Glan-yr-Afon beat, River Usk - 24th May 2011

So finally some rain came and it seemed to do the trick. Knowing I had a week off work I had been watching the weather forecasts carefully a few days prior to booking my next visit to the Usk. The forecasts were just about spot on (for a change!) and I observed a slight increase in the river level. So, fueled with optimism I ventured to an unfamiliar beat to see what could be gleaned. The Glan-yr-Afon beat is stunningly pretty and I'm most envious of the locals who live in the village just above the bridge. From an angler's point-of-view this beat has a lot to offer. There's much to explore in the form of numerous riffles, pocket water and flat glides all in a very tranquil setting.

Glan-yr-Afon beat looking downstream. Fishing heaven?!

And today the fishing was good. Despite a stiff downstream breeze and bright sunshine only periodically dimmed by spring clouds, it seemed the recent rain had freshened things up and made the trout a little more active. The fly activity was good with plenty of upwings hatching, including quite significant numbers of Yellow Mays. There were caddis flies about also, so plenty to get the fish interested.

Fish kept on rising throughout the day, albeit rather sporadically. But there was enough to give me hope and the opportunity for targeted casting, rather than just searching the water. Fishing predominantly with an olive Klinkhamer plus a copper john fished NZ style, I was rewarded with 8 brown trout and 1 salmon parr. All fish were in pristine condition and fought hard before reaching the net.

Two pristine examples of the Glan-yr-Afon trout

But there was one fish in particular that made the whole trip worthwhile. In the late afternoon I was making my way back from the upstream limit of the beat when I decided to stop at one of the more productive riffles. I'd seen some rises so made my way to the bottom of the riffle and started to fish upstream. Looking across to the far bank I noticed a rise behind a boulder. I kept my eye on the boulder for while and then it dawned on me what was there - a BIG fish! And it was feeding voraciously, flashing side-to-side taking in nymphs with just the occasional rise signalling its location. By now my rig consisted of a  Klinkhamer with a Yellow May spider pattern on the point. Not exactly a classic combination but something I had been experimenting with, given the significant numbers of Yellow Mays hatching off. The spider (under the Klink) had already accounted for one fish so I saw no reason to change things now. My main concern was getting a decent cast to the boulder, taking into account the presence of 2 tongues of fast water between me and the target. Out went a pile cast which miraculously got the flies to the right spot first time. I saw them drift momentarily around the side of the boulder and then a huge boil in the water followed. I lifted and to my total amazement I was connected. An exhilarating fight ensued with the fish leaping clean out of the water 3 times. After what seemed like an eternity a fin-perfect 16 inch wild brown trout filled my net.

The hard fighting specimen is safely returned. Fish of the season so far!

And the successful fly? The Yellow May spider, of course! So I now proudly declare the Klinkhamer + Yellow May spider to be a "classic" fish catching combination!

The successful Yellow May Spider. Now a bit tatty after todays exploits!

River Usk - Mardy Beat 29th April 2011

A few too many weeks have passed since I last cast a line so today's session was eagerly anticipated. It turned out to be a great day and was made all the more pleasurable by the company - my pal Peter who is getting back into fly fishing after few joint trips last season; and Gareth, our guide for the day who ensured our fishing skills were up for the challenge!

And once again, what a challenge it turned out to be. No rain for weeks and unseasonably warm weather has ensured the Usk remains low, clear and bereft of the usual fish-catching opportunities that might otherwise be expected at this time of year. Add the brisk north easterly wind and we knew on arrival that it wasn't going to be easy.

Enter Gareth, our guide for the day. Gareth Lewis of FFISW fame has recently launched his professional guiding service. After some discussion Peter and I decided to hire Gareth's services at this relatively early stage of the season to brush up on our skills and learn some new tricks of the trade. We were not disappointed.

