Grayling Fishing on the River – Ewenny on the 30th November 2023.
My first outing in the new Grayling season 2023/24 was on the River Ewenny in South Wales, on a -3° cold, crisp Thursday morning. 7 members of Area 4 Grayling Society from Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wales met up to challenge this water, I have fished this water 2/3 times a year and I am always impressed of the good condition, PADAC keep this river in. On my last few visits I have struggled with the access on some of the steep banks and barb wire fences but since my last visit the vegetation has been cut back, barb wire removed, awkward access replaced with two level styles with a steady pole, and steps cut into the bank and covered in stone with side supports, a fantastic improvement for those of us who are ageing.
For those who have never fished it, it’s a challenging stretch of water and ranges from narrow 6ft sections to 35ft wide. Along it you have cattle bridges, fords, concrete cattle crossings, a few weirs, rocks, a salmon run built in and the bed is a mixture of sand, gravel, bed rock, deep and narrow channels with some deep pools, with a canopy of bushes and trees for you to contend with so a short rod, small flies and side flicks is the order of the day.
For my previous last 3 visits I have stuck to the Moors beat as I found it more accessible but now with all their work on the banks and being more accessible I can fish it nearly anywhere. My own thoughts were that the river was running around 8inch higher than normal by the water height against my boots while on the cattle crossing but the water clarity was nearly Gin clear. I fished my 5ft6ins 4w rod with a spider on the dropper and a silver bead white bug on the point, I landed 2 both on the point, and 2 self-detached themselves, between us we caught 23 Grayling, on methods ranging from wet and dry flies, Czech nymph style, floats, and Tenkara style fishing,
On the Moors beat the huge stone blocks first installed by the Welsh NRA, under the flood Alleviation scheme are now even more pronounced with the general clearing of the banks as you can see small fishing swimming between them.
The weather stayed clear but was very cold with an Icey breeze.
Thanks to Geoff Bevan for organising another fabulous day, a good day was had by all members, and to PADAC for looking after the river and its banks so we the fly fisher can applicate it.
Location 10mins drive from J35, on the M4.
Andrew Ayres,
WFD, G&CFD, Ludlow FD & Grayling Society member.
Worcester Fly Dressers 