Feedback & Reports

River was just rising a little (not too much). The water temperature had dropped too. That's the excuses over. Still had a great day - 5 barbel to 9lbs 10z plus 4 others. Didn't get there as early as required as the Severn Bridge was closed due to wind. Left early too. The weed was coming down as you would expect with the river rise but not a problem.

5 Barbel, 2 Chub

A tough day due to the cold rain, but the river was in the finnest form I've seen in some time. A number of fishing moving and taking dries in between the gusty winds, and a lovely 14" male fish brought to the net after taking an olive paradun.

3 Trout

Ollie and myself arrived down the stretch at around 6 am. We started off down the bottom pool and got action almost immediately on pellet feeders. Fishing was frustrating though as there was a lot of weed coming down making it impossible to keep a line in the water for longer that 2 minutes. We took 7 small barbel all under 2lbs before trying a few other swims without any bites. I then rolled meat for about an hour and caught a few chub before leaving at 1 pm for some lunch and a rest. I called Don who was really helpful and gave some good advice. We came back down around 5pm and done some wading and rolling meat which produced chub to about 4 and a half lbs. After this we took Don's advice and went back to the bottom pool on feeders and pellets. Bites came as our feeders hit the water and we started to catch barbel constantly between 1 and 3lbs. The weed had also seemed to have cleared up and we were able to keep our feeders out there. Bites slowed down as it started to get darker. I finished off with a chub around 4lbs and Ollie managed the best barbel of the day. A fish around 7lbs on sweetcorn right at last knockings. All in all a good day despite the tough conditions good catches are possible on this stretch.

20 Barbel, 12 Chub

Washed Off from The Breaconshire (no policy so wasted the opportunity) with water the colour of diluted chocolate.
Switched to Talybont Reservoir and the high winds and driving rain made it very hard to be enthusiastic.
Couple of fish caught after much thrashing of water and gnashing of teeth. Middle of summer was not like this in the old days (as I recall). Global warming needs to hurry up I think.

2 Trout

The rain came down and the fish came on. Long leader nymphing caught most of the fish but a few were taken on a very soggy CDC dry. The average size of the Grayling was very good with the largest at 17" and the best trout at 16" fought so hard that at first I thought I was into a Grilse. By 1.30pm I was beaten by the rain and headed home with a grin on my face.

6 Trout, 20 Grayling

Showers and blustery winds made for tough going today. However, a very slow start gave way to 6 very nice WBT (the seventh being a very small fish which should hardly count) all risen up to a size 14 olive klinkhammer.
About half way up the beat I was stood very still in three feet of water dealing with a wind knot, when three Otters playfully swam right up to me. When they realised what they were just about to bump into, off they sped, scattering in three directions. They didn't go far and it seemed to my untrained eye that it was a Mum and two youngsters that watched me carefully from the other side of the river occasionally squeaking at me. What a privilege to see such a sight. Another great day on the WUF.

7 Trout

Fished lower end of the beat with pellet and feeder tactics. Steady flow of fish through the day - mainly small Barbel (majority in the 2 to 3lb with a few even smaller-around 1lb!!). Finished with 12 Barbel one of which weighed 7lb 4oz and 2 chub around the 3lb mark. Rained all day, still quite heavy boat traffic with the vast majority very respectful but spoilt by two idiots in one boat who just appeared to be out to cause trouble.

12 Barbel, 2 Chub

Spinner.

4 Trout

3 perch.

Strong winds and rain made for difficult fishing conditions - temperature low. 3 chub & 2 wildies between 3 anglers on an unseasonably cold and wet day.

3 Chub, 2 Other