Anyone out there considering the services of a guide in the South Wales catchment, you need look no further. Gareth’s whole approach to the session was spot on. He is undoubtedly an expert and has a great deal of knowledge anyone can benefit from. Above all Gareth gave me and Pete the space to try what we’d learned making the whole session relaxed, easy going and fun.

Despite the tough conditions Gareth got Pete and I into fish, both on the long flats and in the riffles. It was nice to see a few fish rising on this beat and there was decent variety of upwings, sedge and midge coming off throughout the day. Both dry fly (emerger patterns) and small nymphs fished New Zealand style induced many takes between 11am and 4pm. Successfully connecting to fish proved to be quite a challenge - I know I'm a little rusty at present with my timing. Nevertheless, both Pete and I each managed two fish to the net which was reward enough for our efforts.

At the end of the day it was smiles aplenty as we shook hands with Gareth and thanked him for a superb day. Pete and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Methyr Tydfil Angling Association for allowing us the opportunity to fish this fantastic beat.

Now, let's pray for rain.......!!

Not exactly monsters, but hugely satisfying catches that topped a hugely satisfying day
[Images reproduced by kind permission of Gareth Lewis Fly Fishing]

River Frome - My local

This post is a bit of a diversion from my previous musings as I wanted to highlight the virtues of my local river - and tip a wink to a very friendly chap called Clive.

I was shopping in my local town, Stroud, one Saturday a few weeks ago, when I decided to visit the office of the Cotswold Canals Trust (CCT), mainly out of curiosity although I must admit to having a slightly "trouty" agenda when I entered. The background to this is simple. The CCT are leading a major project to renovate the old Stroudwater Navigation canal, which in years gone by was part of a major commercial link between the River Severn and the River Thames. Stroud was one of the hubs of the wool and textiles trade in the Cotswolds and the ability of local businesses to move goods east and west via the Stroudwater route was vital to the local economy. The emergence of rail and road links in the early 19C introduced competition to Stroudwater and eventually it fell into disuse in the 1950s as modern transportation took over. The canal has since fallen into a state of disrepair, but is now the subject of major renovation that ultimately aims to recreate the entire link between the Severn and the Thames.

So what does this have to do with trout??

Quite a bit as it turns out. Because running alongside much of the Stroudwater route is the River Frome. This little river has been a subject of interest for me since I first noticed a small but thriving wild brown trout population in her waters. These little trout must be some of the most resilient known to man. For starters much of the upper reaches of the Frome where the trout live runs through Stroud via several industrial estates and parallel to the main line that links London to Cheltenham. So it's a real urban backwater with all the associated environmental challenges. Additionally, much of the bankside is overgrown - positively wild in some spots. This creates high silt levels from annual leaf fall in some areas; not so great for trout breeding. Finally the river seriously burst its banks during the infamous 2007 summer floods.Yet despite all this, if you know where to look, I guarantee you'll find healthy and very active trout.

River Frome at Brimscombe Port, east of Stroud

Which brings me full circle to the CCT and the visit to their office in Stroud. My curiosity was driven by the CCT renovation and its impact on the Frome. Enter Clive Field, the very welcoming Visitor Centre Manager. Clive very kindly organised a cup of tea for me and talked at length about the CCT mission and how volunteers can get involved. We discussed the close linkage between Stroudwater and the Frome, as well as the mutually beneficial activities of the CCT renovation in regard to the local environment. Specifically, one of the mission objectives of CCT is "To promote the restoration of the two waterways [Stroudwater Navigation and The Thames & Severn Canal] to give a balance between the needs of navigation, development, recreation, heritage, landscape conservation, wildlife and natural habitats"


I'm sure the Frome can significantly benefit from the renovation project and there's a great opportunity here to ensure both waters enhance each other for the benefit of all those who visit, as well as the local wildlife.

