Feedback & Reports

Just the one Barbel, 8lb 1oz and lost another in the morning. But the highlight for me was spotting an otter, though appreciate that may not be good news for the fish. Returned in the evening for a couple of hours but nothing doing. Enjoyable trip despite the lack of fish.

Having struggled on White House beat with weed and wet weather with only one lost fish between us. Sunday saw us on Middle Hill Court with glorious weather and a river carrying a foot or so of extra water. We spent the day on feeder tactics with hemp/pellets, hookbait-larger pellets.
Chose a lovely nearbank glide below the small rapids towards the top of the beat but drew a blank. Spent the afternoon in a couple of swims in the middle of the beat and G Gordon caught his first ever barbel of 6.5lb, 7lb, and 7.5lb. Unfortunately we had to leave for home having finally located some fish. Great weekend and great service, thanks.

Started at Backney on Friday 20th with river very low and clear and in appalling weather, heavy rain and driving wind. Managed 1 barbel between the 4 of us.

Middle Hill Court on Saturday 21st saw us fare little better with either the fish or the weather. Adam (baliff) kindly came and spent a little time with us, a thoroughly nice guy who gave us lots of advice. However, despite Adam's advice, a rapidly rising / colouring river and fishing well into dusk we only managed 2 barbel between us!

Whitehouse on Sunday 22nd at least saw improved weather conditions but despite the flush of much needed water the fishing was still slow. We had 5 barbel all told falling to 2 rods with the best at 8-3. There were a few chub caught but nothing worthwhile and the majority of the barbel were taken on pellet although a variety of baits were tried.

8 barbel between 3 of us. The newly cut swims below the Vanstone pool were the most productive. Fish fed all day but with more gusto in the evening. Boilie the best bait.

Four of us fished Vanstone/Corner Tree/Maddox swims. Total catch four barbel to 8ibs and three chub. I fished Vanstone pool and I agree with another report about the snags. I was also not impressed to find discarded tackle (hair rigged hooks, swivel links) plus several long lengths of monofilament in the mud and bushes and even a collection of beer cans deposited in the bankside undergrowth - all removed.
My next purchase will be an Anglers version of an Exocet missile to prevent yet another kayaker (the majority of whom were pleasant and "exchanged waves and good luck") doing demonstration rollovers about four feet from a friends rod tip - the deliberate, boorish behaviour was a disgrace and ruined what should have been a pleasant session even if the fishing was hard. We will probably not visit this beat again.

Caught 2 Barbel 6lb each and 1 small chub. Vanstone extremely snaggy and fish not present in numbers. River lower than I've seen it in probably 40 years (though some of those years are a bit hazy). Spur of the moment booking as I saw that I would have the stretch to myself.

Met Adam the friendly and helpful bailiff, who suggested going back to Vanstone pool (where I had caught the first barbel) until dark (which I agreed with totally. Immediately had 2nd barbel first chuck, well before dark, but then spent the rest of the evening tying hair rigs as I was losing a hooklength every other cast.

If fishing this area, I would advise against using bare hooks, as it was the hooks and not the feeder which was getting snagged on the rocks. When I eventually gave up hair rigs and using meat with hook buried, I stopped getting snagged but no further fish came , except for a small chub which nicked my meat from about 5ft out as I was packing up.

Hardest fishing I've known on this stretch. Desperately needs monsoon, and soon. Apart from that, Peregrines, Buzzards, Dippers, Pair of Kingfishers, loads of salmon leaping while leaving the upper end of Vanstone pool heading upstream, but no biggies. And millions of fry which were eating everything I put in the feeder.

Rain please, and lots of it. (Lovely day though.)

Started out at around 10ish spotting and dropping some bait in likely areas. Chub up to 4lb seen a'plenty and the salmon were giving it some welly leaping around. Started at the very under fished bottom end where the water runs shallow to wade but dont be fooled. You can easily be out of your depth in the many gullies that hide under the weed!
Had eight chub up to 4lb between us in the afternoon for a very pleasent day. At 3pm we started the walk along the baited areas but the barbel were still very well hidden.
In the end we ended up with five barbel from 3lb up to 9lb from all over the length. Had one, then moved on.

Beautiful day, weather, wildlife and good company.

On a side note, many of the canoeists get a bad press but everyone of them were polite, friendly and held back when playing fish. Never had that before. Some even glided upon approach to avoid spooking in the clear water!!!!
Thank you.

11 lb 4oz barbel and 4lb chub.

Only two chub between us. Two other rods on Vanstone and Vanstone Pool did catch a few barbel mainly we feel because these were the only two productive pools.

3 barbel caught to 10lb 9oz and 2 chub to 4lb. Fish caught on pellet and sweetcorn. It was our first visit to the fishery and with the river low we were pleased that we were the only two there. Swims are scarce in low water conditions. A pleasant day in beautiful surroundings.