Feedback & Reports

Lots of small Chub on float with odd quality Dace. Only large Eels on the feeder. Several Salmon topping close enough to almost count the spots ! Far bank busy with anglers.

A very special day for me: my first ever wild brown trout on a fly! the first (25cm) to a nymph, the second (26cm) to a dry fly.
I'm very new to this game, but this was my 5th trip out this season (on a river with a fly rod) and it was great to taste success at last. I missed a fair few takes too! And one much bigger trout that fought like fury managed to dance on the water and throw the hook before I could net it.
I had two sessions: 6.30am-1pm and then retuning for 6.30pm-10pm.
I began just below the bridge where several fish were rising, but couldn't tempt them. There was the occasional large salmon splash both upstream and downstream too.
On my way up the river another large fish jumped clear of the water, then another and another. My first thought was sewin, but when I got a better look they immediately reminded me of mullet. Thinking there couldn't be mullet this far up river I convinced myself I was looking at a large (several dozen) shoal of large chub, but after a bit of research I realise they were indeed mullet - and a good size too. They weren't interested in any of the flies I presented to them though!
I finally hooked my first fish at the top of the beat: I still had one of the nymphs on that I'd tried to tempt the mullet with so I drifted it down the rapids, then was going to retrieve it for another cast when I realised I had a fish on the end: my first trout! Must have been pure serendipity that I pulled in the line just as the fish took the fly.
It was late in the morning by now so I headed back to the bridge, from where i spotted lots more fish rising just below the bridge: a shoal of small to medium chub. They were great fun to target: not so easily spooked as trout and great practice for casting and timing the strike. I missed loads but caught three; all small, but great fun nevertheless.
The evening session was pure magic. It started slowly, and with a single chub caught below the bridge. No sign of the mullet. But soon after nine there was a decent hatch and the fishing switched on for about 45 mins - until the bats came out!
I lost the one trout, then finally got another in the net, plus 3 more smallish chub. So much fun. I will definitely be back!

2 Trout, 7 Chub

Did not fish owing to algae bloom

If you ever watched the film Jurassic Park and were upset that they didn’t offer trout fishing trips there, then here’s your chance. A wild place with challenging fishing. Conditions were very tough – genuinely gin clear water, marble-smooth bedrock and little to hide your approach other than stealth and cunning. Camouflage wouldn’t be out of the question… Every pool, run, riffle and glide held fish, but most were spooked once you stepped within 20ft of them. Each little stretch differs from the previous, and each requires a considered plan of attack. I don’t want to take too much of the magic away, so won’t give a blow-by-blow account of the day; suffice to say that the fishing was excellent and the setting otherworldly. Not too many fish compared to previous days on other streams in the area, but each fish was a genuine achievement.

25 Trout

Fished upstream of lower limit caught rising small trout on small black dry

2 Trout

River level low, river blocked in some places. For the first time fishing a river quite pleased with my one brown trout caught on a nymph in quite a deep pool.

1 Trout

R L 46 chub 2 barbel. T H 21 chub 2 barbel.

4 Barbel, 67 Chub, 1 Other

A low river greeted us so we initially chose two swims towards the bottom end of the beat that had a deeper run on the inside. Lots of weed was caught but no fish, so we decided to try other swims further up the beat for the rest of the day. A couple of small chub and six eels were caught all on a variety of baits, meat, pellet and sweet corn.

2 Chub, 6 Other

Great couple of hours fishing nymphs on the fast water above the mill stream 20+ WBT

22 Trout

A disappointing afternoon and evening session. Started in the woods about 16.00 and did not expect much in very warm bright conditions. So it proved with only three small chub and two eels. As dusk came I was more hopeful and a barbel bite resulted in a good fish hooked. However, it was lost among the rocks. Tackled up again, another bite with the same result. A third cast resulted in a longer wait and another eel. All on pellet and feeder. No more action and I packed up at 22.00.

3 Chub, 3 Other