Imagine a small river in Wales in a coal mining community heavily polluted with waste from 1800
or so until the pits finally closed in the eighties. When the author first fished it with his father in
the seventies, apart from a few small roach, all they could catch were eels. Since the closure of the
pits the river has made a remarkable recovery and what was ‘A Once Forgotten River’ has become
a superb little river for fly fishing for the brown trout that are now present.
The author has spent a lifetime following his passion of fly fishing for the trout (and grayling) on
not only the Taff but the River Usk and has been there through the whole transformation of this
beautiful and scenic river. He has over the years seen the water quality improve dramatically not
only for the fishing but the wealth of wildlife that is now present.
Being a keen conservationist he always returns his fish after photographing the specimens and has
used his camera to record the stunning views and the wildlife. This includes otters, mink, kingfishers
and much more. Importantly he has also included photographs of some of the natural fly types that
now hatch on the river including mayfly and the artificial ones he uses to tempt the trout.