly. Fishing Duo. We went to a smaller fly and took off the Nymph and got 2 good size Browns - 8" & 10" both released. A nice afternoons fishing. Would have liked to have known about the sewage farm as it was a bit smelly but the beat is still an attractive little lowland brook I would fish again.

2 Trout

Cold and very windy day. Hooked and lost one small trout on a weighted GRHE a few yards up from the bridge. Water clear and low in places. A half decent hatch of olives got underway around 1pm. At 2.30pm I managed to break my rod so that was that. No rising fish whatsoever, so I continued to deep nymph all likely looking pools until the aforementioned breakage brought an end to the day. Tree creepers, grey wagtails and a sparrow hawk provided additional entertainment.

Fished for a couple of hours am. Very cold first real sunshine of the year but it didnt help the fishing.

6 x trout 6-8 inches on Gold Bead Hare's Ear Nymph. Inspired by MS from Bristol (see Cannop Brook report 27 March) I gave the Bideford Brook a try on a very cold Good Friday morning. Plenty of cold water rushing down, but a few brownies were prepared to pick up a nymph trundled along the bottom in some of the deeper, slower holes. Cold as the wind was, this one is well sheltered by trees and high banks and in fact not much above sea level and just a couple of miles from the estuary.
Back in December, FW of Mitcheldean and I trimmed this beat. It's quite amazing now to see the changes caused by the intervening winter floods: plenty of timber down, deep pools have been filled in with gravel and new dubs scoured out by the currents. We will have to learn it all again.
Those who know this little stream might be pleased to hear that, during late autumn, a salmon grilse was photographed attempting to jump the old eel trap weir in Blakeney village. If it succeeded, this would place it in the even smaller Blackpool Brook above.

6 Trout