Having been invited to go fly fishing in the rivers/tributaries of the River Wye by my friend Keith, I couldn't say no, even though I had entertained him with my casting last year.
I arrived at tea time on the Tuesday night and managed a quick hours fishing before dinner in the water meadow of their garden just below Bredwardine Bridge, on the River Wye. There was very little movement but it gave me chance to blow the cobwebs off my casting in open water and I caught a small brownie for good measure.
Keith had planned a morning session on the River Lugg on the following two mornings followed by an afternoon session on the Usk in the afternoons.
The weather was glorious for the whole time with cloudless skies and searing sun in the afternoons. The Lugg was a pretty little river with trees and dappled light. The fishing technique was upstream dry fly with Keith letting me have all the best swims as I was the guest, so it was a shame when I caught just the one fish and missed another half dozen takes. On the Torridge, the fish flash at a fly so you have to strike very quickly, but with larger mayfly style flies, I think I was striking just too quickly. It is difficult to fight a reflex action.
We then moved to the Usk and barely saw a fish move, and even the few that did only rose once. We worked hard for a couple of hours, even blind casting but not even one fish looked at our flies. It was a beautiful spot, you couldn't imagine a more "trouty" stretch with a picturesque bridge, but just no fish!!
Keith fishing the River Lugg
The second day followed suit except I was much better at casting and striking catching four nice wild brown trout and only missing another three fish, and one was in a really awkward lie which I managed to tempt out. I was really pleased as my fishing technique had improved to merely passable.
Then, as the day before, we headed to a different section of the Usk with even worse results, nothing was showing whatsoever, so were weren't surprised when we didn't get a take so we ended the session early and I dropped in and had a cast in the watermeadow on the Wye before our final meal - and little was showing there too in the sunshine, although I did catch a chublet.
Those who read my diary entry will know that it is the company and surroundings that are as, if not more important than the fish. So it proved here with a few nice wild fish, but tranquil surroundings and great company. I can't end without thanking Pru, Keith's wife, for her hospitality cooking the meals and looking after us. We feel very privileged to be able to call them friends.