Feedback & Reports

When we came down on Thursday evening and drove through snow storms it did not look too promising and so it proved. We had 4 days with no fish except 1 dace. The river was high and with the cold frost, snow and ice conditions were not for fishing. The only fishable swims did not produce, trying all baits and rigs and for the want of trying not a bite was had. This is as they say fishing for you but, it was hard work for no return. Now I'm back at work I know where I would rather be, even without catching fish the Wye is a superb river set in wonderful countryside and I will be back soon for its next challenge. Thanks to the W&UF for getting the land owners to open up these waters and the great work that you do. Hope every one has a happy Christmas and fantastic new year.

First visit to fish the Wye, hoping for some chub and barbel. Overnight frost didn't help with the barbel but the river was running with a bit of colour following rain earlier in the week. Caught 3 Chub during the day. One at spot on 4lb from the top end of the beat in the morning and 2 smaller ones at 2.8 and 2.12 from the lower end in the afternoon. All came from slacker water below trees or in cut backs in the bank. All came to cheese paste wrapped around a hair-rigged halibut pellet.
Can't wait to come back for another crack with a better idea of what to expect.

Fished the previous two days on another stretch of the Wye and found it hard going - this stretch also difficult. I landed one barbel around 5 pounds (not weighed), one of the other guys blanked fishing for barbel and another fishing for pike had one fish around 11 pounds. Fishing with meat or pellet produced no bites a change to red maggot on a hair rig clip started to produce bites and subsequently the one barbel of the day. A beautiful stretch of the Wye and despite the lack of fish a most enjoyable day

Two barbel up to 8.5 lbs - one small chub about 3 lbs.

Deadbaiting for pike. One chub and a couple of dropped runs which I suspect were chub also as baits not marked.
Feel that £20/day is too much and won't fish this beat again at that price.
Flock of 31 goosanders on the water when I arrived.

Hard days fishing! 1 rod caught 7 barbel the best was 7lb 3 and
the other rod blanked. Best swim had a deep pool which produced
all the fish, nice chub caught at the end of the day. Great beat would like to come back. Cheers!

We fished the cattle field downstream from the Orchard.
The weather was warm with sunny periods and the river was fairly low and clear. A beautiful stretch of water. Between the 2 of us we caught 8 barbel ranging from 5 to 8 pounds. All fish were hard fighting and in pristine condition.
We will return next year to try another beat of this superb river. Some pegs on this beat need better access - You need to be fit and agile !!

First time on this fishery parked in the orchard car park at the top end of the fishery and walked the whole beat. I decided I was parked in the wrong place and drove to the parking lay by at the lower end of the fishery.The river is a bit deeper here and in these low water conditions looked more likely. It is a really nice place to be at times I felt I was in a nature reserve with ducks, swans, cows, all sorts of birds including kingfishers and later on bats and owls putting in an appearance! The available fishing swims were a bit limited and more could be created with a bit of tree cutting work. Really struggled to catch in the low and clear conditions losing a feeder a cast in my chosen but obviously rocky swim! Decided to do a bit of roving using 4aaa shot swinging round under the bushes using luncheon meat for bait. This did the trick and finished with 4 Chub weights..3, 3.5, 3.5 and 2lb. 2 Barbel weights 3, 5.5lb. I was enjoying myself at the end!

River was 18" up and falling. Due to a howling south westerly we were a bit limited to where to fish comfortably. We set up in some promising looking swims in the field below the orchard, opposite a steep wooded bank. I fished a bit of a hole adjacent to a willow on the near side, but could only tempt a barbel of 7lb around midday. Merv fished a couple of swims down, sitting in a well trodden swim amongst willows. He fished in a typical snaggy barbel area, resulting in 10 fish being hooked with just 3 being landed, the biggest being about 8lb. Dad tried several pegs with little success, including the near-side channel in the bottom meadow which Woody had raved to us about. He ended up taking 2 chub to 5lb fishing 2/3 the way across, a few swims down from Merv.

A tough day for two of us and a frustrating day for the third. Though as always seems to be the case with the Wye, it was a day spent in fantastic surroundings.

This is becoming my favourite beat although on this particular day I spent much the afternoon biteless. The last hour gave me 1 chub and 3 barbel, biggest which happened to be on my very last cast just as the light was fading at 8lb 8oz. Will definitely be back.