We decided to take a trip to the Severn today, its been sometime since we had taken a trip out together. With one thing and another, mainly commitments with casting practice and
GAIA events the fishing has taken a back seat. A fantastic spring day greeted us and the forecast for the day was warm and sunny, not the ideal I know for fishing, but who cares when your out in the fresh air chasing Trout. The day really seemed a far cry from the -15 that I was greeted with earlier in the year.
The river was crystal clear and low, not much showing so I set up with a couple of nymphs, experience has taught me in the past that when the river is low on this stretch its pays dividends to search the deep holes. We covered each run and likely looking spot without success, the river seemed devoid of any fish. A small trout and Grayling accounted for several hours of hard fishing and a variety of tactics.
It was hard going and in all the years we had fished this river, we have never seen it so low, I was amazed that a complete bend of running water had disappeared and was redirected into what can only be described as a brook and not the upper reaches of the UKs longest river. It was a concern,
Clywedog reservoir normally keeps a head of water on but with the low rainfall this wasn't happening as regular.
Its was certainly having a big impact on the fishing today, but more worrying is the long term impact it will have on the Fishing?. With less and less holding pools and shallow levels, trying to evade capture from predators and anglers alike will be difficult. We desperately need rain, to bring the rivers up to "normal" levels and improve the sport. Drought conditions on the Severn in April have also been fuelled by large amounts of water being drawn off for consumption to supplement the reservoir supply.
This is having a knock on effect in the upper reaches of the river and is evident in the above photos. The day concluded on the Servern with an hour or so Spey casting practice and then a long drive home. Reflecting on the day and conditions of the river and possible long term effects. Time for a rain dance in Powys !!!
Until Next Time...........................Tight Lines
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