Today was Wild Trout Trust day. I had donated a days guided fly fishing to the WTT annual auction this year. This was won by a chap who wanted me to come to his syndicate beat on the middle Usk just downstream of Pant-y-Goitre bridge. The brief for the day was to give him a fresh perspective on a beat that he had been fishing since he was around ten years old.
On arriving we had a good walk over the beat while I asked him a few questions about how he would approach each piece of water and what he usual catches where.

We then went and looked a couple of the faster sections of water where his reported catch returns where a bit lower than other sections. After a bit of a lesson on fishing wet flies upstream during which I managed to hook a good sized brown trout. It was JH’s turn to try out fishing upstream spiders. As he fished up the rest of the run he managed to hook into another couple of fish and even though he did not manage to land them it was enough to give him the confidence that is needed to try fishing a new style without the guidance of a fly fishing instructor.

Frank

Email received from JH after his WTT auction day
on the River Usk

Hi Frank, Thanks very much for a most interesting and informative on Tuesday. Both J. and I enjoyed it very much and I am sure will be better fishers as a result. I will need to practice my hauling but can see that if I can get the hang of it, it will be very helpful. I liked the concept of “aerial mending” and will, I am sure use it. I also like the idea trying out the techniques you showed us for fast water fishing as well as trying the New Zealand style on our long pool. I thought that I got very good value for my contribution to the Wild Trout Trust and hope very much that you enjoyed the day too. I thought that it might be useful to have a follow up day, maybe next season when we are staying at the fishing hut. I will be in touch.

Best wishes JH