Feedback & Reports

16 chub 1lb-4lb, 28 barbel 1/2lb-9lb 4oz. Various baits. Fish fed on and off all day despite hundreds of canoes.

Three days spent on this wonderful fishery. 1 Barbel, 4 to 5 pounds, 3 chub at 2,3 and 4 pounds, all caught on ledgered meat in the bottom pools of the fishery. Plenty of dace caught on maggots also. Exellent natural fishery well worth a visit. Big thanks to Don for making us feel so welcome. Planning next visit asap.....

River low and clear fed a few places with hemp and corn unpreductive before lunch moved downstream into deeper water the boy caught a 7lb barbel second cast, both had eight barbel and three big chub between us. I lost what looked like a double figure barbel at the net - gutted. Never mind, back to catch the bugger very soon.

Access was typical of so many Wye fisheries: down a steep and slippery bank, especially at the bottom where receding floodwaters had left the ground quite muddy. Turned out to be an expensive day, as 10+ feeders were lost in a snag which I was later informed might be the carcase of a motorbike dumped a year or two earlier, and slowly being washed down the fishery by each flood (thanks for that info Rudi). However, the snag turned out to be the fish-holding feature, and when the casts didn't go awry 4 barbel were the result, 3 estimated between 5-7 lbs, and a pristine beauty of 11 lbs exactly. Pellet/paste combo was the main producer, with only 1 fish falling to meat. Other fish caught were a chub of about 2lbs, and the real surprise of the day: a 4lb jack pike which grabbed the pellet as I began a retrieve to refill the feeder. Stunning surroundings as ever, even with the Ross road a few yards behind (and above!) me. No less than 20 or so different bird species seen and/or heard throughout the day, the highlight being a juvenile sparrowhawk fly-past on the oppsite bank. The only downside were the incompetent canoeists who insisted on hitting the sides of their canoes with each paddle stroke creating a fish-scaring racket - and surprisingly there were more today than when I fished at Caradoc on Bank Holiday Monday.

River rose 2m overnight from yesterdays successes at Middle Hill with large branches, sheds and stray boats bombing past. Consequently fishing was nigh on impossible even if you could find a swim with some slack. Should have brought a beachcaster and some grippa leads! Nothing caught except a baitrunner reel which has cleaned up nicely, shame because one of our party caught a 10lb 13oz barbel here late the previous evening as the water was beginning to rise. Other fishermen and bailiff all very approachable and helpful which was nice and all too rare these days.

Three fantastic days fishing on this delightful beat. I explored the bottom end of the beat which Don explained gets less angling pressure. From the tail of the island (by the very handily placed pub), the bottom end of this beat comprises a series of, (if not one continuous long), middle river/far bank runs, mainly shallow but with one or two deeper holes. There were fish throughout in as little as 18ins of water.
Over three days I caught 22 barbel and numerous chub to about 5lb, (although mostly 1lb to 3lb), from numerous different spots. Apart from one stunning little barbel of about 12oz the barbel were mostly (estimated) in the 4lb to 7lb class with a couple (estimated) between 8lb and 9lb. The only two I weighed were 9lb 10oz and 10lb 12oz. All the fish were in stunning condition and fought like all Wye barbel do, which with the added assistance of the strong flow, and plenty of snags made for exciting fishing. All fish caught touch ledgering on sweetcorn, spam and pellets.

When you add in the gorgeous scenery, and the plentiful and varied wildlife you will not be surprised to know that I intend to visit this beat again! Thanks to Don and Rudi, and all at the WUF.

18.00 to 20.45hrs. Last pool of lower Wyebank section. Low summer level, 3ft max. Wading and trotting sweetcorn and halibut pellets down centre of river, 10ft avon rod and centerpin, 8lb line to 12 or 8 hook. 3 barbel around 5/6lbs and 1 weighed at 9lb 10oz, oh so close to that elusive double. 4 chub to around 4lbs and one dace of around 10oz. There seem to only be few shoals of dace this year possibly due to many gooseanders in winter and cormorants in spring?

2 Barbel to 6 lbs, 4 Chub to 5 lbs. River coloured and dropping after heavy rain.

17.30 to 19.30. Wyebank section bottom pool, river up 9inches on last visit, water cooler but clear. Wading and long trotting, long rod and centre pin 8lb line with over-shotted chubber type float 1 or 2 sweetcorn on size 10 hook in edge of main flow, approx 18/24in water depth, float set at 3ft and held back. 3 chub to around 3lbs and one midsized barbel lost at net then bites ceased.
19.30 to dusk. Same pool, wading, slow rolling ledger, 6 swan shot, 1inch size curried luncheon meat on size 6 hook with long 3ft hooklength. 3 barbel to around 6lbs, 2 chub to around 3lb and 2 beautiful light olive coloured eels of around 1.5lbs, both returned.

An evening session trying to float fish for the Barbel low down on the Courtfield stretch after the canoes have departed the pub..

Although the water was above summer level and flowing hard the water was very shallow ,only 4 or 5 ft max in the holes

Not very good at the float so struggled getting snagged and losing floats and halibut pellets regularly

Caught one at around 4lb, boy do they go on light gear with no weight to hinder them in fast water.

Tried the feeder and pellets for the last few hours before dark and it was like shooting fish in barrel,nothing large but a 5lb fish feels massive when caught in very fast streamy water. Lost count, but must have had 10 more or so plus some nice chub. Use heavy line around the feeder or you will be cut off by the sharp rocks.

I think this is the place to fish for barbel with heavy nymphs czech nymphing style, the chub, grayling and occasional big trout might like it too....

Many thanks to Don for putting me on the fish.

I will be back.