I have just come back from my first Usk visit. Two days at Glanusk, which were certainly not the most productive days fishing I've had, but were some of the most interesting. Only landed a couple of 1/2 lb trout which were returned, but had the great pleasure of Stuart Jarvis' company for the time i was there and also benefitted from some impromptu casting instruction as a result of which I can now double spey.

Water was highish, but running very clear. However, there was very little in the way of a hatch at any time. A few olives struggling to get off, but nothing sustained at all. Stuart blamed the winter floods in part for stripping out the fly life.

Also was delighted to get the chance of a visit to Sweets, which was quite remarkable and a fantastic start to the trip. I thought places and people like that didn't exist any more.

Will return to the Usk in a month or so I reckon.

The only change in Sweet's in 40 years is that there are carbon rods on display where there were once glass or cane and Jean has recently acquired a push button phone. Most of the decorations in the shop have been there for as long as I can remember and that's back to Lionel's day. Long may it continue!!

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“There is no more lovely country than Monmouthshire in early spring. Nowhere do the larks sing quite so passionately, as if somehow inspired by the Welsh themselves. There is a blackbird on every thorn and a cock chaffinch, a twink as they call him there, on every bush...... It moved me profoundly. I had been spared to see another spring, and I thank God for it.”

Oliver Kite
“A Spring Day on the Usk”
A Fisherman’s Diary

Hi all,

After some time being an avid reader of the forum, i start today to write as well!

I just had three days on the upper Usk. What a beautiful river! I had two days on Fenni Fach and one on Penpont.

Just like you Richard, it wasn't the most productive three days of my life: the water was gin-clear, very low (the guys at the foundation told me it's almost summer levels right now), and very cold. Fly life was almost non-existent: except for a few olives, a few caddis and one very pretty (although very isolated) sulphur, i didn't see much on the water.

Not surprisingly, fishing was a bit of a struggle: over the course of three days, i saw 10 rises (and most were one-off rises) i decided to go against the usually recommended NZ style and practice deep nymphing. On the nymph, the drag is my trademark and i believe that all trouts, big or small, recognise me by it. So it was good to spend some time working on correcting that!

In terms of results, it wasn't great although not a complete disaster: 6 trout in total. I still have lots to learn...

The virtual absence of fly life this year is a bit worrying: the beat owner at Fenni Fach blamed it on an increase in nitrates (because there are some blue algue that apparently are caused by nitrates - i'm not an expert at all). He also mentioned the sustained high water this winter but i'm not sure that would be a bad thing? It would be good to get people's thoughts on that.

Generally the river is very beautiful and is saw a few really good-sized trouts (but didn't manage to catch them) - i hope hatches are just being delayed!

Flo

Just had a nice day on the usk at Penpont great weather but only managed to eek out two for my troubles, ach really tried too! Was really keen to try out spider technique so fished some spider patterns down river on the way down (45 degreeish letting them drift) but not a sausage, letting it swing, letting it drift, tried it all

then on the way back up river I fished my usual Parachute and bead head nymph nz style that got me the two but crikey quite hard work, is this because it was clear and low, what can I do! (had a lot more success at Glanusk but it was alot higher eh)

Also as ive only been fishing rivers for this last season, is it usual that the tip of your floating line sometimes gets dragged under by the flow a bit?

Great day mind and seemed to have a friendly dipper company for most of the day, keep on meaning to take more photos so I can post some as a type of usk beat guide

Just had a nice day on the usk at Penpont great weather but only managed to eek out two for my troubles, ach really tried too! Was really keen to try out spider technique so fished some spider patterns down river on the way down (45 degreeish letting them drift) but not a sausage, letting it swing, letting it drift, tried it all

then on the way back up river I fished my usual Parachute and bead head nymph nz style that got me the two but crikey quite hard work, is this because it was clear and low, what can I do! (had a lot more success at Glanusk but it was alot higher eh)

Also as ive only been fishing rivers for this last season, is it usual that the tip of your floating line sometimes gets dragged under by the flow a bit?

Great day mind and seemed to have a friendly dipper company for most of the day, keep on meaning to take more photos so I can post some as a type of usk beat guide

Fossa,
It is quite usual for the tip of a floating line to get dragged under if its been in the water all day as water creeps into the core through capillary action.
Putting some floatant on it usually helps.

If it was while you where fishing spider method it could have been that you where not holding the rod tip high enough. when this happens to me I lift the rod tip higher than needed and then lower it down again to get that nice bow in the line at the surface.

Frank

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Frank Williams APGAI

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I picked up that trick from an Ollie Edwards DVD and it works...actually I used it with a nymph on a fish I could not cast upstream to. I cast across and down, held the rod tip high and waited for the line to move off, rather than the "tug" which usually means you have pulled the hook out of his mouth. Felt nothing but saw the line cruising off as he turned back downstream.

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Roy