A trouty glide just upstream from Brimscombe Port

Clive has a huge amount of passion for Stroudwater and his energy was infectious. I think he sensed an opportunity when I shared my passion for fly fishing and highlighted my interest in the Frome. I'm now on the hook to write an article for the CCT's member magazine! Actually it's an honour and a privilege to be asked, so I'll give it my best shot. The article is intended to highlight the flora and fauna that can be found on the canal route and surrounding environment at this time year. No doubt I'll try to slip in a line about the local brown trout!

As for this blog, I intend to document a year in the life of the Frome and try to observe how the environmental characteristics of the river support the trout population. Without being overly scientific, I'll endeavour to discover the underlying entomology which the trout vitally feed upon, as well as identify where their breeding environments might be found. Who knows, one day I might be presiding over a major new trout fishery - right on my doorstep!

A Frome trout - this one was feeding and rising to midges

Penpont, River Usk - 20th March 2011

Well I said I wasn't expecting a bonanza and I was right! Sunday 20th March saw me loading the car for my first outing of the season, and long overdue it was too. 2 hours of driving later (taking in the beautiful scenery of the Forest of Dean and then the Brecon Beacons) and I was eagerly setting up my 5 WT, complete with new reel. My newly tied flies, as per previous posts, were packed ready and I was soon walking the familiar route over the bridge at Penpont House to start making my way downstream over the fields. The season had really started for me at last! Ewes and their lambs ambled casually across the grassy hills; the sound of buzzards could be heard high in the sky; nobody else was in the vicinity; and the Usk herself called with the sound of rapids full of promise.

And now the reality-check....cue sound of needle being scratched across vinyl record....

The skies were foreboding. Morning calm had given way to a penetrating westerly which whipped up between the river banks like a wind-tunnel. Although it was supposed to be around 11C, it felt much colder in the wind. The river was incredibly low too, almost as low as it got last summer. The water was gin clear and despite a modest hatch of Large Dark Olive, as well as tiny midge, I didn't see a single fish rise the whole day. In fact I didn't see a single fish at all, apart from some shoals of fry in the shallows (one good sign after the winter we've had).


River Usk at Penpont - rather low at the moment!

 I decided my tactics would be to focus on some of the deep gullys and try to fish them upstream with short casts. I used my tungsten weighted Baetis nymphs and midge larvae, all fished deep on a dead drift. I tried a few lifts periodically, particularly with the Baetis nymph to see if I could induce a take. All this amounted to nothing. Not even the slightest hint of a take for the whole session, which lasted from 11am to 4pm.

A newly hatched Large Dark Olive (Baetis Rhodani)

So I'm sorry to report that for the first time since I started fishing on the Usk, I blanked. But no matter. Just being there was what it was all about, Moreover, after a long absence over winter, I felt confident and happy with my tactics. A winter spent researching and reading has equipped me with new knowledge which I began to apply on this visit and I shall, no doubt, be a better angler for it. Afterall, if it was instant gratification that I desired I could have just as easily parked up at a stocked lake and almost guaranteed myself some action. That kind of gratification wasn't on my agenda today. I went home having blanked but still satisfied - just not sure I can fully explain why!!

The new reel sees some action at last!



Penpont beckons

At last I have my first session of the new season arranged with a booking on the Penpont beat of the Usk this Sunday. The trickle of early season reports have certainly wet the appetite, albeit that the fishing is quite slow with only sporadic hatches of LDOs and midge observed so far. Based on the flies I've tied to-date I'm feeling reasonably prepared but I won't be expecting a bonanza.

My last few tying sessions have been focused on the March Brown, for which there are various recommended patterns. Here are a couple of simple 'spider' based variants which I've produced.




#14 March Brown variant 1 - with tail




#14 March Brown variant 2 - no tail

March Browns generally hatch in April so I may not get a chance to test these for a few weeks. But the weather is set fair this weekend so I'll be on the look out for any opportunity to fish these patterns. My guess is that patterns like this may prove to be quite versatile and could be deployed to imitate any of the large dark upwings. I'll give them a go throughout the season and post my findings.