Feedback & Reports

Fished with DM from Swansea. Water below normal and clear. Overcast and a balmy 5 deg C on arrival and it didn't get any warmer. Snow on hills and ice in the margins. Both of us trotting and trying not to wade much as the water was painfully cold. Total catch about 40 grayling mostly around half a pound, and mostly caught by DM, but a couple of larger fish to ~1.5lbs. A few large out-of-season trout as well to about 3lbs; superb fish. Had to hunt to find the grayling.

3 Trout, 40 Grayling

River had finded down to just above normal level and was surprisingly clear. This was our first visit to Sugwas Court, what a lovely stretch with some very interesting features. What we hadn't reckoned on was the treacherous nature of the banks after the previous weeks floods.
Rolling meat under near bank fallen trees produced a Chub of 4-5lb with two other similar lost. Great day was had, thanks.

1 Chub

After the previous weeks flood levels the river was gin clear and had finded down to just above normal. One thing we had not bargained for was the treacherous nature of much of the bank was left after flooding. We did however have a great day although only one Chub of 4 - 1/2lb was caught, this was on rolling meat close to a fallen tree. A wonderful beat, will re-book next season.

1 Chub

A very cold day, with frost still on the ground, but overcast and not clear like the last few previous days. The river was higher than I had seen it back at the end of September, but still not massively high (plenty of evidence of high floods a couple of weeks ago). It had a good strong and fast flow in places and was pretty much crystal clear.
Not much fish action, didn't see any but did hook one but it shook free before I could land it (on tungsten nymph, with Klinkhammer indicator). In retrospect I think I should have been fishing a bit deeper on the dropper. A enjoyable day none the less.

Visiting angler Alan Clerk fished most of the beats with sprats sink and draw to take 4 pike 8- 16 lb. Much larger fish seen turning away from the baits. Water temperature and height rising slightly throughout the day.

4 Pike

I was stitched up by the weather forecasters today. When I booked this trip the forecast was for cloud spreading down from the north and temperatures above freezing. When I arrived the car temp gauge was reading -6 without a cloud in the sky. I arrived about 9:30 and as I had never fished here before, I decided to walk the beat first in the hope that temperatures would rise during the day. I probably made it about halfway up the beat before returning to the car for sustenance. I made the trotting rod up anyway and headed back to the river, more in hope than anticipation. Starting about 11:30 just up from the church the line was still freezing in the rings and the river looked lifeless and the float failed to submerge. I carried on upstream looking for some pacier water which I found about 100 yards or so above the wier. After a few trots down, I managed to find a good line which took the float down through the turbulent water into the steadier water towards the far bank. The float went under and a strike was met with resistance which then started to thump back. Thinking this was going to be my only chance of the day I played the fish very, very carefully until a lovely looking Grayling came into view. Apologies to the game fishermen but I measure my fish by weight rather than length and this one tipped the scales at 1lb 10ozs. I carried on fishing this pool and caught 3 more Graying of a similar size and one tiddler about 8ozs. The trout then showed up and 3 were caught and released in the water before it then went quiet. With the sun dropping behind the hills I called it a day feeling rather chuffed that a very unpromising day yielded some satisfying large Grayling.

5 Grayling

very cold frosty day, nothing caught.

Beautiful beat, well maintained and perfect for a grayling day. River looked to be flushed through following last week's rain and was very clear. Wading here is mixed with some impossibly deep pools and slippery bedrock, but it's possible to get a line to plenty of good looking spots. Managed 16 grayling, best was 19", and 3 trout. Most fell to a pink shrimp or ptn red tag. There was a hatch around mid-day and for half an hour grayling were rising all over the pool and I took 8 on the same olive emerger pattern.
Struggled a bit with cold hands and feet today and needed to take frequent breaks to thaw out, but well worth it.

3 Trout, 16 Grayling

River higher and colder than earlier in the month. Nil return

Fished the left bank, the river was fairly high and fast with the water reaching the bottom step of the swim i chose. I decided a 40z inline leger would do the trick and soon discovered the Wye in flood is a force to be reckoned with. I found a large eddy and offered up meat, boillies and pellets, all to no avail and returned home after 6 hours suitably chastened.