Evening light on the Rocks beat
A Slack-water Sam
River Wye, The Rocks Beat.
June 7th
The Rocks is a terrific beat. It has a little of everything. Deep rock-lined mysterious pools, fast shutes, glides, runs, rocky broken water and classic gravely pools. And it has a variety of fish. There are spotty things and things with big colourful dorsals, but there are also chub, reputedly a pike or two or three and probably a few other beasts (not to mention salmon).
There is also a good growth of water crowsfoot and at this time of year it combines with other flowering plants such as wild chives and trefoils to light up the beat with splashes of brilliant colour.
But the best time to fish is when it is so late that the colour is beginning to go from the scene. In the evenings a pool that may have had a single rising fish during the day will come alive. Fish everywhere: where to cast? It's quite common for the appearance of so many frolicking fish to cause a rush of blood to the head. Casting goes to pot, lines splash heavily on the water. The trout need to wear crash helmets. And yet often, they just continue feeding, oblivious to the antics of us anglers. A great time of day and a great time of year.
Evening light on the Rocks beat
A Slack-water Sam