Beat 4, Done's Meadow, was secured on a 5 year lease in 2001 and has been a valuable part of our water ever since.
The water has the bottom of beat 3 as its top boundary, marked by the gate into the meadow which takes its name from the Owner. Whilst only extending to a single meadow, this is on a horse-shoe and so provides approximately 500 yards of fishing. This water is left bank only and is on the inside of the bend.
The beat begins in the body of a pool with deep water close to the near bank under overhanging trees. The banks are steep here and access is difficult and on occasion dangerous. This stretch turns into a glide which narrows and quickens as the water pushes to the far bank as the river enters the bend and becomes a fast broken run punctuated by a small pool at its half way mark.
Following the run is a stretch of water containing 5 groynes on the far bank. Here, the water is shallower on our bank, with a deeper channel off the end of the groynes with deep back eddies between. At low water, salmon hold between the groynes, with fish moving to our bank at higher water when the water near the groynes becomes turbulent.
After the bottom groyne, the water widens and slows as the final pool on the beat is entered.
Though the shortest of our beats, there is plenty of holding water which can accommodate several anglers.
This water has a reputation for holding salmon at all times of the season and for producing fish at all heights. The water fishes well with the fly during lower water with best results to spinners in higher water.
Flat fish (Flounders) are often taken on worm or deeply fished spinners.
Access
Riverside parking is accessible through two gates, as indicated on the map. The first gate has a combination lock for club members and the number is changed each season.
Leaving the village, turn right onto the A 525 towards Wrexham. After 1.25 miles, at the traffic lights in Cross Lanes, turn right onto the B 5130. After 2.5 miles you will pass a turning for Wrexham Industrial Estate on your left, a couple of hundred yards later turn right. After 0.5 miles, the road sweeps to the left. Continue past the farm for 0.25 mile, taking the first turning on your right. After a few hundred yards, as the road turns 90 degrees left there is a gate on the right (there is a BODSAA sign up the tree to the right of the gate). This gate has a combination lock known only to BODSAA members. Continue down this track, through a second unlocked gate, and on for a further few hundred yards until you reach the car park capable of holding 5-8 cars. This parking area provides safe parking against farm animals.
From the secured car parking, a walk downstream of 600 yards along the fence line or 1000 yards along the river bank is required to reach this water.
