Feedback & Reports

River low and clear with bright sunshine didn't bode well. Chub taken on meat and the barbel on the pin with a small pellet. All fish scale perfect and fighting fit (and of a good size too). First field fine, the rest of the beat would need some serious tools to cut a swim - wild fishing indeed. Be interesting to try again with a few feet on the level.

1 Barbel, 2 Chub

Another nice day on this beat, river was a bit lower and clearer than last week, had one barbel early on, then had a good last couple of hours with some more barbel and a chub of 5lb 10oz.

5 Barbel, 5 Chub

Had a great day with my wife taking 4 of the 6 fish all on meat. All her fish took a moving bait from the same swim with no feed. It was great to watch her catch old style,I couldn't be more proud. All fish between 5&9lbs. The spam queen strikes again.

6 Barbel

Really nice day with a few fish and some others lost. Even managed a slimy eel on double pellet.

3 Barbel, 4 Chub, 1 Other

Arrived on beat at 2.30pm and fished until 8.30pm. The river was in great condition, the best it's looked this season so far. The river was carrying 5ft of extra water and dropping off nicely.

Finished with several barbel from 6lb to 9lb, all caught on feeder and pellet tactics.

3 Barbel

Arrived early morning and started to fish the feeder in the cloudy low light conditions to take 5 chub before the rain came down.
The chub stopped biting so we started to explore the rest of the fishery, which I have to say was stunning. After a few hours spent searching different swims and falling down the banks into nettles (proper boys stuff) we still couldn’t find any Barbel so headed back to base camp for a quick recharge.
I soon set out in search of Barbel again and this time came up trumps after spotting one move between two clumps of weed. I was soon set up and it wasn’t long before the first Barbel was on the bank.
Knowing that I had a well known legend “Barbless” friend with me, I did the honorable thing and let him jump into the swim. It wasn’t long before he hooked a Barbel, surely this was it he was going to finally catch a Barbel after two seasons of trying, but alas it parted company after cutting him off on a rock. Myself and K fell about laughing as our still “Barbless” friend lit up the valley with a torrent of obscenities.
Thankfully after continual resting of the swim he managed to bag his first Barbel and tranquility returned to the valley.
The fish kept coming for the rest of the afternoon and between the 3 of us we managed 8 Barbel and 11 Chub with at least 4 other lost fish. None of the fish were weighed, however the chub were around 3 and 4lb and the Barbel ranged from about 4lb to one which was knocking on the door of 10lb.
A great day was had by all and we would defiantly book this beat again.

8 Barbel, 11 Chub

4 Barbel from the first swim you can get to and 3 chub from the shallow fast water. Tried the top croy but not a touch. Left early because of the rain.

4 Barbel, 3 Chub

Bottom fishing low clear water.

4 Barbel, 5 Chub

All six barbel caught on Halibut or crab pellet , ranging from 5lb 2oz to 6lb 12oz on a simple ledger rig .all fish were in superb condition.

The river was clear and low, lot of streamer weed in places with a shoal of barbel spotted in a really dense weed area on the near bank, however like most of this beat almost impossible to fish for.

The only downside to this beat is the lack of swims available, I know you can "make your own" ,which is what we tried to do, only to find that once you get next to the river, it is either a steep drop off ranging from 6-10 feet or overhanging trees making landing anything all but impossible.

There are maybe 4/5 places to actually fish from. I was disappointed in the lack of swims/access to the swims.
That said if you want to go and stalk these barbel the effort is well worth it these fish are beautiful in colour and condition. Take a rope to get back up the bank if you are feeling brave.
On a really big plus point fishing from the croy is an absolute joy , you will know what I mean when you get there!!!.

The scenery if fantastic with all manner of wildlife to watch " as we'll as your rod tip". Trout rising opposite the Croydon all evening after the hatch.

It's a healthy climb to get back to the car, take a torch if you leave at dusk it's quite dark in the wood. I would go back here no doubt but with a view to going light.

6 Barbel

Arriving at first light we managed 3 Barbel from 6 to nearly 8lbs from towards the far end of the beat. By 10am, it was already pretty hot & obvious that the Barbel had gone for an early siesta so we packed up & made our way back for a well earned full english & a cold shower.

We returned at 5pm, & with the mercury touching 32C we made the sweat drenched trip back to the same area. As the sun started to drop, the Barbel came on the feed again & we managed another 5 of a similar size until the light started to fade & we reluctantly had to reel in & call it a day.

An enjoyable visit overall but limited somewhat by the the weather conditions, the low & clear water & the limited number of fisherable swims, particularly as our trio included a father & son meaning we needed to fish close together on the grounds that returning to a distraught mother to explain how we had sacrifed her precious teenager son to the river Wye might have been a bit tricky.

I note from a previous report that there is nothing to stop you from creating swims but the feasibility of this is a bit constrained by the level to which the vegetation has now grown on along much of the beat. Whilst accepting this may not be too much of a issue to anyone young & fit there is still the consideration of finding a spot that allows for access close enough to the water to allow fish to be safely landed & returned.

8 Barbel