Searching The Severn - Sunday 6th June 2010

The plan was to head for the Dee late in the afternoon and catch the early evening rise, but talk along the way leaving at midday, we made a last minute decision to hit the Severn.

With the day still warm and no sign of the looming showers we were looking forward to the afternoons sport on the river.  The river was very low on my last visit and as we arrived and assessed the conditions tucking into a sandwich and a brew. Its was obviously going to be a struggle as the river which was aptly described by my fishing buddy as 'Its on its Arse !'

River Severn - In need of Rain

 Undeterred we set up with a small dry a piece searching the riffles along the first run, nothing obvious was on the rise and tactics had to be changed.  Its was certainly going to be a tester. 

Having fished this river for number of years we would like to think that we could find a fish or two. We rigged up with a couple of small nymphs 16s / 18s, PTN and a small olive variant I had thrown together the night before,  both loaded with a 2.3mm copper tungsten bead.

Last season I had fished on a similar day as today and I fished through all the deep holes which line the river, with good success.  Heads down and we were in for a long walk, taking in turns at each pool.  Its truly a fantastic place to be on a day like today, short sleeves  & rod in hand, chewing the fat and a go for trout on each bend, it don't get much better !!!.   Freezing rod rings in January and February seem a distant memory.

The many holes fished through produced some good trout and several fish making a voluntary release, or was slack line to blame during the fight?, banter was a plenty taking the mickey if the fish wasn't landed. 

I had spotted a decent trout rising behind a small tree/bush on the far bank, the only fish rising along the way.  I quickly swapped rigs and set up with a 18s olive klink.  The fish was on the fin and taking most things that passed.  I set about slowly wading heron like towards my target and set about my first cast, the fly hit the water just shy of my target but nothing spooked.  A short wait and it was rising again, by this stage i was on my knees in the river, trying my best to keep out of the sky line.  The second cast hit the money and a rise to the fly,  Bo****ks I struck to early and made a complete hash of it, to the enjoyment of my Dad who at this point was rolling around in hysterics on the bank. 

Then another rise !!!  I hadn't lost my chance, was it the trout I had spotted?, third and final cast.....I had hit the seam perfect and wallop the surface was broken by an almighty crash and the Trout was on a nice fish hit the net after a good hearty scrap.  Unfortunately no photo as I had left my camera at home and the mobile was dead, typical!.  Apologies for the quality of pics.

The day continued fishing the pools with hit and miss success, we headed back early evening in anticipation of a decent rise, which never happened.  It was noticeable that evening a rise in water level was apparent and it had coloured , possibly heavy rain fall in the hills or a much needed water release from Llyn Clywedog.

A late drive back after a glorious day on the Severn, I will never tire of this place a truly wonderful part of Wales.

Until Next Time..........................Tight Lines